List of fatally injured Formula 1 drivers

Ayrton Senna's grave in Morumbi

The risk of serious accidents is inextricably linked with Formula 1 . However, their consequences have changed drastically since the so-called “royal class” was founded in 1950. Fatal accidents were common until the 1970s . They were mourned, but also accepted as an inevitable risk. But the ever faster Formula 1 cars prompted the drivers to protests. They no longer wanted to be the game balls of the organizers and teams and were committed to more safety. For many years, increasingly stringent safety regulations for vehicles and routes have prevented the serious consequences of accidents.

Since 1994, Formula 1 drivers have only died from the long-term consequences of collisions caused by particularly unfavorable circumstances. María de Villota bumped into the back of a truck during low-speed test drives in 2012, suffered a fractured skull and lost an eye, and died unexpectedly a year later. At the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, Jules Bianchi drove into a wheel loader that was hiding another vehicle involved in an accident and succumbed to a traumatic brain injury in 2015.

The lists of fatally injured Formula 1 drivers below provide an overview of their accidents. However, only accidents that occurred during official Grand Prix weekends, during test drives or in other motorsport series are taken into account. Drivers who died as a result of other accidents are not listed (for example, former world champion and team boss Graham Hill and his driver Tony Brise died in a plane crash in 1975 after test drives).

Drivers fatally injured in Formula 1 races and training

This section lists the drivers who had an immediate fatal accident in a Formula 1 race and training session or who died as a result of this accident in the following 30 days. The “30-day period” is based on the stipulations for the statistical recording of road deaths in the member states of the European Union and the FIA .

Participants who died later are listed in the section " #drivers who died from the long-term effects ".

country	driver	date	Vehicle / team	Details
	Charles de Tornaco	September 18, 1953	Ferrari ( Ecurie Francorchamps )	Gran Premio di Modena (training; the race was not part of the World Cup )
	Onofre Marimón	July 31, 1954	Maserati	Grand Prix of Germany / Nürburgring (training)
	Mario Alborghetti	April 11, 1955	Maserati	Grand Prix Automobile de Pau ( race was not part of the World Championship )
	Luigi Musso	0July 6, 1958	Ferrari	French Grand Prix / Reims (race)
	Peter Collins	03rd August 1958	Ferrari	Grand Prix of Germany / Nürburgring (race)
	Stuart Lewis-Evans	October 25, 1958	Vanwall	Grand Prix of Morocco / Casablanca (race) - 6 days later (burns)
	Harry Schell	May 13, 1960	Ecurie Bleue	BRDC International Trophy , Silverstone (training; race was not part of the World Championship )
	Chris Bristow	June 19, 1960	Cooper - Climax	Belgian Grand Prix / Spa-Francorchamps (race)
	Alan Stacey	June 19, 1960	Lotus - Climax	Belgian Grand Prix / Spa-Francorchamps (race)
	Shane Summers	0June 1, 1961	Cooper - Climax	Silver City Trophy / Brands Hatch (training; race was not part of the World Championship )
	Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips	September 10, 1961	Ferrari	Grand Prix of Italy / Monza (race) ; posthumously vice world champion
	Ricardo Rodríguez	0November 1, 1962	Lotus - Climax ( Rob Walker Racing Team )	Mexico / Mexico City (training; race was not part of the World Cup )
	Gary Hocking	December 21, 1962	Lotus - Climax ( Rob Walker Racing Team )	Natal Grand Prix / South Africa (training; race was not part of the World Cup )
	Carel Godin de Beaufort	02nd August 1964	Porsche	Grand Prix of Germany / Nürburgring (training)
	Lorenzo Bandini	May 10, 1967	Ferrari	Monaco / Monte Carlo Grand Prix (race) - 3 days later (burns)
	Jo Schlesser	07th July 1968	Honda	French Grand Prix / Rouen (race)
	Gerhard Mitter	01st August 1969	BMW (F2)	Grand Prix of Germany / Nürburgring (training)
	Piers Courage	June 21, 1970	De Tomaso - Ford for Frank Williams Racing Cars	Dutch Grand Prix / Zandvoort (race)
	Jochen Rindt	05th September 1970	Lotus - Ford	Grand Prix of Italy / Monza (training); posthumously world champion
	Jo Siffert	October 24, 1971	BRM	England / Brands Hatch - "World Championship Race" (race; race was not part of the World Cup )
	Roger Williamson	July 29, 1973	March - Ford	Dutch Grand Prix / Zandvoort (race)
	François Cevert	0October 6, 1973	Tyrrell - Ford	US Grand Prix / Watkins Glen (Training)
	Helmut Koinigg	0October 6, 1974	Surtees - Ford	US Grand Prix / Watkins Glen (Race)
	Mark Donohue	19th August 1975	March - Ford	Grand Prix of Austria / Spielberg (Warm Up) - 2 days later (brain thrombus )
	Tom Pryce	0March 5th 1977	Shadow - Ford	South African Grand Prix / Kyalami (race)
	Ronnie Peterson	September 11, 1978	Lotus - Ford	Italian Grand Prix / Monza (race) - 1 day later ( embolism ); posthumously vice world champion
	Gilles Villeneuve	0May 8, 1982	Ferrari	Belgian Grand Prix / Zolder (training)
	Riccardo Paletti	June 13, 1982	Osella - Ford	Canadian Grand Prix / Montréal (Race)
	Roland Ratzenberger	April 30, 1994	Simtek - Ford	San Marino / Imola Grand Prix (qualifying)
	Ayrton Senna	0May 1, 1994	Williams - Renault	San Marino / Imola Grand Prix (race)

Drivers who died from the long-term effects

This section lists the drivers who died after more than 30 days as a result of an accident in Formula 1 races or training. The “30-day period” is based on the stipulations for the statistical recording of road deaths in the member states of the European Union and the FIA .

country	driver	date	Vehicle / team	Details
	John Taylor	0September 8, 1966	Brabham - BRM	Grand Prix of Germany / Nürburgring (race) - 4½ weeks later ( burn infection )
	Jules Bianchi	17th July 2015	Marussia - Ferrari	Japanese Grand Prix / Suzuka (race) - 9 months later (consequences of traumatic brain injury )

Drivers fatally injured in Formula 1 test drives

country	driver	date	Vehicle / team	Details
	Cameron C. Earl	June 18, 1952	ERA (MIRA)	Test drives in Nuneaton (GB)
	Eugenio Castellotti	March 14, 1957	Ferrari	Test drives in Modena (I)
	Giulio Cabianca	June 15, 1961	Cooper ( Scuderia Castellotti )	Test drives in Modena (I)
	Bob Anderson	August 14, 1967	Brabham - Climax (DW Racing Enterprises)	Test drives in Silverstone (GB)
	Peter Revson	March 22, 1974	Shadow - Ford	Test drives in Kyalami (ZA)
	Brian McGuire	August 29, 1977	McGuire	Test drives at Brands Hatch (GB)
	Patrick Depailler	0August 1, 1980	Alfa Romeo	Test drives in Hockenheim (D)
	Elio de Angelis	May 15, 1986	Brabham BMW Turbo	Test drives in Le Castellet (F) on May 14, 1986
	Maria de Villota	October 11, 2013	Marussia	Test drives at Duxford (GB) on July 3, 2012 - long-term consequences of the accident ( skull fracture )

Formula 1 drivers who died in other motorsport races or during test drives

country	driver	date	Details
	Joe Fry	July 29, 1950	Hill climb at Blandford Military Camp in Dorset
	Raymond Summers	September 10, 1950	Race in Cadours, South of France
	Cecil Green	July 29, 1951	AAA races at Winchester Speedway, USA
	Luigi Fagioli	June 20, 1952	Sports car racing in Monte Carlo, training - died three weeks later
	Felice Bonetto	November 21, 1953	Carrera Panamericana in Silao / Mexico
	Guy Mairesse	April 24, 1954	Montlhéry / France
	Alberto Ascari	May 26, 1955	Private sports car test drive in Monza
	Pierre Levegh	June 11, 1955	Le Mans 24 hour race
	Don Beauman	0September 7, 1955	Sports car race in Wicklow / Ireland
	Louis Rosier	October 29, 1956	Race Coup de Salon in Paris
	Ken Wharton	January 12, 1957	Sports car race in Ardmore / New Zealand
	Alfonso de Portago	May 12, 1957	Mille Miglia of Brescia
	Piero Carini	May 30, 1957	Sports car race near St. Etienne
	Herbert MacKay-Fraser	July 14, 1957	Coupe de Vitesse , F2 race in Reims
	William Whitehouse	July 14, 1957	Formula 2 GP of Reims
	Archie Scott-Brown	May 19, 1958	Sports car race in Spa-Francorchamps
	Erwin Bauer	0June 2, 1958	1000 km race on the Nürburgring
	Peter Whitehead	September 21, 1958	Tour de France for automobiles
	Jean Behra	0August 1, 1959	Sports car race Berlin-AVUS
	Ivor Bueb	0August 1, 1959	Auvergne Trophy in Clermont-Ferrand
	Harry Blanchard	January 31, 1960	1000 km race in Buenos Aires
	Ettore Chimeri	February 27, 1960	Grand Prix for Sports Cars in Cuba
	Peter Ryan	0July 2nd, 1962	Coupe de Vitesse des Juniors in Reims
	Tim Mayer	February 28, 1964	Tasman Series / Australia / Longford
	Walt Hansgen	0April 7, 1966	Test drives for the Le Mans 24 hour race
	Giacomo Russo	June 18, 1967	Formula 3 racing in Caserta , Italy
	Georges Berger	23rd August 1967	Marathon de la Route on the Nürburgring
	Ian Raby	0November 7, 1967	Formula 2 European Championship run in Zandvoort
	Jim Clark	0April 7, 1968	Formula 2 European Championship run in Hockenheim
	Mike Spence	0May 7, 1968	500 miles from Indianapolis, workout
	Ludovico Scarfiotti	0June 8, 1968	Mountain EM run in Rossfeld near Berchtesgaden
	Lucien Bianchi	March 30, 1969	Le Mans 24-hour race, preliminary training
	Paul Hawkins	May 26, 1969	Tourist Trophy race at Oulton Park
	Moisés Solana	July 27, 1969	Hill climb from Valle de Bravo-Bosencheve in Mexico
	Bruce McLaren	02nd June 1970	CanAm test drives at Goodwood
	Ignazio Giunti	January 10, 1971	1000 km race in Buenos Aires
	Pedro Rodríguez	July 11, 1971	Interseries races at the Norisring
	Joakim Bonnier	June 11, 1972	Le Mans 24 hour race
	Nasif Estéfano	October 21, 1973	Endurance racing in Aimogasta
	Silvio Moser	May 26, 1974	1000 km race from Monza
	Herbert Mueller	May 24, 1981	1000 km race on the Nürburgring
	Rolf Stommelen	April 24, 1983	Sports car race in Riverside / USA
	Manfred Winkelhock	August 12, 1985	Sports car world championship, 1000 km from Mosport / Canada
	Stefan Bellof	0September 1, 1985	Sports car world championship, 1000 km race from Spa-Francorchamps
	Jo Gartner	0June 1, 1986	Le Mans 24 hour race
	Didier Pironi	23rd August 1987	Powerboat accident on the Isle of Wight / England
	Denis Hulme	04th October 1992	Heart attack during a touring car race on the Mount Panorama Circuit
	Michele Alboreto	April 25, 2001	Sports car test drives at the Lausitzring in the Audi R8 LM
	Justin Wilson	August 24, 2015	Run the IndyCar Series on the Pocono Raceway
	Chet Miller a	May 15, 1953	500 miles from Indianapolis, workout
	Carl Scarborough a	May 30, 1953	500 miles from Indianapolis, race
	Manuel Ayulo a	May 16, 1955	500 miles from Indianapolis, workout
	Bill Vukovich a	May 30, 1955	500 miles from Indianapolis
	Keith Andrews a	May 15, 1957	500 miles from Indianapolis, workout
	Pat O'Connor a	May 30, 1958	500 miles from Indianapolis
	Jerry Our a	17th May 1959	500 miles from Indianapolis, workout
	Bob Cortner a	May 19, 1959	500 miles from Indianapolis, workout
	Tony Bettenhausen a	May 12, 1961	500 miles from Indianapolis, workout
	Eddie Sachs a	May 30, 1964	500 miles from Indianapolis

^aThese drivers only took part in the Formula 1 World Championship as part of the Indy 500 , which was the official championship race of the F1 World Championship from 1950 to 1960. But you are generally not seen as a Formula 1 driver.

Fatally injured Formula 1 drivers who were former or reigning world champions or who led the F1 World Championship in the accident

country	driver	date	vehicle	accident	World Cup successes or World Cup situation
	Alberto Ascari	May 26, 1955	Ferrari 750 Monza	Private sports car test drive in Monza	two-time automobile world champion (1952, 1953, both world championships announced according to Formula 2 regulations)
	Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips	September 10, 1961	Ferrari	Italian Grand Prix / Monza (race)	died as leader of the F1 World Championship; was displaced from 1st place by only one point at the end of the unlucky race of Phil Hill
	Jim Clark	0April 7, 1968	Lotus 48	Formula 2 European Championship run in Hockenheim	two-time Formula 1 world champion (1963, 1965)
	Jochen Rindt	05th September 1970	Lotus - Ford	Italian Grand Prix / Monza (Training)	died as F1 world championship leader and was posthumously world champion at the end of the season with a remaining five point lead over Jacky Ickx
	Stefan Bellof b	0September 1, 1985	Porsche 956	Sports car world championship, 1000 km race from Spa-Francorchamps	died as the reigning sports car world champion (1984 in a Porsche)
	Denis Hulme	04th October 1992	BMW M3	Heart attack during a touring car race on the Mount Panorama Circuit	former Formula 1 world champion (1967)
	Ayrton Senna	0May 1, 1994	Williams - Renault	San Marino / Imola Grand Prix (race)	three-time Formula 1 world champion (1988, 1990, 1991)

^b This driver was never a Formula 1 world champion, but at the time of the accident he was reigning world champion at an FIA World Championship and under contract with a Formula 1 racing team.

Number of fatally injured F1 drivers by nationality

rank	country	number
		F1 racing	F1 tests	Other	total
01	United Kingdom	9	2	7th	18th
02	Italy	4th	3	7th	14th
03	France	3	1	5	9
04th	United States	2	1	5	08 a
05	BR Germany	2	-	4th	6th
06th	Austria	3	-	1	4th
07th	Belgium	-	1	2	3
	Switzerland	1	-	2
09	Mexico	1	-	1	2
	Sweden	1	-	1
	Australia	-	1	1
	New Zealand	-	-	2
13	Argentina	1	-	-	1
	Brazil	1	-	-
	Canada	1	-	-
	Netherlands	1	-	-
	Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland	1	-	-
	Spain	-	-	1
	Venezuela	-	-	1

^aPilots who died on the Indy 500 between 1950 and 1960 are not counted.

Tracks on which drivers had fatal accidents in official Formula 1 races

Five F1 drivers lost their lives during or after accidents on the old Nordschleife of the Nürburgring

Three drivers died in F1 races in Monza, Italy

At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the USA, most fatal accidents occurred

rank	route	country	Accidents
			total	First	Last
1	North loop	BR Germany	5	1954	1969
2	Monza	Italy	3	1961	1978
3	Brands Hatch	United Kingdom	2	1961	1971
	Spa Francorchamps	Belgium		1960	1960
	Zandvoort	Netherlands		1970	1973
	Watkins Glen	United States		1973	1974
	Imola	Italy		1994	1994
8th	Pau	France	1	1954
	Reims	France		1958
	Ain-Diab	Morocco		1958
	Mexico city	Mexico		1962
	natal	South Africa		1962
	Monte Carlo	Monaco		1967
	Rouen	France		1968
	Spielberg	Austria		1975
	Kyalami	South Africa		1977
	Zolder	Belgium		1982
	Montréal	Canada		1982
	Suzuka	Japan		2014
	Indianapolis	United States	18 a	1953	1959

^aThe Indy 500 officially belonged to the Formula 1 World Championship from 1950 to 1960, i. H. F1 vehicles were also allowed. The drivers who crashed there, however, did not die in F1 cars. In addition, the Indy 500 was not considered a classic Formula 1 race, despite its temporary membership in the F1 World Championship, as it is a race on an oval course .

See also

• Formula 1 statistics
• List of Formula 1 racing drivers
• History of the Grand Prix before 1950
• List of fatally injured motorcycle racers

Web links

• Website with information about all fatally injured racing drivers

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b Persons} involved and accident victims - Fatalities in road accidents , website of the Federal Statistical Office (Germany), accessed on 23 August 2015.
2. ↑ ^{a b} Traffic accidents ( memento from August 20, 2015 in the Internet Archive ), website of the Federal Statistical Office (Switzerland), accessed on August 23, 2015.
3. ↑ ^{a b} Traffic accident statistics 2007 ( memento from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ), information from Statistics Austria , accessed on August 23, 2015.
4. ↑ ^{a b} FIA accident database - The Bianchi accident and its consequences , auto-motor-sport.de from July 21, 2015, accessed on August 23, 2015.

This version was added to the selection of informative lists and portals on January 28, 2008 .