Reliability: Which F1 car broke down the most?
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Would someone correct me if i am wrong but is the 2015 Mclaren Honda the most unreliable car in F1 history? I.e out of 16 starts for Alonso 8 retirments (7 if you dont include the Austrian race accident).
Far from it. As Michal alludes, the BAR 01 had a worse finishing record: Only 11 finishes out of a possible 32. The Renault RS01 was also infamously unreliable, being the first turbo F1 car, it only saw the chequered flag seven times in 25 races.
This is a great question. I would suggest the the Life L190 which often broke down during its woeful qualifying efforts and never made it as far as a race.
This is a great question. I would suggest the the Life L190 which often broke down during its woeful qualifying efforts and never made it as far as a race.
It never even made it as far as qualifying, never mind a race! ;)
Well I guess that leaves my candidate, the BRM H16 looking pretty good by comparison, but I have no idea of the statistics and I think it managed to finish a few races. I’m sure someone out there has the complete history of BRM at their fingertips.
@hohum It actually won a race! Jim Clark gave the H16 engine its only win at Watkins Glen in 1966. However, its finishing record is 10/39, including entries by the works team, Reg Parnell Racing and Team Lotus.
Pacific Racing had a woeful record in 1995. 6 classified finishes over the 34 races they took part in, with 25 retirements, 1 disqualification, 1 DNS and 1 non-classified finish.
Wasn’t there an article on this site about that car too? Remember reading about it…?
Indeed!
McLaren are no strangers to DNF’s.
My recollection of the 1994 McLaren Peugeot was one of it blowing up spectacularly on regular basis. Evidence:
1994 McLaren Peugeot Stats:
16 Races (2 cars) – 15 Finishes – 17 RetirementsI was thinking about Michael Andretti as well, because he had a pretty average season in 93′ with McLaren too:
Stats: 13 Races (Andretti) – 7 Finishes – 6 Retirements before they replaced him.Great article about the Lotus43-BRM H16, I error in it though @keithcollantine, it was not 2 V8s sandwiched together but 2 horizontally opposed 8s, the flat 8 BRM was highly successful iirc considered the most powerful and highest revving engine of its era.
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