Motorsports Trivia Thread!

[Roo]

This is all completely skewed though by the fact that Senna was one of the best Qualifiers of all time.

Legitimately, this would suggest that critics of Vettel who suggest that he can only win from the front should also reappraise Schumacher, Senna, Hamilton et al or at least cut Vettel a bit of slack. For that 2010-13 period, he did what they all did too; win from the front.

This was exactly the reason I brought Senna's winning start positions up, although I didn't expect our dearly departed friend to notice, or care if he did.

 

[Roger the Horse]

Be interesting to see what the biggest in race climbs ala Perez at Sakhir are, since functionally there's very little difference between starting a race from the back and dropping to the back on lap 1 after getting punted.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Be interesting to see what the biggest in race climbs ala Perez at Sakhir are, since functionally there's very little difference between starting a race from the back and dropping to the back on lap 1 after getting punted.

Button Canada 2011?

 

[MaxAttack]

Button Canada 2011?

I'd expect this plus X race where Clark was the only dude who didn't blow up the car.

 

[Liquid]

Button was dead last in Canada which means... *checks entry list* he was 21st on lap 37 because of prior retirements.

Watson won in Long Beach from starting in 23rd.

 

[Jimlaad43]

*checks result* However, 17 cars finished that Canadian GP, only 10 finished at Long Beach. Plus, Watson had 75 laps to make up those 23, Button had 33

 

[Jimlaad43]

All 17 drivers who finished the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix finished on the Lead Lap. Is there an F1 race where more drivers finished on the lead lap with nobody classified as any laps down?

Obviously the late Safety Car allowed everyone to be unlapped, but as Sakhir was the shortest circuit in F1 history in terms of laptime it's still a surprise to see nobody finish a lap down. Pietro Fittipaldi in 17th was only 36 seconds off the leader at the flag.

Basically the question is, can anyone find a race where the last finishing driver (in at best 17th) was closer to the leader than 36 seconds?

 

[Liquid]

Open Question:

The classic position for holding a steering wheel is a 9-3 position. Jean Alesi frequently used to hold his steering wheel at a 10-2 position and sometimes even what looked more like an 11-1 position. So I'm not talking about driving styles but are there any other drivers with idiosyncratic driving positions? I know it depends on the shape of the wheel too but I'd be curious to know.

 

[Dotini]

Open Question:

The classic position for holding a steering wheel is a 9-3 position. Jean Alesi frequently used to hold his steering wheel at a 10-2 position and sometimes even what looked more like an 11-1 position. So I'm not talking about driving styles but are there any other drivers with idiosyncratic driving positions? I know it depends on the shape of the wheel too but I'd be curious to know.

Archie Scott Brown drove with his hand at 9 and his stump at 4.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Interestingly, Nick Heidfeld holds the record for most Podiums without a win in both Formula 1 and Formula E! (13 and 8 respectively)

 

[Carbonox]

Interestingly, Nick Heidfeld holds the record for most Podiums without a win in both Formula 1 and Formula E! (13 and 8 respectively)

If only Nico Prost wasn't such a bonehead.

It's interesting, after his domination of feeder series, throughout the 2000's his win column shows a long and almost straight line of 0's save for a single American Le Mans series victory.

 

[Roo]

TIL Jenson Button raced against Max Verstappen, Max's dad Jos, and Max's mum Sophie (in karting, as teammates).

(Also in checking this post I realised how 90s Max's 2020 results were.)

Edit: When this coming season starts Hamilton, Raikkonen and Alonso will have raced against Michael, Ralf, and Mick Schumacher.

 

[GTP_Nail]

who what where

 

[Greycap]

Johnny Dumfries, but no idea what and where. The man who could have lived a pure jet-set life but decided to be a skilled racing driver instead.

 

[Liquid]

Lotus 98T is the 1986 car. I have no idea what races were wet that year but it could just be practice. Random guess... Hungaroring?

 

[Failmaster21]

who what where

Dumfries, 98T, Jerez?

 

[TenEightyOne]

The man who could have lived a pure jet-set life but decided to be a skilled racing driver instead.

In fairness those things aren't strictly incompatible.

 

[Liquid]

In fairness those things aren't strictly incompatible.

A playboy gentleman racer with a jet-set lifestyle? That's Roger Moore as Lord Brett Sinclair in The Persuaders.

 

[TheCracker]

It's wet and one of the circuits that allowed tobacco sponsorship. So, 7th Marquess of Bute, Lotus 98T, Spa?

 

[Jimlaad43]

While looking up Dumfries, I ended up on Elio de Angelis' page and saw that he finished 3rd in the Championship in 1984 without winning a race. I descended through the stats Rabbit Hole to see if that's a unique stat or something more common I was quite surprised by how many occasions it happened. These are the drivers who've finished in the top 3 of the Championship despite not winning a race that year.

2nd: Peterson 1971
2nd: Farina 1952
3rd: Webber 2013
3rd: Button 2004
3rd: Montoya 2002
3rd: Barrichello 2001
3rd: Patrese 1989
3rd: de Angelis 1984
3rd: McLaren 1969
3rd: Rindt 1966
3rd: Ginther 1963
3rd: Musso 1957
3rd: Castellotti 1955
3rd: Fagioli 1950

 

[Greycap]

In fairness those things aren't strictly incompatible.

Quite true. However, one doesn't win 14 out of 17 rounds in the British F3 championship - or the Le Mans overall race - by just deciding that racing is fun. He had actual skills for it.

 

[TheCracker]

Quite true. However, one doesn't win 14 out of 17 rounds in the British F3 championship - or the Le Mans overall race - by just deciding that racing is fun. He had actual skills for it.

Had Lotus not wanted to switch engine partners for 87, and Nakajima in the 2nd seat as part of that deal, i think he'd have had a much better showing in his second year. He admittedly out-psyched himself early that year and lost all confidence in his abilities. The 98T wasn't particularly reliable either. JPS may have stayed around longer as a F1 sponsor if he'd got a second chance. That's F1 professional motorsport for you!

 

[Jimlaad43]

Which impressive Formula 1 achievement is the top 3 this:
1: Kevin Magnussen
2: Felipe Nasr
3: Giancarlo Baghetti, Johnnie Parsons, Giuseppe Farina

 

[Liquid]

Points on debut.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Which impressive Formula 1 achievement is the top 3 this:

Points on debut.

Kevin Magnussen - 18 points
Felipe Nasr - 10 points
Giancarlo Baghetti, Johnnie Parsons, Giuseppe Farina - 9 points

 

[ShiftingGears]

Open Question:

The classic position for holding a steering wheel is a 9-3 position. Jean Alesi frequently used to hold his steering wheel at a 10-2 position and sometimes even what looked more like an 11-1 position. So I'm not talking about driving styles but are there any other drivers with idiosyncratic driving positions? I know it depends on the shape of the wheel too but I'd be curious to know.

I couldve sworn Jos Verstappen drove with both hands touching on top of the steering wheel in his early F1 career

 

[Liquid]

Just a random fact that piqued my interest: Max Verstappen has started 120 Grands Prix, won 10 of them and scored 43 podiums.

He's still not yet as old as Senna was at Monaco 1984.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Just going to prove the point that if you're good enough, you're old enough.

 

[Failmaster21]

Just going to prove the point that if you're good enough, you're old enough.

Sir Matt Busby (former Man United manager) quote for those interested

 

[Liquid]

Teammate Tracer:

Jack Brabham - Eddie Cheever
Klaus Ludwig - Ayrton Senna
Peter Brock - Pedro de la Rosa

How few can they be done in?