Top 10 Dumbest Mistakes in F1

2012 European Grand Prix
During this practice, it was clear that while HRT’s Pedro De la Rosa’s eyes were on the track, his mind was not. He was so busy talking to his team over the radio that he wasn’t focusing on the road and evidently crashed straight into a barrier. De La Rosa was okay, but it was a strange lapse of judgment for someone who doesn't really have a penchant for making mistakes. Simply put: he should have known better. Not the worst or terrible mistake on this list by any means, but what gets us is the reaction of his team during the whole ordeal…can we get an “awkward”!

2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
During the 50th lap of this race back in 2021, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was in second place and all seemed well until he suddenly went off course and his vehicle’s tires locked up. Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez used the opportunity to pass Hamilton and went on to win the race. What caused this mishap? The culprit was none other than Hamilton himself, and what happened (as alluded to in this audio) was that he accidentally hit the so-called magic button, which is a specialized switch created by Mercedes that generates heat to warm up a car’s front tyres and in turn switches off the vehicle’s braking function. It’s unfortunate that such a very small and minor lapse cost Hamilton an entire race as well as points.

1989 Portuguese Grand Prix
Ferrari’s Nigel Mansell had everything going for him while competing at 1989 Portugal Grand Prix, leading by 20 seconds after 40 laps. Heading towards the pits, he passed and ultimately failed to enter the designated area. The biggest he made was then entering it by going in reverse. The latter is a maneuver that is not permitted in competition, and Mansell was immediately disqualified. However, he supposedly didn’t see the black flag waved by the official, and drove his vehicle right back on the circuit He later had a collision with Ayrton Senna’s vehicle that resulted in both men being taken out of the race. It didn’t really matter for Mansell since he was already out, but it certainly added more salt to the wound.

2007 Chinese Grand Prix
At the Chinese Grand Prix back in 2007, there was something very peculiar going on with Lewis Hamilton’s vehicle. His team hadn’t realized that they kept it out too long on intermediates, which are tires frequently used for tracks with wet conditions. He was driving on a track that was now dry, so when it came time to enter the pits, he evidently had difficulty controlling the vehicle, skidded off into the gravel and out of the race. We assure you we’re not trying to pick on Lewis Hamilton, and this one was more on his team, but it just comes to show that even the best of drivers can be victims to mistakes. And it most certainly wouldn’t be Hamilton’s last.

2014 Chinese Grand Prix
You know you’re going to be in for a ride (no pun intended) when the driver has such a bad reputation for getting into crashes that he’s nicknamed “Crashstor” Maldonado. And while we were tempted to go with his 2014 Belgian GP second practice fail, for this list we’ll be looking at the incident which took place during the 2014 Chinese Grand Prix. In this practice round, for whatever reason, Maldonado’s focus was centered on the vehicle’s control interface steering wheel. Instead of keeping his eyes on the track, he was too busy changing the device’s settings, and next thing you know he unsurprisingly found himself heading straight towards a barrier before spinning out of control and back on track. Just another day at the office for Crashtor we suppose?

1995 Australian Grand Prix
13 time Grand Prix winner and Scotland’s very own David Coulthard was set to participate in his last Grand Prix with the Williams team, and he left with a bang (or should we say a crash?). Literally. He was leading and on a sharp turn heading straight to the pit wall and...never stopped. Coming off the accelerator and being on a slippery track, he was unable to slow down, resulting in an inevitable crash. Speaking on the incident afterwards, Coulthard put the blame on the car and not on himself. But let’s also not forget that this wasn’t his only race mishap in 1995…

1995 Hungarian Grand Prix
Car breakdowns are commonplace during F1 events, but none may have unfolded as bizarrely as this one here. At the 1995 Hungarian Grand Prix, Taki Inoue’s vehicle went up in smoke, and to avoid further damage or issues, he quickly parked it and jumped out. While attempting to get a fire extinguisher to assist the marshals with taking out the fire, a medical car arrived and hit Inoue. Having once labeled himself as the “worst Formula One driver ever”, we wouldn’t be surprised if he considers this moment a defining one in his career.

1991 Canadian Grand Prix
The Williams driver had utterly dominated the Canadian Grand Prix in 1991, and he was almost a minute ahead of rival Nelson Piquet. During the final lap, Mansell's ego got inflated and his concentration strayed, slowing down and taking the time to wave at the crowds. But the worst was yet to come. Approaching the circuit’s hairpin, his car stopped. He couldn’t get it to start again, and he had to watch Piquet pass him and ultimately win the race. While some believe the reason the car stopped working was because he didn’t pay attention while celebrating and let the revs of his engine drop too low, or that he accidentally hit the car’s kill switch, it was most certainly an embarrassing way to lose.

1997 Australian Grand Prix
The newly formed Lola team attempted to enter the foray of F1 Racing in 1998. The plan was simple: use an entire year to prepare and ensure their cars are properly built to compete in competitions and adhere to race rules. However, their sponsor, Mastercard, put pressure on the group to qualify and compete immediately. They complied. Making its debut at the 1997 Australian Grand Prix, both of the team’s drivers were ranked last and failed to qualify. It would be the first and last race they would compete in, as the team withdrew from racing in the subsequent grand prix in Brazil with sponsors pulling out. The lesson to take here: always come prepared, which the Lola group clearly did not do.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.

The Case of the Mysterious Phone, 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix
A Mechanic Left Their Mobile Phone in the Cockpit of Robert Kubica’s F1 Car


Nick Heidfeld Hits the Door, 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix
A Quick and Indecisive Turn Results in Nick Heidfield Running Through a Medical Car’s Door and Hitting a Barrier


Jenson Button Enters the Wrong Pitstop, 2011 Chinese Grand Prix
He Went to the Wrong Place at the Right Time!

Ayrton Senna Doesn’t Slow Down and Hits the Wall, 1988 Monaco Grand Prix
This F1 Legend Was So Angered By This Mishap He Walked Straight Back Home After Exiting His Vehicle

2005 US Grand Prix
The practice for the 2005 United States Grand Prix was mired with tyre failures. Michelin, whose tires were on many of the teams’ vehicles, requested that a chicane be added to the track for the purpose of reducing tyre loads. However, the proposal was denied by F1’s governing body, FIA. So at the end of the formation lap, all the teams using Michelin tires peeled off into the pits, leaving only six vehicles to compete on the track. Spectators in attendance could then be heard booing throughout the race. It was a bizarre incident to say the least, yet the FIA’s failure to see the merit of Michelin’s claims resulted in a standoff that in turn made for one of the most embarrassing and disappointing races in F1 history.