Most sports have inherent risks, but F1 has a reputation for being particularly risky, especially in the beginning. Despite this, many fans may be curious as to how many Formula One drivers have been killed while competing due to the fact that the sport has seen significant safety upgrades in recent years.
So, how many F1 drivers have died? 52 drivers have lost their lives while operating Formula 1 vehicle in accidents during FIA World Championship races or other events, with the majority of these incidents taking place in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.
Since 1994, there has only been one driver fatality at an FIA World Championship race thanks to the FIA’s adoption of different safety regulations.
Whether you’re brand new to motorsports or have been following Grand Prix for ages, you may have noticed that fatalities aren’t as common as they once were. So let’s look at a few of the catastrophic mishaps that have happened over the years.
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Table of Contents
Deaths of Formula One Drivers
32 of the 52 F1 drivers who have passed away happened at World Championship Grand Prix events, 7 occurred during testing, and 13 died outside of sanctioned F1 competitions. Let’s examine the details of each Formula One event’s death. Please take note that deaths involving spectators, pit teams, or officials are not included.
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Cameron Earl (June 18, 1952)
British driver Cameron Earl was the first Formula One driver to pass away while racing. On June 18, 1952, Earl was a mechanic putting the R14B car through its paces at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) test track in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The 29-year-old crashed his ERA racer during the test, suffered a head injury, and later passed away in the hospital.
Chet Miller (May 15, 1953)
Chet Miller, an American racer, became the first of a group of seven drivers to pass away at the Indianapolis 500, which, despite having a distinct set of rules, was a part of the World Championship between 1950 and 1960, 11 months after Earl died at the MIRA test track.
On May 15, 1953, Miller, who was 50, became the first driver to pass away at a World Championship race during a test run.
Miller’s 20-year career won him the nickname “Dean of the Speedway,” but his life was cut tragically short in a Turn One disaster at the 1953 Indianapolis 500. He was driving the immensely powerful and hazardous Kurtis Kraft, which was equipped with a Novi Engine, which was utilized on the Indy 500 circuit from 1941 to 1966.
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Charles de Tornaco (September 18, 1953)
Charles de Tornaco, a Belgian driver, also deceased on September 18, 1953, following a practice run accident at the Modena Grand Prix. On the route to the hospital, he crashed his Ferrari Tipo 500 and passed away from head and neck injuries. Given that there was no ambulance present and the 26-year-old died in a private vehicle, his death can be attributed to a shortage of medical personnel and resources.
Onofre Marimon (July 31, 1954)
In his Maserati 250F, 30-year-old Argentinian driver Onofre Marimon was killed in an F1 crash on the Nurburgring track on July 31, 1954. Marimon lost control of his vehicle, collided with a tree, and flipped it before becoming trapped underneath it and dying as a result. A rescue crew was able to release him, but it was too late.
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Mario Alborghetti (April 11, 1955)
On April 11, 1955, at the Pau Grand Prix, Italian driver Mario Alborghetti died while operating his Maserati 4CLT on the Circuit de Pau-Ville.
Manny Ayulo (May 16, 1955)
On May 16, 1955, an additional deadly collision took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when American racer Manny Ayulo was killed during a practice lap in his Kurtis Kraft racecar.
Bill Vukovich (May 30, 1955)
On May 30, 1955, just two weeks after Ayulo’s passing away, American driver Bill Vukovich died in the identical car on the same circuit, although this time he was competing in a race.
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Eugenio Castellotti (March 14, 1957)
Eugenio Castellotti was killed in an accident while testing a Ferrari 801 on the Autodromo di Modena on March 14, 1957.
Keith Andrews (May 15, 1957)
On May 15, 1957, Keith Andrews, an American driver, lost his life during a practice lap in his Kurtis Kraft racecar, adding yet another Indy 500 tragedy to the list.
Pat O’Connor (May 30, 1958)
One year after Andrews’ passing, on May 30, 1958, another American driver competing in a Kurtis Kraft car passed away during a race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, bringing the track’s tragic history full circle.
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Luigi Musso (July 6, 1958)
Luigi Musso, an Italian race car driver, was killed while competing in the French Grand Prix on July 6, 1958, while driving his Ferrari 246 F1 on the Circuit de Reims-Guex in Reims, France.
Peter Collins (August 3, 1958)
Peter Collina, an Englishman, was driving a Ferrari 246 F1 when he was involved in a deadly accident on the Nurburgring during the German Grand Prix on August 3, 1958. The tragedy occurred when Collina, who was 26 years old at the time, lost control of his car and it flipped when he hit a ditch. Collina died as a result of the accident.
Stuart Lewis-Evans (October 19, 1958)
During the Moroccan Grand Prix that took place on October 19, 1958, another Englishman named Stuart Lewis-Evans tragically lost his life after crashing his Vanwall on the Circuit de Ain-Diab during the competition.
Jerry Unser Jr. (May 2, 1959)
American driver Jerry Unsur Jr. completed a practice run in his Kuzma before being involved in the penultimate tragic disaster on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Indianapolis 500.
Bob Cortner (May 19, 1959)
The last driver to pass away on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway while it was still used for Formula 1 competitions was Bob Cortner. The death of Cortner, who was driving his Cornis during a practice run on May 19, 1959, and which is believed to have been brought on by strong winds, was the straw that broke the back of the Indy 500’s involvement in the FIA World Championships.
Harry Schell (May 13, 1960)
Harry Schell was in his Cooper T51 during a practice run for the BRDC International Trophy event on May 13, 1960, when he was involved in a deadly collision on the Silverstone Circuit.
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Chris Bristow & Alan Stacey (June 19, 1960)
Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey, both from England, were competing in the Belgian Grand Prix on June 19, 1960, in their separate racecars, the Cooper T51 and the Lotus 18, when they were killed at the exact same corner on the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Their deaths occurred within seconds of each other at the same location on the track.
Shane Summers (June 1, 1961)
Another English driver, Shane Summers, lost his life in an accident while competing in the Silver City Trophy, an event that was separate from the FIA World Championship and took place on June 1, 1961. Summers was driving his Cooper on the Brands Hatch circuit when the incident occurred during a practice session.
Giulio Cabianca (June 15, 1961)
On June 15, 1961, Italian driver Giulio Cabianca was killed in a catastrophic accident on the Autodromo di Modena while performing a test in his Cooper T51. The event took place during a test on the track.
Wolfgang von Trips (September 10, 1961)
On September 10, 1961, German driver Wolfgang von Trips was competing in the Italian Grand Prix when his Ferrari 156 F1 was involved in an accident on the circuit at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.
Ricardo Rodriguez (November 1, 1962)
Ricardo Rodriguez, a Mexican race car driver, passed away while participating in the Mexican Grand Prix on November 1, 1962. He was driving his Lotus 24 on the Autodromo Magdalena Mixiuhca during a practice session.
Gary Hocking (December 21, 1962)
Gary Hocking, a Rhodesian driver, passed away on December 21, 1962, while competing in the Natal Grand Prix in his Lotus 24. Hocking’s death occurred during a practice lap on the Westmead Circuit.
Carel Godin de Beaufort (August 1, 1964)
On August 1, 1964, the Dutch driver Carel Godin de Beaufort was participating in the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring track when he was involved in a deadly accident in his Porsche 718 while participating in a practice session.
John Taylor (August 7, 1966)
After losing his life in a race on August 7, 1966, English driver John Taylor became another victim of the treacherous Nurburgring circuit that was used for the German Grand Prix. Taylor was driving a Brabham BT11 at the time of the accident.
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Lorenzo Bandini (May 7, 1967)
On May 7, 1967, while participating in a race in his Ferrari 312, Italian driver Lorenzo Bandini was killed in a catastrophic collision at the Monaco Grand Prix on the Circuit de Monaco.
Bob Anderson (August 14, 1967)
On August 14, 1967, English driver Bob Anderson was testing his Brabham BT11 on the Silverstone circuit when he slid off the course and suffered catastrophic head and neck injuries. He passed away as a result of his injuries.
Jo Schlesser (July 7, 1968)
Jo Schlesser, a French Formula One driver, was killed on July 7, 1968, when his Honda RA302 overturned during a race on the Circuit de Rouen-Les-Essarts.
Gerhard Mitter (August 1, 1969)
On August 1, 1969, during the German Grand Prix, Gerhard Mitter was killed in an accident while driving his BMW 269 on the Nurburgring track.
Martin Brain (May 25, 1970)
Martin Brain was another English driver who tragically passed away after he was involved in an accident involving his Cooper T86B while competing in a race at the Nottingham Sports Car meeting held on the Silverstone Circuit.
Piers Courage (June 21, 1970)
A little over a week after Brain’s passing, another English Formula One driver named Piers Courage passed away at the Dutch Grand Prix on June 21, 1970. Courage was competing in a race on the Circuit Park Zandvoort when he crashed his De Tomaso 505/38 and was killed.
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Jochen Rindt (September 5, 1970)
Jochen Rindt, an Austrian driver, was another competitor who tragically passed away while competing in the Italian Grand Prix qualifying rounds at the Autodromo Nationale di Monza on September 5, 1970. Rindt was driving a Lotus 72 at the time of his death.
Jo Siffert (October 24, 1971)
On October 24, 1971, while competing in the World Championship Victory Competition race in his BPM P160, Swiss driver Jo Siffert was killed in a collision that occurred during the race.
Roger Williamson (July 29, 1973)
Roger Williamson, an English Formula One driver, was killed in a racing accident on July 29, 1973. The accident occurred at Circuit Park Zandvoort in the midst of the Dutch Grand Prix. Williamson was driving a March 731.
Francois Cevert (October 6, 1973)
On October 6, 1973, French race car driver Francois Cevert was involved in a deadly accident during the qualifying stages of the United States Grand Prix. He passed away as a result of his injuries.
He was on the Watkins Glen International track when his Tyrrell 006 crashed.
Peter Revson (March 22, 1974)
On March 22, 1974, American race car driver Peter Revson tragically passed away while testing his Shadow DN3 at the Kyalami Racing Circuit in preparation for the South African Grand Prix.
Helmuth Koinigg (October 6, 1974)
Helmuth Koinigg, an Austrian driver, was killed when the suspension of his Surtees TS16 failed during a race on the Watkins Glen International circuit during the United States Grand Prix on October 6, 1974. The accident occurred during the event for which he was competing, the United States Grand Prix.
Mark Donohue (August 17, 1975)
On August 17, 1975, while participating in a practice round for the Austrian Grand Prix, the American driver Mark Donohue was involved in a collision with his March 751.
Tom Pryce (March 5, 1977)
Tom Pryce, a Welsh race car driver, was killed on March 5, 1978, at the South African Grand Prix at the Kyalami Racing Circuit. Pryce’s Shadow DN8 was involved in a collision with another vehicle during the race, and he was thrown from the vehicle.
Brian McGuire (August 29, 1977)
Australian Formula One driver Brian McGuire lost his life in Round 11 of the Shellsport International Series at Brands Hatch on August 29, 1977, after colliding with his McGuire BM1 during practice.
Ronnie Peterson (September 10, 1978)
During the Italian Grand Prix held on the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza track on September 10, 1978, Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson was involved in a deadly accident when he wrecked his Lotus 78 during the competition. He passed away as a result of the accident.
Patrick Depailler (August 1, 1980)
On August 1, 1980, French driver Patrick Depailler was testing his Alfa Romeo 179 on the Hockenheimring circuit when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed.
Gilles Villeneuve (May 8, 1982)
Gilles Villeneuve, a Canadian driver, was killed when the Ferrari 126C he was driving collided with another vehicle on the Circuit Zolder on May 8, 1982, while he was competing in the qualifying rounds for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Ricardo Paletti (June 13, 1982)
On June 13, 1982, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was the scene of another fatal accident that occurred during the Canadian Grand Prix. This catastrophe occurred not long after Villeneuve’s passing. Ricardo Paletti, an Italian driver, lost control of his Osella FA1C and drove into a Ferrari that was stopped on the track. The Ferrari’s driver, Didier Pironi, had stalled the vehicle.
Elio de Angelis (May 14, 1986)
Elio de Angelis, an Italian driver, died in another fatal Formula One accident that took place during a test. De Angelis was killed when the Brabham BT55 he was driving cartwheeled over a sidetrack barrier. As the racecar he was driving caught fire, he was unable to escape since he was trapped inside it. While he did escape, he was unable to receive timely medical attention and died.
Roland Ratzenberger (April 30, 1994)
On April 30, 1994, Roland Ratzenberger, an Austrian driver, was killed when the Simtek S941 he was driving collided with another vehicle during the qualifying rounds for the San Marino Grand Prix on the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari track. Ratzenberger had been competing in the race. However, the tragedy that would unfold the very next day largely overshadowed his passing.
Ayrton Senna (May 1, 1994)
One of Formula One’s darkest chapters was written in 1994, when two people were killed at the San Marino Grand Prix. On May 2, a day after Roland Ratzenberger passed away, the legendary Brazilian race car driver Ayrton Senna was killed while competing at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit.
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The deaths of Senna and Ratzenberger would send shockwaves through the FIA, which would lead to a considerable change of safety standards that would stop fatalities in any World Championship events for the next 20 years.
John Dawson-Damer (June 24, 2000)
John Dawson-Damer, a British driver, passed away on June 24, 2000, while participating in the Goodwood Festival of Speed and racing a vintage Formula One car known as the Lotus 63. His death occurred during a run on the Goodwood Hillclimb.
Fritz Glatz (July 14, 2002)
On July 14, 2002, during the Czech Superprix, which is now known as the BOSS GP Series, an Austrian driver by the name of Fritz Glatz crashed his Footwork FA17 during a race on the Autodrom Most track. This accident would prove to be the last fatality in Formula One for more than a decade.
Denis Welch (July 27, 2014)
On July 27, 2014, Denis Welch, a British businessman with a penchant for classic F1 cars, was killed in a crash involving his Lotus 18 during the Jack Brabham Memorial Trophy race at Silverstone. His death serves as a poignant reminder to F1 fans that all current F1 cars are required to have additional safety features.
Jules Bianchi (October 5, 2014)
After so many years without any deaths, one of the greatest F1 tragedies that linger on in the memories of young F1 fans is that of French driver Jules Bianchi, who completely lost control of Marussia MR03 in a competition at the Suzuka International Racing Course on October 5, 2014, during the Japanese Grand Prix.
Bianchi passed away as a result of the accident. After spending nine months in a coma, he eventually succumbed to the injuries he incurred in the accident, despite originally surviving the incident.
David Ferrer (September 7, 2017)
The most recent fatality involving Formula One automobile used a vintage car once more; French driver David Ferrer passed away on September 2, 2017, while operating a March 701 in a race at the Historic Grand Prix on the Circuit Park Zandvoort.
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Formula 1 Today
Contrasting sharply with the sport from 1950 to 1980 is F1, which goes to great measures to protect the drivers from damage. Today Formula 1 car is not only extraordinarily fast but also built to shield the driver like an unbreakable cage thanks to improvements in engineering and technology.
Since carbon fiber is both light and incredibly strong, it has greatly improved F1 drivers’ protection. The majority of the time, a carbon fiber monocoque is really a lot safer to be during a crash at 200 mph than a street car in a collision at 50 mph. Accidents can and will still happen, but they do so infrequently.
Driver is as safe as they can be today thanks to stricter race regulations, better tracks, and a bigger focus on safety gear like the Halo or cutting–edge helmets. Such safety measures are periodically breached by rogue elements, but overall F1 is faster, safer, and equally entertaining as it was 40 years ago. Therefore, let’s hope that every driver can complete a season unharmed.
Golden Years Of Madness
To put it in an even more shocking perspective, F1 drivers preferred to be flung from their cars rather than be stuck inside and burned to death, which is why they were so reluctant to wear seatbelts. There was a greater focus on race victory than on a driver’s safety.
That is not to discredit the drivers of the time, who must have had the fortitude of tigers. The tracks were frequently quite hazardous, and in the case of a collision, a driver would either strike a brick wall or a bale of hay, which frequently caught fire, to halt the car.
With each mortality and catastrophe, more was discovered about how to keep the same thing from happening again.
Drivers became increasingly outspoken in their demands as time went on and their pay increased, giving them a better opportunity to survive an entire season. Better safety precautions were obviously needed as cars got quicker.
Reduced Fatality Rate
From the first fatality in Formula One in 1952 until the latest fatality as a result of a World Championship race in 2015, the vast majority of fatalities occurred between 1952 and 1982. The most recent fatality occurred in 2015. Since then, just seven drivers have died. That it ought to provide some perspective into the extraordinary safety measures added to Formula 1 over the previous 40 years.
Related Decrease in Fatal Accidents
F1 and IndyCar both had a comparable number of fatalities (95) despite the fact that IndyCar is 34 years older and has featured in more races. Only 9 fatalities have occurred in IndyCar during the past 40 years, which is comparable to F1’s decline in mortality. Given that 86 IndyCar fatalities occurred before the last 40 years, it is obvious that safety precautions have been made in both sports.
FAQ: Riders Also Ask
Is Formula One a Risky Sport?
F1 is a risky sport. The truth that uncountable numbers of drivers and spectators have been hurt and many others have died since Formula 1’s debut is not concealed by the statistics. However, merely examining the statistics doesn’t give a clear picture of how or why F1 can be risky.
When it comes to collision safety, a modern Formula One monocoque is among the safest bets. A sport involving 20 high–performance automobiles racing at 200 mph will always carry some risk, but that risk is continuously being diminished. The F1 cars were dangerous, especially in the early 1950s, and the drivers seldom ever wore seatbelts or long sleeve shirts when it was warm outside.
How Safe Is Formula One Compared To Other Sports?
Comparing Formula 1 to other motorsports, its safety measures hold up admirably. Although there is risk involved in all such activities, modern motorsports differ from earlier iterations of the sports in that a collision no longer almost always results in fatalities.
Unfortunately, there have been deaths in motorsports events such as NASCAR, IndyCar, and motorcycle racing over the years. However, improvements in risk management and the availability of better safety equipment have contributed significantly to a decrease in the number of deaths. The number of people killed in F1 is comparable to other motorsports, most of which have witnessed a marked decline in fatalities in past years.
Conclusion
Almost all of the fatalities in Formula One’s first 3 decades of existence can be attributed to the early years of the sport. This is mostly because all World Championship events must now adhere to strict safety rules and procedures.
For instance, cockpit openings have been widened to make it simpler for drivers to flee in an emergency. The passing of Ayrton Senna prompted the implementation of regulations such as bodywork aerodynamic restrictions, pit lane speed limits, and course alterations.
With the help of these measures, Formula One has become a much safer sport. The changes have pleased the public, who now feel secure in the knowledge that their favorite drivers aren’t endangering themselves.