The Darker Side to Motorsport- The Pilots We Have Lost During the 75 Years of F1.

Formula One is known to be the pinnacle of motorsport, every young karter's dream to reach one day, but it's not always the glitz and glamour it looks like from an outsider's point of view. This article will commemorate the drivers who we have sadly lost throughout the years of being the biggest motorsport competition, going from the most recent back through the decades.

We would like to give our sincerest condolences to all the families who have lost a brother, a son, a nephew, a grandson, an uncle, or even a dad to this thrilling, but dangerous sport.

TW: Graphic and distressing Information

(Image credit to Formula One)

Jules Lucien Andre Bianchi ~ August 3rd 1989 - July 17th 2015

At the Japanese Grand Prix in 2014, Bianchi lost control of his car during wet racing conditions. Bianchi’s car then slipped under a recovery vehicle which was attending to another driver who crashed out of the race. He was rushed to the nearest hospital where they found severe brain trauma. Jules slipped into a coma after which he passed away 9 months later at 25, succumbing to his injuries. Several safety measures were then put into place to prevent similar accidents, including the Halo and the introduction of the virtual safety car. This was  hopefully the last fatality we will see in Formula One.

Ayrton Senna da Silva ~ March 21st 1960 - May 1st 1994

At the San Marino Grand Prix, Senna was leading the race, until his steering wheel failed, causing him to crash into a concrete barrier at full racing speed coming into the Tamburello corner. Senna sadly passed away the next day after suffering serious injuries, including skull fractures and brain injuries, which were caused by a piece of suspension striking Senna in the head. Senna passed away at 34, with 3 World Championships and a name that will live on forever in the history of Motorsport as being one of the greats.

Roland Walter Ratzenberger ~ June 4th 1960 - April 30th 1994

At qualifying in the San Marino Grand Prix, Ratzenberger's front wing failed at high speed. This then caused the car to run into a concrete wall at around 315km/h, along with a force of around 500Gs. Roland suffered skull fractures, a ruptured aorta, and other injuries which caused him to pass away aged 33. He most likely died on impact.

Elio de Angelis ~ March 26th 1958 - May 15th 1986

During testing at the Circuit de Paul Richard, Angelis’s rear wing detached at high speed, which caused de Angelis to crash into a barrier, be engulfed in flames and land upside down. Although de Angelis would have walked away with no life threatening injuries, delayed first aid response caused him to be trapped in a burning car for over 10 minutes. Elio died aged 28 due to fatal smoke inhalation.

Riccardo Paletti ~ June 15th 1958 - June 13th 1982

At the start of the Canadian Grand Prix, Paletti crashed into the back of Didier Pironi's car which had stalled on track. The heavy force caused Paletti’s steering wheel to cave into his chest, and his car to burst into flames. After being trapped in a burning car for around 25 minutes, Paletti was taken to the nearby hospital. Riccardo passed away at 23, succumbing to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Joseph Gilles Henri Villeneuve ~ January 18th 1950 - May 8th 1982

During qualifying at the Belgium grand Prix, Gilles’ car collided with a slower car that was in front of him, causing Villeneuve’s car to go airborne. Gilles was thrown from his cockpit and landing on nearby wired fences, while his car was disintegrating upon impact right in front of the other driver's eyes. Gilles was pronounced dead at 32 later that evening. Gilles' cause of death was fatal neck injuries.

Patrick Andre Eugene Joseph Depailler ~ August 9th 1944 - August 1st 1980

During testing at the Hockenheimring, it is suspected that Depailler suffered suspension failure, causing him to slam into a nearby Armco barrier. The impact was so horrific that Depailler died instantly due to major head injuries. He was 35 years old.

Bengt Ronnie Peterson ~ February 14th 1944 - September 11th 1978

During the Italian Grand Prix, Peterson was involved in a multi-car collision, which caused his car to slam into a barrier and catch fire. Peterson was expected to recover in a few weeks with only a few leg fractures. Unfortunately Peterson developed a fat embolism which was caused by the injuries he sustained. Peterson died the following morning aged 34

Thomas Maldwyn Pryce ~ June 11th 1949 - March 5th 1977

During the South African Grand Prix, a yellow flag was waved and a marshal was running to Renzo Zorzi's car with a fire extinguisher. Pryce was approaching where the accident was and unfortunately he nor the marshal saw each other in time. The fire extinguisher hit Pryce in the head, which caused him to die instantly. The marshal was struck by Pryce's car, the impact was so brutal it dismembered his body. Thomas died aged 27, and the marshal died aged 19.

Mark Neary Donohue Jr ~ March 18th 1937 - August 19th 1975

During practice at the Austrian Grand Prix, a failed tire caused Donohue to crash at high speeds, tragically killing a marshal as a result of  flying debris. It was initially thought that Donohue was uninjured, walking away from the incident, but later found out that Donohue had a cerebral haemorrhage. Donohue slipped into a coma and passed away 2 days later aged 38 due to his injuries.

Helmuth Koinigg ~ November 3rd 1949 - October 6th 1974

During the United States Grand Prix,  Helmuth suffered a crash. An improperly installed Armco barrier sliced over the top of Koinigg’s car, causing him to be decapitated. The cause of his crash was suspension failure. Koinigg died instantly aged 25, and could've survived if the barrier was installed properly.

Peterson Jeffery Revlon Revson ~ February 27th 1939 - March 22nd 1974

During testing at the South African Grand Prix, Revson had suffered a front suspension failure, which caused him to crash into a barrier. His car burst into flames, and despite the nearby marshals best efforts to save him, Revson passed away aged 35 with serious head and internal injuries.

Albert Francois Cevert ~ February 25th 1944 - October 6th 1973

While qualifying at the South African Grand Prix, Cevert clipped a curb and lost control of the car, forcing the car to crash into a barrier at high speeds. The metal barrier sliced through the aluminium cockpit causing his body to be cut in half. Cevert died instantly aged 29.

Roger Williamson ~ February 2nd 1948 - July 29th 1973

While racing in the Dutch Grand Prix, a suspected tire failure caused Williamson's car to crash into barriers, and flipped upside down. The car immediately burst into flames and Williamson couldn't get out of the car. Despite David Hurley's heroic bravery and actions trying to save Williamson from his burning car, it was too late. Roger died of asphyxiation aged 25.

Karl Jochen Rindt ~ April 18th 1942 - September 5th 1970

During qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix, he suffered a front brake shaft failure and crashed into lacking barriers. Due to his seatbelt being improperly fastened, Rindt’s seatbelt sliced his throat open, and bled to death. Rindt passed away aged 28 becoming the first posthumous champion. He died with one championship, and could've been turned into several..

Piers Raymond Courage ~ May 27th 1942 - June 21st 1970

During the Dutch Grand Prix, Courage suffered a mechanical failure. This caused him to be sent up a dune with his car, along with nearby trees, bursting into flames intensely. The crash caused one of his front wheels to detach and his Courage in the head. It's been said Courage died instantly aged 28.

Joseph Theodule Marie Schlesser ~ May 18th 1928 - July 7th 1968

During the French Grand Prix Schlesser crashed sideways into a bank in the second lap in a car that was branded ‘a potential death trap’. The car burst into flames, and Schlesser's car was upside down,with no way out. Honda's driver John Surtees refused to drive in the car. Which could have been a good idea for Joseph. Schlesser was burned alive aged 40.

Lorenzo Bandini ~ December 21st 1935 - May 10th 1967

During the Monaco Grand Prix, Bandini crashed his car, which set nearby straw bales around his car on fire. Bandini was trapped in his car, he was soon rushed to hospital where he suffered third degree burns to over 70% of his body. He passed away 3 days after the accident at 31, succumbing to his injuries. This resulted in F1 banning straw bales at any F1 race going forward.

John Malcolm Taylor ~ March 23rd 1933 - September 8th 1966

At the German Grand Prix, John has a collision with Jacky Ickx’s car on the first lap. This caused Taylor's car to instantly burst into flames. Taylor initially escaped the crash with minor burns, he would pass away a month later due to injuries suffered aged 33. Ickx walked away uninjured.

Carel Godwin de Beaufort ~ April 10th 1934 - August 2nd 1964

During practice at the German Grand Prix, de Beaufort would lose control of his car. This would result in Beaufort being catapulted from his car, which he suffered massive leg, head, and chest injuries. When Carel was transferred to a major hospital, he passed away 3 days later aged 30 due to his injuries.

Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips ~ May 4th 1928 - September 10th 1961

At the Italian Grand Prix, Von Trips collided with Jim Clark's car, which launched Von Trips car into the spectators area. He was launched from his car, dying instantly due to his injuries aged 33, along with 15 spectators. Despite this accident, von Trips teammate Phil Hill, won the race and the WDC.

Alan Stacey ~ August 29th 1933 - June 19th 1960

During the Belgium Grand Prix, a bird struck Stacey's face at high speeds, which made him lose control and crash into a field after climbing an embankment.The car went up in flames while  Stacey was thrown from his car, dying instantly at 26. This accident happened approximately 3 minutes after Chris Bristol was killed in a separate incident.

Christopher William Bristow ~ December 2nd 1937 - June 19th 1960

During the Belgium Grand Prix, Bristow was battling for 6th place and unfortunately lost control of his car. This caused his car to strike an embankment, along with being thrown from his car and landing on wired fencing, resulting him to be decapitated. He passed away instantly aged 22, with his head remaining at the end of the track till the end of the race. This happened 3 minutes before Alan Stacey's fatal accident.

Stuart Nigel Lewis-Evans ~ April 20th 1930 - October 25th 1958

At the Moroccan Grand Prix, Lewis-Evans engine seized, resulting in him crashing at high speeds which led to the car catching fire. He suffered severe burns and was rushed to hospital, where he passed away aged 28 due to his injuries. The accident affected his team principal Tony Vanderwall deeply, resulting in him withdrawing from F1 all together after his driver's accident.

Peterson John Collins ~ November 6th 1931 - August 3rd 1958

During the German Grand Prix, Collins car ran wide, which then struck a ditch, flipped, and resulted in Collins getting rejected from the car. He hit a tree head first, of which he passed away later that day in hospital due to severe head injuries aged 26.

Luigi Musso ~ July 28th 1924 - July 6th 1958

At the French Grand Prix, Musso lost control of his car when chasing his teammate Mike Hawthorn. Musso hit a ditch, flipped, and was catapulted from his car. He would pass away later that day in hospital aged 33 due to fatal head and internal injuries.

Onofre Agustin Marimon ~ December 19th 1923 - July 31st 1954

At the German Grand Prix, Marimon would lose control of his car, causing it to strike a ditch and brutally crash. His car ended up upside down, and Marimon was trapped under his car. He passed away shortly after being freed from the wreck aged 30. Marimon was the first driver to die in an official F1 Grand Prix weekend, excluding the Indy 500.

May every driver rest in peace.

We also recognise the deaths of Antoine Hubert and Diliano vant Hoff, in which we also give our fullest condolences to their respected families as well.

Article written by Evelyn Gibson