23 F1 drivers whose career lasted one race | Axon's Automotive Anorak

Ever since the very first World Championship Grand Prix race was held (at Silverstone) in 1950, a surprisingly high number of drivers have participated in one GP race only. In the 1950s competing in just one GP race was quite commonplace. During that decade no less than 67 drivers entered one grand prix only, including such luminaries as the later F1/FIA overlord Bernie Ecclestone (he entered Monaco in 1957 in a Connaught, but failed to qualify), Lotus-founder Colin Chapman (he crashed into the back of his teammate Mike Hawthorn’s Vanwall in the 1956 French GP), and Aldo Gordini (the son of renowned Renault tuner and racer Armdee Gordini). In the 1960s a mere 42 different drivers participated in just one Grand Prix, with a further four trying their hand only once in the 1970s and 1971 seasons, one of which (Francois Mazet) went on to become a successful lemon farmer in the south of France!

In the 1960s 42 different drivers participated in just one Grand Prix each, with a further four trying their hand once only in the 1970s and 1971 seasons. This includes Francois Mazet, who went on to become a successful and wealthy lemon farmer in the south of France!

In the fifty years since the 1972 F1 season, when Emerson Fittipaldi won the F1 World Championship in his famous JPS black and gold-liveried Lotus 72, taking the chequered flag on five of that season’s 12 races. 23 drivers have attempted to race at least once in a Championship Grand Prix. Very few of these got to race, however, with even less actually finishing a race. Here’s their role call with their race successes, or otherwise…

Marco Apicella: 1993 with Jordan

Italian Apicella holds the dubious honour of having possibly the shortest Grand Prix racing career of all time. Competing in the 1993 Italian GP at Monza for Jordon, the ex-Formula 3 and F3000 racers got involved in a multiple car pile-up at Monza’s first chicane and was out of the race. He would never return to F1.

Luiz Pereira Bueno: 1973 with Surtees

Having gained a Brazilian Government grant to come to the UK to race in Formula Ford in 1969, impoverished Bueno rented an old Surtees for his only championship F1 appearance in the 1973 Brazilian GP. He qualified last and finished in that position. He went on to become a double Brazilian Touring Car Champion.

Carlo Facetti: 1974 with Brabham

Alfa Romeo’s chief test driver attempted to make only one GP driver appearance, failing to qualify for the 1974 Italian Grand Prix in a Scuderia Finotto Brabham BT42. Five years later in happier times he won the 1979 FIA Touring Car Championship.

Willie Ferguson: 1972 with Brabham

South African Ferguson entered his local GP in 1972, set to drive a Brabham BT33 for the local Team Gunston. The Brabham’s engine blew up in practice though so he was unable to actually start the race, and he quickly disappeared into motor racing oblivion.

Warwick Brown: 1976 with Wolf

Sydney-born Brown gained experience in the early 1970s Tasman race series, winning the Tasman title in 1975. In 1976 he drove for Wolf, taking 14th place at the 1976 Watkins Glen USA Grand Prix; his only F1 appearance. He remained in America to drive in the local Formula 5000 and Can-Am series, before retiring back to Sydney in 1979 to establish a flying school.

Carlo Franchi ‘Gimax’: 1978 with Surtees

Simply known as Gimax (a combination of his two sons first names), Italian sports car racer Franchi only entered one GP, his home race in 1978. He failed to qualify in his Surtees and soon returned to sports car racing.

Hans Heyer: 1977 with Penske ATS

Although German ex-go-kart Champion Heyer didn’t manage to qualify for the 1977 German GP, but he somehow managed to sneak into the race anyway. He broke down on lap nine, although he would have been disqualified had he been able to keep going for illegally racing!

Masami Kuwashima: 1977 with Wolf-Williams

With Williams in need of a driver for the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix, successful Formula 2000 racer Kuwashima was chosen, only to be replaced by Hans Binder after first practice due to a sponsor dispute, the poor bloke!

Graham McRae: 1973 with ISO-Williams

Kiwi racer and US-series Formula 5000 winner McRae entered his only championship Grand Prix at the 1973 British GP. He qualified at the back of the grid in an uncompetitive ISO-Williams, but failed to start the actual race due to throttle problems.

Ricardo Londono-Bridge: 1981 with Ensign

Wealthy enough to buy his way into an F1 drive with the struggling Ensign team for the 1981 Brazilian GP, Colombian driver Londono-Bridge (amazingly, his real name!) was initially refused an appropriate F1 racing licence by the FIA for the practice sessions due to inexperience, although he was allowed to enter the actual race!

Dave Morgan: 1975 with Surtees

Commencing his competition career in his twenties racing Minis, Morgan bought his seat in a Surtees TS16. He finished in 18th place, despite being involved in an accident in this wet race. Ironically, he later became a race engineer in Formula 1.

Jac Nelleman: 1976 with RAM

Despite being the Danish Formula 3 Champion 11 times, Nelleman’s only foray into F1 for a 1976 Swedish GP was a disaster, failing to qualify in a Brabham BT42. He successfully returned to F3 though!

Bertil Roos: 1974 with Shadow

A Swede who won the American Super Vee Formula, Roos drove the poor-performing Shadow DN3 in his home GP in 1974 for just two laps; the Shadow’s gearbox packing up, forcing him to retire from his first and only Grand Prix race.

Karl Oppitzhauser: 1976 with March

Austrian Oppitzhauser entered a none-works March 761 into his ‘home’ GP in 1976, but was not permitted to race due to his lack of single-seater experience.

Stephan Sarrazin: 1999 with Minardi

Frenchman Sarrazin’s sole GP drive was as a substitute for Minardi’s injured Luca Badoer in the 1999 Brazilian GP. Sadly, Sarrazin shunted his Minardi on the starting grid and couldn’t race. He went on to be an F1 test driver for Prost in 2000 and Toyota in 2003 but never actually raced again in a Grand Prix.

Stephen South: 1980 with McLaren

The 1976 British Formula 3 Champion, South had great potential and was due to race in F1 for the first time in 1980 with Toleman. The opportunity of a drive in the more competitive McLaren M29C in the 1980 USA West GP though was too tempting for South, and although he failed to qualify for the race, Toleman dropped him immediately for joining with a rival team, although he’d never actually raced for them. A later Can-Am accident ended South’s once-promising competition career.

Andy Sutcliffe: 1977 for RAM March

Another one race Brit that failed to pre-qualify for the 1977 British GP in a RAM March 761 Cosworth. He soon returned to Formula 3 were he enjoyed greater success.

Kunimitsu Takahashi: 1977 with Tyrrell

Japanese Takahashi began racing motorcycles in the early 1960s, but a nasty accident caused him to switch over to campaigning four wheeled sportscar for greater safety. For the 1977 Japanese GP, Takahashi drove an old Tyrrell, finishing the race a respectable ninth in his only GP appearance.

Guy Tunmer: 1975 with Lotus

South African Mini racer Guy Tunmer stepped into a Team Gunston Lotus 72 for the 1975 South African GP, taking his Lotus from 25th on the grid, up to a respectable 11th by the end of the race. His only Championship GP experience was sadly not to be repeated though as he lost his life on the road in a motorcycle accident.

Jo Vonlanthen: 1975 with Williams

The Swiss F3 Champion for 1972, garage owner Vonlanthen drove a Williams once in the 1975 Austrian GP, starting a lowly 28th and retiring with engine failure after 14 laps.

Desire Wilson: 1980 with Williams

The only female on our list to drive in one championship F1 race to-date, Desire Wilson remains the only woman ever to have won a Formula 1 race, albeit a none-championship race; the 1976 South African GP. Wilson took part in the 1980 British GP at Brands Hatch, driving a none-works Williams FW07.

Markus Winkelhock: 2007 with Spyker

One of the German Winkelhock racing dynasty, Markus Winklehock holds the unusual distinction of possibly being the only GP driver to go from last to first place in a race in his/her first Grand Prix! In the 2007 European GP, he qualified last, only to change tyres at the start of the race due to the sudden arrival of pouring rain. He briefly led the race while all the other teams brought their cars in to change tyres. After the race was red-flagged due to the appalling weather conditions though, Winklehock’s Spyker was forced to retire due to technical problems.

Emilio Zapico: 1976 with Williams

Spaniard Zapico paid his way to a drive in an ageing Williams FW04 in his 1976 home GP, but failed to qualify for the race, retuning to touring cars ahead of losing his life in a motorcycle accident in 1996.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.