Top 5 crashes at the Brazilian GP
The Brazilian GP has seen some horrific incidents on track ever since it became a part of the F1 calendar.
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Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton make contact at the 2022 Brazilian GP (image via IMAGO0
Formula 1 heads to Interlagos for the Brazilian GP this weekend. The race has been a classic in F1 history, with legends such as Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet calling it their home Grand Prix. The Interlagos circuit is liked by fans and drivers alike and has given the sport some of the most exciting races in the past few seasons.
The 2022 Brazilian GP saw arch-rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton collide, compromising the race for both drivers. Moreover, there have been some memorable drives on this track, including Verstappen’s stellar performance in the wet in 2016. Certainly, the Brazilian GP is one of the most highly-anticipated races.
However, the race can be a challenging affair, especially under wet conditions. Drivers face difficulty due to the low visibility, which could make them prone to incidents. There have been several incidents at the Brazilian GP, including some rather severe crashes.
Here are the Top 5 crashes at the Brazilian GP
5. Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc – 2019
Scuderia Ferrari signed Charles Leclerc for the 2019 season. The Monegasque driver was tasked to go head-to-head with Sebastian Vettel in his second year in Formula 1. However, Leclerc seemed to have an upper hand over the four-time world champion throughout the year, with tensions rising between the two.
The Brazilian GP became the boiling point for the relations between the Ferrari drivers. Charles Leclerc overtook the German driver in the first corner of the circuit. Vettel took advantage of the DRS shortly after and got alongside his new teammate. The two made contact, which caused a puncture on the Number 16 car of the Monegasque.
An angry Sebastian Vettel lashed out on the team radio in German. Tensions only rose between the two, with Ferrari opting to replace Vettel after his contract expired in 2020.
4. Felipe Massa – 2016
Felipe Massa was set to retire from Formula 1 at the end of 2016. The Brazilian driver had a long and memorable career in the sport. However, Massa missed out on a world title. Nevertheless, the former Williams driver hoped to have a good farewell race at his home Grand Prix. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.
However, the Brazilian driver was called back to Williams for 2017 after Valtteri Bottas went to Mercedes to replace the retired Nico Rosberg. As such, Massa had the chance to have a better farewell at the Brazilian GP that year.
3. Michael Andretti and Gerhard Berger – 1993
Michael Andretti joined McLaren in 1993 after dominating IndyCar in the United States. However, the American driver struggled during his campaign in Formula 1, with his incident at the Brazilian GP further tainting his career in the sport.
Ferrari’s Gerhard Berger was off to a good start and tried to overtake the IndyCar champion on the outside. However, Andretti had the same idea. This led to the McLaren spinning out and dragging Berger’s car to the barriers. Both drivers heavily impacted the barriers after going through the gravel trap. Thankfully, neither of them were injured.
2. Adrian Sutil, Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso – 2009
The 2009 Brazilian GP got off to a chaotic start. Force India’s Adrian Sutil was right behind Kimi Raikkonen in the Ferrari. However, Jarno Trulli was catching up with Sutil. Trulli tried to make a move on the Force India on Turn 5. The two drivers collided, which forced their cars to go off in separate directions.
Jarno Trulli’s Toyota crashed into the barriers while Sutil crossed the grass. The German driver failed to gain control of his car as he made his way back onto the tarmac. Subsequently, the Force India made contact with Fernando Alonso. This forced the two-time world champion to retire from the race as well.
Honorable Mention – Max Verstappen and Esteban Ocon – 2018
Max Verstappen started the Brazilian GP from P5. The Dutch driver managed to make his way up to first place. Verstappen was enjoying a comfortable race till Lap 44 when Esteban Ocon tried to unlap himself. Ocon ended up hitting the Red Bull in the first sector, which made both cars spin onto the grass. This paved the way for second-placed Lewis Hamilton to take the lead in the race.
Hamilton went on to win the race, with Verstappen taking second place. The Dutch driver was furious after the race and took matters into his own hands in parc ferme. Max Verstappen confronted Ocon about the incident. However, the Red Bull driver ended up ambushing the Frenchman in what was a dramatic affair.
1. Four-car pile up – 1994
Interlagos hosted the season opener for the 1994 season. The race was off to an exciting start as Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher started from the front row. However, the race witnessed a massive four-car pile-up on Lap 34. Eddie Irvine attempted to lap Eric Bernard in the Ligier. However, Irvine forced Jos Verstappen onto the grass as the Dutchman was right alongside the Jordan.
Verstappen’s Benetton went airborne and collided with the head of Martin Brundle. This ended up splitting the crash helmet of the McLaren driver. Extraordinarily, Brundle walked away after this horrendous incident. Eddie Irvine was fined $10,000 and a one-race ban, which became a three-race bun after an unsuccessful appeal—certainly the most horrific crash at the Brazilian GP in the history of Formula 1.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2348 Articles Published)