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What happened in the most dangerous F1 race of all time which 'no driver wanted to finish'

Home> F1

Updated 14:20 21 Nov 2024 GMTPublished 16:49 19 Nov 2024 GMT

What happened in the most dangerous F1 race of all time which 'no driver wanted to finish'

The Grand Prix saw almost every driver crash out.

Ben McCrum

Ben McCrum

Details of the most dangerous Formula One race have resurfaced ahead of the dramatic conclusion to the 2024 season.

After a three week break, Formula One returns this weekend in Las Vegas for the first of three back-to-back Grand Prix to see out the 2024 season.

It will only be the second time that the popular motorsport returns to Sin City, after last year's race made headlines due to safety concerns over a loose drain cover on the track.

However, while it was a danger to the drivers, it doesn't even come close to the most dangerous F1 race of all time.

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As the 22-man grid lined up for the famous Monaco Grand Prix 28 years ago, they had no idea what was in store during the race ahead.

A series of dramatic crashes, individual driver errors and torrential rain led to French driver Olivier Panis claiming his first, and only, F1 race win despite starting in 14th.

Panis, who was driving for Ligier, who had not won an F1 race for 15 years, was one of just three drivers to finish race, the other two being British pair David Coulthard, driving for McLaren, and Sauber’s Johnny Herbert.

The decision to start the wet race with full fuel, despite the fact it would slow him down, allowed the Frenchman to get past the likes of Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen.

Jos Verstappen, father of current champion Max, was the first to be taken out of the race as he crashed just seconds into the race.

And he wasn't the only one to rule themselves out of the race in the first lap as Giancarlo Fisichella, Pedro Lamy and Schumacher also lost control early in the race.

The wet street circuit continued to cause more crashes and after five laps there were just 13 drivers remaining on track.

The 1996 Monaco Grand Prix, won by Olivier Panis, is undoubtedly the most dramatic race in Formula One history. (Image: Getty)
The 1996 Monaco Grand Prix, won by Olivier Panis, is undoubtedly the most dramatic race in Formula One history. (Image: Getty)

By the end of the race, there were just four cars left on track, and Panis' decision to run with a full fuel tank meant that he crossed the line in first, followed by Coulthard in second and Herbert in third, with Heinz-Harald Frentzen pulling off into the pits before finishing.

Speaking to The Daily Mail about the race in 2017, Panis said: "Wherever I am, it is Monaco people want to speak about,’ he says with a smile, as he settles down in the library of the Hotel Francois 1er, just off the Champs Elysee in Paris.

‘I’m proud of this; it is part of my life. The track is not a race track, it is many streets and they have so much history to tell.

"After this victory, it is true I have a different level of respect - and it gave me many more years to do my job. Monaco is a mythical Grand Prix, a trial of strength and madness."

Featured Image Credit: F1 YouTube

Topics: Monaco, Formula 1

Ben McCrum
Ben McCrum

Ben is a sports journalist who specialises in football, Formula One and MMA. He has written for publications such as Manchester Evening News, WiganToday, Manchester World and beIN Sports. Throughout his career, he has interviewed top athletes including Gareth Southgate, Luke Littler, Tom Aspinall and Jenson Button.

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@benmcc14

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