Oliver Bearman I had a poisoned present last weekend while Saudi Arabian GP. His golden opportunity to break into Formula 1 had come just hours before and he was under pressure to do so at Ferrari replacing Carlos Sainz. The letter of introduction is key for the future at the Great Circus and despite his few hours of filming, the 18 year old and 10 month old Briton finished 7th and scored points in Jeddah. Something few pilots can be proud of.
But What have been the best debuts in Formula 1 history?
1
Lewis Hamilton 3rd
Australia 2007
That Hamilton would make history in Formula 1 was clear from his first race at the Great Circus. The British driver has already made his debut in McLaren colors as he has overcome the lower categories. Ron Dennis’ bet left no room for doubt on a podium on his debut with the best even fighting Fernando Alonso. It didn’t stop there and only one point separated the Englishman from becoming the only rookie to become world champion.
2
Kevin Magnussen (2nd)
Australia 2014
Magnussen also took the podium in his first Formula 1 race. And he did it with the same team and circuit as Hamilton, seven years later. A series of events left the Dane in third position but a subsequent penalty for Ricciardo moved him into second place. The rest of the year was more complicated with a McLaren that began to slide before falling into the hole in his time at Honda from 2015. This remains Kevin’s only podium in F1.
3
Sebastian Vettel (8th)
USA 2007
The German driver is also aiming high in his first race in Formula 1. And it is to Seb’s merit that he found the opportunity in the middle of the season, replacing Robert Kubica, who missed the race in Indianapolis after his serious accident in Canada. The role of the four-time world champion was unparalleled, adding a BMW point at just 19 years old and 349, the youngest to achieve it at that time.
4
Mark Webber (5th)
Australia 2002
The Australian driver had a memorable debut. In front of his fans, at Albert Park, he made his debut with Minardi and made a great comeback from 18th place to fifth. Logically this is not a celebration of overtaking but more of avoiding fears. In fact, he emerged unscathed from the many accidents that occurred ahead of him and in the second half of the race he dedicated himself to putting his elbows in order to score two points in the first race.
5
Jacques Villeneuve (2nd)
Australia 1996
The Canadian driver has just become the IndyCar champion and in the first race he made it clear what his qualities are. He got ahead of Damon Hill and finished second when he had enough speed to take his first win in his first participation. However, an oil leak in his Williams forced him to slow down and his teammate did not waste it.
6
Giancarlo Baghetti
France 1961
The Italian driver is the only one who achieved his first victory in his F1 debut. Baghetti triumphed in Reims, overtaking his rival Dan Gurney 100 meters from crossing the finish line in his Ferrari. The most curious thing is that this is the only success he achieved in his career.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
