Top ten winning starts with a new team

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Lewis Hamilton’s testing debut for Mercedes did not go according to plan when a brake failure caused him to crash in Jerez after just 15 laps in the car.

He’ll be anxious for a better race debut for his new team. As will Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg and Charles Pic, all of whom have donned new overalls this year.

And some of them might even have the chance to make a perfect start to their new relationship with a first-time win. Guest writer Greg Morland picks out ten of the best first-time winners with new teams.

Juan Manuel Fangio

1954 French Grand Prix, Mercedes

The original Mercedes Grand Prix team made their first appearance in the world championship almost 60 years ago. Juan Manuel Fangio, the 1951 world champion, had begun the season with Maserati and scored two victories while he waited for them to appear.

Mercedes had been a major force in pre-war Grand Prix racing and they were quickly restored to that position on their return. The W196 was the class of the field at Reims. At the wheel of the elegant “Type Monza” closed wheel car Fangio lapped everyone but his team mate Karl Kling on his way to victory.

After Mercedes pulled out of motorsport following the Le Mans disaster of 1955, Fangio moved to Ferrari, where he again won at the first time of asking. This time, though, he shared the win and the points with team mate Luigi Musso, who handed over his car midway through the race when Fangio suffered mechanical trouble.

Giancarlo Baghetti

1961 French Grand Prix, Ferrari

Never mind winning for a new team, Giancarlo Baghetti took victory in his first ever world championship Grand Prix for Ferrari at Reims in 1961.

Admittedly, the 26-year-old Italian had already taken part in two non-championship races for the Scuderia earlier that season – and won those too. Having been rewarded with a shot at a world championship event in a Ferrari, Baghetti capitalised on the retirements of several frontrunners to make it three in a row in France, beating Dan Gurney to the chequered flag by a tenth of a second.

It seemed F1 had a new star on its hands, but Baghetti’s career had already peaked. Despite featuring in a further 20 world championship events over the subsequent six years, Baghetti managed just two additional points finishes.

But that superb debut at Reims ensured Giancarlo Baghetti would go down in the history as the first and so far only driver – with the exception of Giuseppe Farina and Indianapolis 500 driver Johnnie Parsons in the inaugural world championship season – to win a championship Grand Prix at the very first attempt.

Pedro Rodriguez

1967 South African Grand Prix, Cooper

With Sergio Perez moving to McLaren and Esteban Gutierrez promoted to a race seat at Sauber, the 43-year wait for a Mexican Grand Prix winner could be nearing its conclusion.

Of the four previous Mexican drivers to have started a Grand Prix, Pedro Rodriguez enjoyed the most success, with two victories and seven podium finishes. The first of his wins, at Kyalami in 1967, came in only his tenth world championship start and his first for Cooper.

It came at the expense of Zimbabwean privateer John Love, who came close to causing a major upset by winning in his own Cooper, until he had to top up with fuel late in the race.

Rodriquez departed Cooper at the end of the season, and later drove for Ferrari and BRM. However, as was all too common with drivers of the era, he was killed during competition. Rodriguez crashed and died in a sports car race at the Norisring in 1971.

Mario Andretti

1971 South African Grand Prix, Ferrari

Mario Andretti was a late entrant to the world of motorsport – mainly due to his turbulent early life in which he lived in a refugee camp before emigrating from his native Italy to the United States at the age of 15.

Making his Grand Prix debut in a Lotus in the 1968 United States Grand Prix, Andretti took a sensational pole position and ran second in the early stages of the race, before bodywork damage and later a clutch failure ruined his afternoon.

At first Andretti prioritised racing in America over competing in Grands Prix. In the two seasons following his debut, he made just eight starts for Lotus and March, with a solitary podium all he had to show for them.

But a move to Ferrari revitalised Andretti’s F1 career. On his debut for the Italian marque at Kyalami, he qualified a competitive fourth, and beat Jackie Stewart to victory on race day.

Eleven years later, with a world championship and 11 further wins under his belt, 42-year-old Andretti returned to Ferrari to replace Didier Pironi, who had suffered career-ending accident at Hockenheim a month earlier. Incredibly, he again took pole at the first time attempt at Monza, before finishing third in the race. It provided some respite in an otherwise sombre season for the Scuderia, which also saw the death of Gilles Villeneuve.

Jody Scheckter

1977 Argentinian Grand Prix, Wolf

Would you expect a car produced by the likes of Harvey Postlethwaite, Patrick Head, Ross Brawn and Adrian Newey to do any less than win its first race?

There was just one Wolf WR1 on the grid at Buenos Aires for the first race of the 1977. It was driven by Jody Scheckter, who gave Walter Wolf’s eponymous team a debut victory.

He was aided by the retirement of the drivers who had filled the first five positions on the grid and took the chequered flag 43 seconds clear of his closest challenger.

But this was no one-off: further wins followed in Monaco (pictured) and Canada. But Scheckter only spent one more season with the team before joining Ferrari and winning the world championship.

Nelson Piquet

1986 Brazilian Grand Prix, Williams

Having rejected an offer to remain at Brabbham, the team at which he had won two world titles, Nelson Piquet switched to Williams for the 1986 season. With the best car on the grid at his disposal and two world titles on his resume, the Brazilian was favourite to win the championship.

Piquet hit the ground running with an impressive win at the season-opening Brazilian Grand Prix after team mate Nigel Mansell tangled with Ayrton Senna and crashed.

But things soon turned sour at Williams. Despite enjoying the internal support of engine suppliers Honda, and an agreement with team boss Frank Williams that he would be the undisputed lead driver, Piquet found himself battling with Mansell for the championship.

In the end, neither won it, as McLaren’s Alain Prost capitalised on the Williams infighting to claim his second world title by just two points.

Piquet did make amends the following year with his third and final championship success, but by then the damage had been done, and he departed for Lotus – along with the Honda engine supply – at the end of the season.

Nigel Mansell

1989 Brazilian Grand Prix, Ferrari

Though largely considered synonymous with Williams, Nigel Mansell’s association with the Grove based team was punctuated by a two year spell at Ferrari. He was the last driver to be signed to the team by founder Enzo Ferrari before his death.

After a miserable season in the Judd-engined Williams in 1988, Mansell looked to revitalise his career at Ferrari. But expectations for the season opening Brazilian Grand Prix weren’t high – the Ferrari 640’s new semi-automatic gearbox had been unreliable in testing. So much so that Mansell had bought tickets on a plane home which was scheduled to depart before the end of the race.

But the Ferrari lasted the distance to the surprise of everyone, above all all Mansell. He won the race before somehow managing to cut his hands on his winner’s trophy.

Despite the brilliant start to his Ferrari career, Mansell only added two more Ferrari victories to his tally, and never threatened a championship challenge. In typically theatrical style, he announced his retirement when his car broke down during the British Grand Prix the following year, before backtracking and re-signing for Williams.

Alain Prost

1993 South African Grand Prix, Williams

There aren’t many instances of a debut win with a new team being predictable, but Alain Prost was the clear favourite to win his first race for Williams in 1993.

This was partly because of an extraordinary turn of events which saw Williams dominate the 1992 championship yet both of their drivers leave the team. Having learned of Prost’s imminent arrival Mansell left the team to race in IndyCar. Meanwhile Riccardo Patrese, expecting Prost to take his place, had already signed for Benetton.

So Prost started his first race for Williams in a car which was the class of the field and alongside Damon Hill, who had just two Grand Prix starts to his name.

Senna gave Prost a hard time but couldn’t keep the Williams driver from the win. That set the tone of the season to come but the superiority of the FW15C ultimately told. Prost took seven wins and thirteen pole positions en route to his fourth world championship.

This wasn’t Prost’s only winning start following a change of team. Nine years previously he won at Jacarepagua on his return to McLaren, having previously departed following a miserable debut season in 1980.

Kimi Raikkonen

2007 Australian Grand Prix, Ferrari

There were three drivers in contention for victory at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix who were making their first starts for new teams, including reigning champion Fernando Alonso in his first race for McLaren and rookie team mate Lewis Hamilton.

But the win went to Kimi Raikkonen, who looked perfectly cast as Michael Schumacher’s successor at Ferrari as he won on his debut for them.

Raikkonen was never challenged as he strolled to a comfortable victory, and Alonso followed the Ferrari home eight seconds behind. His early lead in the points standings didn’t last long, but he regained it in sensational style at the season finale to score a memorable championship victory.

Fernando Alonso

2010 Bahrain Grand Prix, Ferrari

Raikkonen’s victory for Ferrari did not mark the start of a new Schumacher era at the team. After a disappointing 2008 and 2009 he was dropped and replaced by Alonso. He duly became the latest in a long line of drivers to make the perfect start to his Ferrari career by winning his first race for the Scuderia.

Despite being outpaced by new team mate Felipe Massa in qualifying Alonso muscled his way through into second at the start – setting the tone for their future relationship – before inheriting the lead from an ailing Sebastian Vettel towards the end of the race.

In fact, Alonso has proven to be something of a debut race specialist. In addition to the aforementioned first race podium for McLaren, the Spaniard took points at the first attempt during both his stints at Renault.

Over to you

There are other drivers who technically scored debut wins with teams. Giancarlo Fisichella won his first start for Renault in 2005, though he had previously driven for the team when they were Benetton.

Likewise Jenson Button gave Brawn a debut victory in 2009, though he had been with the team through two changes of identity including BAR and Honda.

Which other drivers excelled on their debut for a new team, in F1 or elsewhere in the world of motor sport? And which career moves didn’t get off to such a good start? Have your say in the comments.

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32 comments on “Top ten winning starts with a new team”

  1. What about Button in the Brawn in 2009? Melbourne GP.

    1. Woops, I see now you already listed him ;-)

  2. plutoniumhunter
    10th February 2013, 12:11

    Er Keith, I think Prost only won 7 races back in 1993.

    1. Keith didn’t write the article

    2. That isn’t Keith’s article

    3. plutoniumhunter
      10th February 2013, 14:56

      Whoops, @greg-morland then.

  3. Aditya Fakhri Yahya
    10th February 2013, 12:16

    Raikkonen’s win gives Ferrari fans around the world optimism post-Schumacher era at the time. although the few next race looked hard, in the end he was worthy world champions with the red car. the feat which don’t happen again until now…

    1. ferrari could’ve walk away both titles in 2007 easily without getting their double floor banned because “some team” was holding up a dossier of F2007 data and reports it to FIA =P

    2. Sebastian Vettel
      Alonso’s victory for Ferrari did not mark the start of a new Schumacher era at the team. After a disappointing period between 2010-2014 he was dropped and replaced by Vettel. He DIDN’T duly became the latest in a long line of drivers to make the perfect start to his Ferrari career by winning his first race for the Scuderia. He just finished on the podium. BUT, he won his second race for the Scuderia.

  4. Button for brawn is a bit of a weird one -technically, I want to say its the same team, but from a sentimentality point I want to support its listing.

    1. ScuderiaVincero
      10th February 2013, 14:38

      That said, circumstances changed dramatically between 08 and 09, so I’d give them due credit for their debut victory.

  5. I would say Sergio Perez is the favourite of the drivers who are donning new overalls to win his debut race. McLaren are expected to be competitive, especially with the form they showed in Brazil, so a win is not off the cards despite it being a new environment to an otherwise inexperienced driver.

    He’ll likely have strong competition from Button & Vettel and perhaps Alonso too!

  6. Jeez, how beautiful is that F2007, I really miss those cars.

  7. Michael Schumacher’s career at Ferrari certainly didn’t start so well. I remember reading how the press had a bet how many laps his car would last at Melbourne – and it wasn’t that many eventually.

    Mika Häkkinen’s debut with McLaren in 1993 Estoril is probably also worth mentioning; it’s not every day you beat Ayrton Senna in qualifying with the same machinery.

    Williams’ new drivers in 1996 and 1997 are probably something most people also remember: Villeneuve was so close to winning his first ever F1 race until that oil leak, and Frentzen would’ve won in ’97 if his front brake hadn’t exploded.

  8. Fisi won in his first race for Renault in Australia 2005

    1. That’s in the article.

  9. In 1984, Prost won jacarepagua but not kyalami, which was won by Lauda.

  10. 5 drivers have won their first race with Ferrari…such a great team they are.

  11. Mike Hailwood return to riding and return to TT after 11 years, winning on a ducati.

    Not F1 but well worth a mention!

  12. That Mansell story always makes me laugh. You know what over confidence is? I wonder what you call that…

  13. Michael Schumacher made his Ferrari debut in 1996, but it the race ended for him quickly. It was his unfancied Ulsterman teammate Eddie Irvine who shone on his Ferrari debut, finishing a strong third. However, Irvine would add only 7 more points to that throughout the rest o’ the season, while Schumacher’s final tally was an impressive 69.
    And talking of worst debut showings, Romain Grosjean had an utterly forgettable first race for Renault in Valencia ’09. He tapped Luca Badoer in the first corner, and then spun afterwards. Oh, and all the while Alonso was out of his sight.

  14. Hey where is Michael? :-/ You menton Alonso and Raikkonen but forgot Schumacher? Come on… I don’t say that he is the cutest, but it’s still Chuck Norris’s most favorite racer ;)

    1. Schumacher didn’t win any of his four starts with a new team (Belgium 1991, Italy 1991, Australia 1996 and Bahrain 2010).

  15. Career moves that didn’t start well, but ended up producing world championships:

    James Hunt, McLaren, Brazil 1976: Took pole only to crash out due to a sticking throttle. Won the WDC that year.

    Alan Jones, Williams, Argentina 1978: Qualified 14th & retired with a car failure, The partnership didn’t really take off until the following season.

    Nelson Piquet, Brabham, Canada 1978: Crashed in practice, qualified 14th & finished 11th. An uncompetitive full season in 1979 followed, but then many competitive seasons including 2 WDCs.

    Jody Scheckter: Was caught up in a massive pile-up on the 1st lap. Went on to win that year’s WDC

    Nigel Mansell, Williams, 1985: Retired with a car failure after just 8 laps. Claimed 2 wins at the end of this season. This was followed by a couple of very near misses but no championship. Left for Ferarri, but returned to finally secure one. The first racve of his 2nd stint was rather more successful…

    Ayrton Senna for McLaren, Brazil 1988: Blag flagged for changing to the spare car too late. However he had shown promise by taking pole and climbing from last to 2nd within 20 laps. Won the championship that season!

    Damon Hill, Williams, South Africa 1993: Spun at the first corner and retired after an early collision. But he soon began to show his potential, regularly matching and even beating Prost for pace, ending up with a respectable 3 wins & 3rd in the WDC.

    Mika Hakkinen, McLaren, Portugal 1993: Amazingly outqualified Senna in their 1st race as team-mates, only to crash out of the race. Went through many years of toil in uncompetitive cars before his eventual success.

    Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, Australia 1996: As has already been mentioned, he retired with a car failure, having been outqualified by Irvine! Somehow he dragged the dog of a Ferrari to 3 wins & 3rd in the WDC. This was followed by several years of narrowly missing out, but once his got started there was no stopping him…

    Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Australia 2009: Was running 2nd in the closing stages when he collided with Kubica who was trying to overtake. Bizarrely attempted to continue on 3 wheels in the hope of keeping his place under the safety car, but was eventually forced to retire. Finished 2nd that season & has dominated ever since.

    I decided that was more than enough to list, but I’m sure there are many more examples from earlier F1 history.

  16. The debut of Jacques Villeneuve for Williams at Albert Park 1997 was mesmerising.

    He didn’t win, but was the fastest man on the track all weekend long, his first weekend may I add!
    Pole Position, led most of the race and only gave way to Damon Hill as his car began to ail.

    On a personal note, I sat in Prost Turn 16 and watched the first laps in F1 of Raikkonen, Montoya, Alonso and Massa. The little Brazilian caught a slide which had the crowd gasping!

  17. I don’t think Ross Brawn or Adrian Newey had anything to do with the 1977 Wolf WR1 car. Brawn was at March, and he only started working under Harvey Postlethwaite in 1978. Adrian Newey was still in college, and went into F1 in 1980 (also working with Harvey Postlethwaite).

      1. There’s still the matter of Newey who was only a 19 year old, first-year university student in 1977.

  18. BUTTON!! should be in there…

  19. Jenson Buttons 2010 Australian win with McLaren felt like a ‘first race with a new team’ win, only because the season typically starts in Australia (instead of Bahrain that year). Considering he moved from his championship team to McLaren, to win on his second start is no mean feat.

  20. Not a win, but frentzen finishing second at melbourne in 1999 was a pretty good effort in his first race for jordan, especially after a poor 1998 season.

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