List of Formula One fatal accidents

Five drivers have died while driving a Formula One car at the Nürburgring; only the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has had more casualties.
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This is a list of Formula One fatal accidents, which consists of all the drivers who have died during a FIA World Championship race weekend, or elsewhere while driving a Formula One car. It does not include track marshals and other race attendees, or F1 races held before the inauguration of the World Championship in 1950. Forty-five drivers have died in this fashion, 24 during a World Championship Grand Prix race weekend, 8 during Indianapolis 500 World Championship events,[1] 9 during a test session and 4 during a non-championship Formula One event.

Fifteen drivers died in the 1950s; twelve in the 1960s; ten in the 1970s; four in the 1980s and two in the 1990s. No drivers have been involved in a fatal accident since 1994. Drivers from the United States of America have had the most fatal accidents with eleven drivers from that country having died, although eight of these were while participating in the Indy 500 during the 1950s when it was part of the Formula One World Championship.

Driver Date of accident Race Circuit Car During
Flag of the United States Chet Miller 15 May 1953 1953 Indianapolis 500[1] Indianapolis Motor Speedway Kurtis Kraft Practice
Flag of Belgium Charles de Tornaco Sep 18, 1953 Test Modena Autodrome Ferrari Test
Flag of Argentina Onofre Marimón Jul 31, 1954 1954 German Grand Prix Nürburgring Maserati Practice
Flag of the United States Manny Ayulo 16 May 1955 1955 Indianapolis 500[1] Indianapolis Motor Speedway Kuzma Practice
Flag of the United States Bill Vukovich 30 May 1955 1955 Indianapolis 500[1] Indianapolis Motor Speedway Kurtis Kraft Race
Flag of Italy Eugenio Castellotti Mar 14, 1957 Test Modena Autodrome Ferrari Test
Flag of the United States Keith Andrews 15 May 1957 1957 Indianapolis 500[1] Indianapolis Motor Speedway Kurtis Kraft Practice
Flag of the United States Pat O'Connor 30 May 1958 1958 Indianapolis 500[1] Indianapolis Motor Speedway Kurtis Kraft Race
Flag of Italy Luigi Musso Jul 6, 1958 1958 French Grand Prix Reims-Gueux Ferrari Race
Flag of the United Kingdom Peter Collins Aug 3, 1958 1958 German Grand Prix Nürburgring Ferrari Race
Flag of the United Kingdom Stuart Lewis-Evans Sep 19, 1958 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix Ain-Diab Circuit Vanwall Race
Flag of the United States Jerry Unser 17 May 1959 1959 Indianapolis 500[1] Indianapolis Motor Speedway Kurtis Kraft Pre-race test
Flag of the United States Bob Cortner 19 May 1959 1959 Indianapolis 500[1] Indianapolis Motor Speedway Cornis Pre-race test
Flag of the United States Harry Schell 13 May 1960 International Trophy[2] Silverstone Cooper Qualifying
Flag of the United Kingdom Chris Bristow Jun 19, 1960 1960 Belgian Grand Prix[3] Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Cooper Race
Flag of the United Kingdom Alan Stacey Jun 19, 1960 1960 Belgian Grand Prix[3] Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Lotus Race
Flag of Italy Giulio Cabianca Jun 15, 1961 Test Modena Autodrome Cooper Test
Flag of Germany Wolfgang von Trips[4] Sep 10, 1961 1961 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale Monza Ferrari Race
Flag of Mexico Ricardo Rodríguez[5] Nov 1, 1962 1962 Mexican Grand Prix Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Lotus Practice
Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Gary Hocking Dec 21, 1962[6] 1962 South African Grand Prix Westmead Circuit Lotus Pre-race Test
Flag of the Netherlands Carel Godin de Beaufort Aug 2, 1964 1964 German Grand Prix Nürburgring Porsche Practice
Flag of the United Kingdom John Taylor Aug 7, 1966[7] 1966 German Grand Prix Nürburgring Brabham Race
Flag of Italy Lorenzo Bandini 7 May 1967[8] 1967 Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco Ferrari Race
Flag of the United Kingdom Bob Anderson Aug 14, 1967 Test Silverstone Brabham Test
Flag of France Jo Schlesser Jul 7, 1968 1968 French Grand Prix Rouen-Les-Essarts Honda Race
Flag of Germany Gerhard Mitter Aug 2, 1969 1969 German Grand Prix Nürburgring BMW[9] Practice
Flag of the United Kingdom Piers Courage Jun 7, 1970 1970 Dutch Grand Prix Circuit Zandvoort De Tomaso Race
Flag of Austria Jochen Rindt[10] Sep 5, 1970 1970 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale Monza Lotus Qualifying
Flag of Switzerland Jo Siffert Oct 24, 1971 1971 World Championship Victory Race[11] Brands Hatch BRM Race
Flag of the United Kingdom Roger Williamson Jul 29, 1973 1973 Dutch Grand Prix Circuit Zandvoort March Race
Flag of France François Cevert Oct 6, 1973 1973 United States Grand Prix Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course Tyrrell Qualifying
Flag of the United States Peter Revson Mar 30, 1974 1974 South African Grand Prix Kyalami Shadow Pre-race test
Flag of Austria Helmut Koinigg Oct 6, 1974 1974 United States Grand Prix Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course Surtees Race
Flag of the United States Mark Donohue Aug 19, 1975 1975 Austrian Grand Prix Österreichring Penske Practice
Flag of the United Kingdom Tom Pryce[12] Mar 5, 1977 1977 South African Grand Prix Kyalami Shadow Race
Flag of Australia Brian McGuire Aug 29, 1977[13] 1977 Shellsport Championship Round 11[14] Brands Hatch Williams Practice
Flag of Sweden Ronnie Peterson Sep 11, 1978[15] 1978 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale Monza Lotus Race
Flag of France Patrick Depailler Aug 1, 1980 Test Hockenheimring Alfa Romeo Test
Flag of Canada Gilles Villeneuve 8 May 1982[16] 1982 Belgian Grand Prix Zolder Ferrari Qualifying
Flag of Italy Riccardo Paletti Jun 13, 1982 1982 Canadian Grand Prix Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Osella Race
Flag of Italy Elio de Angelis 15 May 1986 Test Circuit Paul Ricard Brabham Test
Flag of Austria Roland Ratzenberger Apr 30, 1994 1994 San Marino Grand Prix Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Simtek Qualifying
Flag of Brazil Ayrton Senna 1 May 1994 1994 San Marino Grand Prix Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Williams Race

By circuit

Rank Circuit Fatal accidents
Total First Last
1 Flag of the United States Indianapolis Motor Speedway 8 1953 1959
2 Flag of Germany Nürburgring 5 1954 1969
3 Flag of Italy Modena Autodrome 3 1953 1961
Flag of Italy Autodromo Nazionale Monza 1961 1978
6 Flag of Belgium Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 2 1960 1960
Flag of the United Kingdom Silverstone Circuit 1960 1967
Flag of the Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort 1970 1973
Flag of the United States Watkins Glen International 1973 1974
Flag of the United Kingdom Brands Hatch 1971 1977
Flag of South Africa Kyalami 1974 1977
Flag of Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari 1994 1994
11 Flag of France Reims-Gueux 1 1958
Flag of Morocco Ain-Diab Circuit 1958
Flag of France Charade Circuit 1959
Flag of South Africa Westmead Circuit 1962
Flag of Mexico Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez 1962
Flag of Monaco Circuit de Monaco 1967
Flag of France Rouen-Les-Essarts 1968
Flag of Austria Österreichring 1975
Flag of Germany Hockenheimring 1980
Flag of Belgium Zolder 1982
Flag of Canada Circuit Gilles Villeneuve 1982
Flag of France Circuit Paul Ricard 1986

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 The Indianapolis 500 was part of the World Championship from 1950 until 1960. In this context, an Indianapolis 500 "event" includes both the race itself and all the testing, practice and qualifying sessions in the so-called "month of May" leading up to the race.
  2. ↑ International Trophy was not a part of the 1960 world championship.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Although both drivers died at the same Grand Prix, Alan Stacey and Chris Bristow were not involved in the same accident. Bristow died on the 19th lap after being thrown out of his car, a result of losing control of his car at Malmedy, while Stacey died on the 24th lap after a bird flew into his face and he lost control of his car.
  4. ↑ Fifteen spectators were also killed in Von Trips' fatal accident.
  5. ↑ At the age of 20 years, 8 months and 18 days, Ricardo Rodríguez is the youngest person to have suffered a fatal accident in Formula One.
  6. ↑ Hocking was killed in a Formula One Testing Session He was killed one week prior to his first Formula One Grand Prix.
  7. ↑ John Taylor died of serious burns a few weeks after the accident on 8 September 1966 in Koblenz, Germany.
  8. ↑ Lorenzo Bandini died of serious burns three days after his accident .
  9. ↑ Mitter was driving a Formula Two car. F2 cars were allowed to take part in the F1 race as part of a separate contest.
  10. ↑ After his death, Jochen Rindt was declared champion after his rivals failed to overhaul his points tally four Grands Prix later.
  11. ↑ The World Championship Victory Race was not a part of the 1971 world championship.
  12. ↑ As well as Tom Pryce, Jansen Van Vuuren, a teenage volunteer safety marshal, died in the accident after Pryce collided with him at high speed.
  13. ↑ McGuire was killed in a Shellsport Formula One Race at Brands Hatch, which was not part of the Formula One Championship.
  14. ↑ Shellsport Championship Round 11 was not a part of the 1977 World Championship.
  15. ↑ Peterson died in hospital the following day.
  16. ↑ Villeneuve died in hospital later that day.

References