F1's 10 Best One-Hit Wonders

1. Pastor Maldonado

This was an obvious one to start with, right? The Venezuelan certainly has the speed to win races, but so far he has only showed this just once – beating Fernando Alonso to victory at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, scoring the Williams team’s first triumph since the 2004 season finale. Of course, there is a chance that he might get on the top step of the podium again before his career ends, but at this point, it’s not looking likely.

He didn’t lead the race until the final lap, taking the 1971 Italian Grand Prix win by just 0.01 seconds – the closest finish in F1 history. In fact, the top five (all of whom had never triumphed in the sport), were separated by just six tenths of a second. He continued racing in F1 until the 1974 season, scoring only one more points finish in that time.

The Italian had a rather special F1 debut. He was entered in a Ferrari 156 at the 1961 French Grand Prix, just beating Dan Gurney at Reims to win by one tenth of a second. Baghetti remains the only driver to ever win in their maiden F1 world championship race, against a field that did not consist entirely of other debutants. He scored two more points finishes in 1962, and ended his F1 career with a one-off drive for Lotus in 1967.

4. Jean Alesi

Alesi’s F1 career started with a bang, with the Frenchman scoring points in his first season and fighting Ayrton Senna for victory in only his ninth race. He competed in just over 200 races for teams like Benetton and Ferrari, but only scored one win at the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix, on his 31st birthday. It was also the last win to date for a V12 powered F1 car.

5. Alessandro Nannini

The 1989 Japanese Grand Prix is world famous for the clash at the final chicane between Senna and Alain Prost. The former managed to continue, passing Alessandro Nannini’s Benetton to win. However, he was later disqualified for using the escape road to re-join the track, handing Nannini his one and only victory in F1.

The Italian’s F1 career was cut dramatically short the following year when he was involved in a helicopter crash, which left him with a severed arm. Doctors were able to reattatch the limb with micro surgery, however, and he later enjoyed success in the German Touring Car Championship.

Brambilla was racing for March when he won his first and only F1 race at the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix, which was shortened after 29 of the scheduled 54 laps due to rain. Only half points were awarded. Brambilla won by 27 seconds, but crashed as he celebrated across the line. A rather awkward end to a successful race…

The 1996 Monaco Grand Prix only had four race finishers, taking place in wet conditions. Panis survived the weather at the wheel of his Ligier to win his only race from 157 starts. He later raced for midfield teams Prost, BAR and Toyota, scoring two more podiums and several points finishes.

8. Robert Kubica

The Polish driver scored his first and only F1 win for BMW Sauber at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix, taking advantage of a crash at the pit lane exit between Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen to take a fine victory. He should undoubtedly have won more races, but his career in the sport was cut short after a horrific rally crash in 2011. Kubica now competes in the World Rally Championship.

9. Francois Cevert

The French driver was one of F1’s rising stars in the early 1970s, racing for the Tyrrell team at the same time as Jackie Stewart. He achieved his one and only win in Watkins Glen at the 1971 United States Grand Prix, in his first full season. Sadly he died at the same track two years later in a crash during qualifying.

10. Jarno Trulli

The Italian racer was renowned for his qualifying pace, with his most successful years being at Renault and Toyota in the mid-2000s. He took his one and only win around the Circuit de Monaco in 2004, just holding off Jenson Button with a fine drive. He last raced in F1 during the 2011 season for Team Lotus.