Each British F1 driver to have began a grand prix for Ferrari

Oliver Bearman grew to become the primary British driver to start out an F1 race for Ferrari within the twenty first century on the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The 18-year-old stepped in for Carlos Sainz after he withdrew from the weekend due to appendicitis so, as Ferrari’s reserve driver, Bearman acquired the chance.

Bearman impressed as properly, as he completed seventh on his F1 debut at Jeddah Corniche Circuit making him the primary Briton since Eddie Irvine in 1999 to drive for Ferrari.

He’s now considered one of 11 British drivers to have began a grand prix for the well-known Italian marque, so who’re the remaining?

Mike Hawthorn (1953-55, 1957-58)

Mike Hawthorn was the primary British driver to start out a grand prix for Ferrari having made his debut with the staff on the 1953 Argentine GP. The Yorkshireman completed fourth that day, but it was solely three races later that Hawthorn claimed his maiden victory on the 1953 French GP.

Hawthorn raced for Ferrari in all however two of his seven F1 seasons, which incorporates profitable the 1958 championship which makes him simply considered one of two Britons to have sealed the drivers’ crown with the staff in purple.

He then retired following his championship victory however six weeks after asserting retirement, Hawthorn sadly died on a moist day in Surrey as he misplaced management of his Jaguar which brought about him to skid sideways right into a roadside tree.

Peter Collins (1956-58)

Peter Collins served as Hawthorn’s team-mate in 1958 having joined Ferrari two years prior for his fifth season of grand prix racing. Collins had a powerful opening marketing campaign with two race victories, whereas extra podiums adopted in 1957 forward of his remaining grand prix win the next 12 months at Silverstone.

That may be Collins’ remaining win although, as on the subsequent race the Kidderminster driver was killed on the Nurburgring. Collins was pushing to overhaul Tony Brooks on lap 11 till he went extensive within the Pflanzgarten part, which brought about the Ferrari driver to crash right into a ditch and fly right into a tree earlier than dying later that day.

Cliff Allison (1959-60)

Cliff Allison joined Ferrari for his sophomore 12 months in F1 after driving the 1958 season with Lotus. Allison had an underwhelming opening marketing campaign as he scored simply two factors for Ferrari, however he started 1960 sturdy along with his solely F1 podium.

On the following race, the 1960 Monaco GP, Allison’s Ferrari profession was minimize abruptly quick after a crash in qualifying flung him from his cockpit inflicting extreme accidents. He missed the remainder of the 1960 season earlier than returning in a privateer Lotus for 1961.

Tony Brooks (1959)

Tony Brooks’ Ferrari profession was additionally a brief one because the Cheshire-born driver solely competed for the staff in 1959.

Brooks joined Ferrari as an already established identify after profitable 4 grands prix in two years for Vanwall. This made him one of many favourites for the 1959 crown however reliability issues hindered his championship hopes, as he finally completed second – simply 4 factors behind Jack Brabham – regardless of two victories. Brooks additionally needed to drive the British GP for Vanwall as a result of Ferrari staff had been placing resulting from labour disputes in Italy.

John Surtees (1963-66)

John Surtees spent his early profession turning into a bike legend as he gained 4 500cc championships earlier than transferring to F1. He finally grew to become a legend on four-wheels as properly, the place Surrey-born Surtees spent a lot of his F1 profession at Ferrari.

Surtees joined the Scuderia in 1963 earlier than dramatically clinching the championship the next 12 months, regardless of getting into the Mexico season-finale 5 factors behind Graham Hill.

It occurred after Hill’s probabilities had been out of the blue diminished when his automobile acquired hit by Lorenzo Bandini, which made Jim Clark the championship favorite as he was main the race with Surtees a distant fifth. However, Clark’s engine failed on the penultimate lap which handed the title to Surtees, who grew to become the second Briton to win an F1 drivers’ championship for Ferrari.

John Surtees, 1st place, celebrates on the rostrum.

Picture by: David Phipps

Mike Parkes (1966-67)

Mike Parkes had a really quick stint in F1 as his profession was largely spent racing sportscars for Ferrari.

All of Parkes’ F1 begins got here with the Scuderia, as his first alternative was the 1966 French GP changing the recently-departed Surtees. It was considered one of 4 grand prix begins for Parkes that season the place he scored two podiums, forward of driving two extra races for Ferrari in 1967 earlier than returning to sportscar racing on the finish of the 12 months.

Jonathan Williams additionally made his identify in sportscar racing, so he solely ever began one grand prix which was the 1967 Mexican GP. It occurred as a result of Ferrari’s Bandini had died following a crash in Monaco, whereas Williams’ team-mate on the sportscar programme Gunter Klass was killed at Mugello – so the drive ultimately went to the Briton.

Williams certified in sixteenth however completed the race as Ferrari’s highest-placed driver in eighth – though he was labeled two laps down. Williams quickly returned to sportscars the place he drove a Porsche on the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours, whereas competing in F2 occasions alongside.

Derek Bell (1968)

The sportscar legend, who gained the Le Mans 24 Hours 5 instances, endured an on-and-off stint in F1 with simply 9 begins throughout six seasons. Bell acquired his first F1 alternative in 1968 after impressing in F2 that 12 months the place he scored two podiums, together with one for Ferrari.

So, the Scuderia ran him within the 1968 Italian and United States GPs but each led to retirement resulting from mechanical failures. Bell solely drove two grands prix for Ferrari, as his different begins got here for McLaren, Brabham, Surtees and Tecno within the subsequent years.

Derek Bell, Ferrari 312

Picture by: David Phipps

Nigel Mansell (1989-90)

Nigel Mansell is considered one of Britain’s most profitable racing drivers, but it didn’t fairly work out for the F1 legend at Ferrari. He joined for his tenth F1 season in 1989, however McLaren’s tempo proved too sturdy as Mansell may solely muster two victories that 12 months.

Reigning world champion Alain Prost then joined Ferrari for 1990 and completed 34 factors above Mansell, who endured an extremely irritating season with 9 retirements. Halfway by means of Mansell introduced it will be his remaining F1 marketing campaign, however his determination then modified as Williams satisfied him to hitch for 1991 earlier than clinching the 1992 crown.

Eddie Irvine (1996-99)

Irvine joined a new-look Ferrari staff for 1996 as he was signed alongside reigning world champion Michael Schumacher, so his function was fairly black-and-white: help Schumacher in his title profitable ambitions.

The Northern Irishman had a tough begin ending tenth in 1996, however Irvine subsequently improved with 13 podiums throughout the next two years. In 1999 Irvine then delivered what is required from a quantity two driver, as he fought for the championship whereas Schumacher missed seven grands prix after breaking his leg at Silverstone. However, third for Irvine within the Japan season-finale gave the title to race winner Mika Hakkinen – though Ferrari did clinch its first constructors’ championship in 16 years – because the Scuderia driver then joined Jaguar for 2000.

Oliver Bearman (2024)

Bearman’s F1 alternative got here as a giant shock because it was introduced only a few hours earlier than remaining apply, a day after he had certified on pole for F2’s characteristic race. Following such restricted time within the cockpit, Bearman did a commendable job because the Essex-born driver was lower than one tenth of a second off Q3, earlier than transferring up 4 locations from eleventh to complete the race in seventh above fellow Britons Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Workforce, Oliver Bearman, Scuderia Ferrari

Picture by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images

Lewis Hamilton (2025 – TBC)

Hamilton ought to turn out to be the twelfth Briton to start out an F1 grand prix for Ferrari when he joins the staff in 2025. The seven-time world champion’s determination to depart Mercedes, who he joined in 2013, for the Scuderia is arguably one of many greatest driver transfers in F1 historical past and it’s all a part of Hamilton’s hunt for a record-breaking eighth title.

However, to be put in title competition, Ferrari must considerably enhance as present world champions Purple Bull have gained 23 of the previous 24 grands prix. Nonetheless, with regulation modifications coming in 2026, maybe Ferrari’s likelihood will arrive then when Hamilton might be 41-years-old.