Top 10 Most Dramatic Wins in F1 History
#10: Mercedes Civil War - Austrian GP (2016)
By 2016, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were no strangers to getting close on track. As each battled for the championship in a dominant Mercedes, the pair’s once-friendly rivalry had turned bitter to say the least. At the Austrian Grand Prix, it was Hamilton’s turn to chase down his teammate, and this time the drama came down to the very last lap. Hamilton went for a move into turn two, and Rosberg defended aggressively. Neither driver gave way, and the resulting contact left Rosberg with a damaged front wing and a 10-second penalty. In one corner, Rosberg lost the win and the podium – only managing to recover to fourth place.
#9: Brabham Falls at the Final Hurdle - Monaco GP (1970)
Overtaking at the Monaco Grand Prix is more or less unheard of in modern Formula One, but Jochen Rindt’s pressure paid off in 1970, forcing a last-corner mistake from Jack Brabham. The Australian Brabham led over half the race in relative comfort, while Rindt capitalized on reliability issues to gradually move into contention. Once in second, Rindt upped the pace, clawing back a nine second gap to the leader. All Brabham had to do was keep the car on the racing lane, but he went too defensive, taking a dusty inside line around the final bend. Brabham skidded into the barriers, and Rindt passed for a grateful victory.
#8: Sainz’s Speed of Thought - Singapore GP (2023)
In the final laps of the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz was just keeping Lando Norris at bay, but the McLaren wasn’t the only threat. Mercedes risked an extra pit stop, leaving George Russell and Lewis Hamilton to reel in the leaders in the closing stages. The gamble paid off, and the Silver Arrows caught up in plenty of time. But Sainz pulled off a masterclass in high-speed strategy, actually slowing down to allow Norris to close the gap. Norris, with the slipstream from Sainz’s Ferrari, was too fast on the straights for either Mercedes to make a move, and frustration eventually got the better of Russell. Sainz took the win, while Russell could only take to the wall.
#7: The Race Nobody Wanted to Win - Monaco GP (1982)
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Alain Prost looked set for an anticlimactic win at the 1982 Monaco Grand Prix, but the rain had other ideas. The Frenchman stayed out on dry tires only to slide into the barriers with two laps to go. Ricardo Patrese took the lead but spun his Brabham down the field. Next up, Didier Pironi neared the checkered flag but not before running out of fuel. Fourth in line to inherit the win was Andrea de Cesaris, but by the time the cameras had caught up, they found his Alfa Romeo had also stopped with fuel issues. In the chaos, Patrese had got going again, and crossed the line to win a race he didn’t even know he was leading.
#6: Four-Way Photo Finish - Italian GP (1971)
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The famous Monza circuit was not as we know it in 1971. Longer straights made the slipstream so powerful that cars ran closer together and regularly swapped places. The high speeds also meant reliability issues and safety risks, which left some unlikely contenders in the leading pack at the latest Italian Grand Prix. Among them, Peter Gethin, who came out of the final corner of the race in third position. But you guessed it – Gethin took two places on the line, for his only win in the sport’s closest ever finish. Runner-up Ronnie Peterson lost out by a hundredth-of-a-second, with the top four separated by under two-tenths.
#5: Hamilton Hangs On - British GP (2020)
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Sir Lewis Hamilton has won 103 races in his Formula One career, but only one on three wheels. The Brit was cruising at his home race in the 2020 season, when a late puncture for teammate Valtteri Bottas raised eyebrows on the pitwall. Hamilton was told to nurse his Mercedes home, and Max Verstappen, over 30 seconds behind in second, suddenly sniffed a win. On the last lap, the unthinkable happened – Hamilton’s tire blew out. In the final corners, the world champion used all his experience to keep his three remaining tyres on the tarmac, crossing the line only just ahead of the flying Dutchman.
#4: Hill Denied Impossible Win - Hungarian GP (1997)
World champion in 1996, Damon Hill was controversially dropped by Williams for the following season. His new team, Arrows, had never won a race in F1, but an upset was on the cards when Hill took a shock lead at the 1997 Hungarian Grand Prix. The reigning champ drove an impeccable race, only extending his on-track lead to title challenger Jacques Villeneuve, but it just wasn’t to be. Hill slowed with a hydraulic issue just two laps from the finish, and Villeneuve swept past to claim the win. Hill held on for second place – still the joint-best result in team Arrows’ history.
#3: Jenson’s Canada Comeback - Canadian GP (2011)
Jenson Button’s 2011 Canadian Grand Prix couldn’t have got off to a worse start. On a wet track, the McLaren driver ran wide to lose early places, collided with both Fernando Alonso and teammate Lewis Hamilton, served a drive-through penalty, punctured a tire, and at one point ran dead last. After a two-hour rain suspension, Button finally got the hang of the conditions. The 2009 world champion called for tire changes at just the right time and picked his way through the field. Button started the final lap just a second behind leader Sebastian Vettel, and forced the German wide to claim the most unlikely of victories.
#2: Kimi Risks It All - Japanese GP (2005)
In 2005, a wet qualifying saw Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen start the Japanese Grand Prix back in 16th and 17th. The two championship protagonists lived up to their reputations, lighting up the timing screens and putting on a show for the fans at Suzuka. Alonso shot past Mark Webber to finish on the podium, but up ahead, Raikkonen was chasing the top step. A late pit stop gave him work to do, but Kimi pushed his McLaren to the limit, taking over a second a lap out of Giancarlo Fisichella’s lead. The Iceman pulled off a last-gasp swoop around the outside to mark one of the all-time recovery drives.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Michael Closes on Mika - Spanish GP (2001)
Häkkenen Denied First Win of Season by Faulty Engine & Closing Schumacher
Alonso Pounces on McLaren Mistake - European GP (2005)
Räikkönen Gambles on Used Tires, Spectacularly Crashes Out From the Lead
Clark Twice Denied Victory - Italian GP (1967)
Surtees Wins After Clark Suffers Tire & Fuel Issues 48 Laps Apart
Ocon Holds Off Two World Champions - Hungarian GP (2021)
Esteban Ocon Takes Maiden Win From Charging Vettel & Hamilton
#1: Yas Marina Showdown - Abu Dhabi GP (2021)
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It was winner takes all in the 2021 season finale, with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen level on points heading to Abu Dhabi. Hamilton built a comfortable lead and looked set for a record eighth world title, until a crash for Nicolas Latifi completely tore up the script. Verstappen took advantage of the safety car to pit for new tires, but lapped cars stood between himself and Hamilton. In a first for the sport, only the five drivers between the Brit and the Dutchman were allowed to unlap themselves, leaving a single lap for the top two to battle it out. Verstappen had the pace on new rubber and passed Hamilton in the final seconds to take his first of many championships.
Which one of our picks kept you on the edge of your single seater? Did we miss any nail-biting moments? Let us know in the comments.
