The European Grand Prix saw Rubens Barrichello’s first win for almost five years, and the 100th race victory for a Brazilian driver.
Here’s the stats and facts round-up from the European Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton started from pole position for the 14th time, giving him as many front spot starts as Alberto Ascari, James Hunt and Ronnie Peterson. He has jumped from 11th in the championship standings after Germany to sixth.
Heikki Kovalainen joined him on the front row of the grid giving McLaren their 59th one-two. Only Ferrari (70) and Williams (61) have more. Renault are fourth with 22.
McLaren and Mercedes started their 250th race together. Their first was the 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, where Mika Hakkinen and Mark Blundell finished fourth and sixth respectively. Since then they have won three drivers championships (Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999, Hamilton last year), one constructors’ championship (1998) and 59 Grands Prix.
It was also the first time two different Mercedes-powered cars appeared on the podium – McLaren and Brawn. (It had briefly been so at Melbourne before Hamilton’s disqualification).
Rubens Barrichello won his tenth Grand Prix, giving him as many as James Hunt, Ronnie Peterson, Jody Scheckter, Gerhard Berger and the man he narrowly beat – Lewis Hamilton. It was also his first win for a team other than Ferrari.
It was the 100th Grand Prix win for a Brazilian driver. The first was scored by Emerson Fittipaldi for Lotus in the 1970 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. There have been 28 different Brazilian drivers in Formula 1, but only six won races:
| Driver | Wins |
| Ayrton Senna | 41 |
| Nelson Piquet | 23 |
| Emerson Fittipaldi | 14 |
| Felipe Massa | 11 |
| Rubens Barrichello | 10 |
| Carlos Pace | 1 |
Only two countries have won more F1 races than Brazil: Great Britain (206) and Germany (106).
Fourth on the list is France with 79, but the last Frenchman to win a Grand Prix was Olivier Panis at Monaco in 1996. At Valencia Romain Grosjean became the 70th French driver to start a race.
Fastest lap went to Timo Glock for the first time in his F1 career. He is the 117th driver to set a fastest lap.
Luca Badoer returned to an F1 cockpit after an absence of nine years, nine months and 24 days – the second-longest break of all time, second only to Jan Lammers (10 years, three months). He became the first Italian to drive for Ferrari since Nicola Larini in 1994.
Unfortunately he was also the first Ferrari driver to qualify last for a Grand Prix since Felipe Massa at Monaco in 2006. Massa crashed early in the session, but it was his Ferrari team mate Michael Schumacher who started from the back after being penalised for blocking the circuit.
And Badoer increased his record for most F1 starts without a point, reaching 49. (Read more about Badoer’s records).
Bridgestone recorded their 150th win in Formula 1. However more than half of them – 79 – came in races where they faced no rival tyre manufacturer. These were in 1999-2000, and since 2007. Bridgestone officially returned to F1 in 1997 (having dabbled in the seventies) and went up against Goodyear in 1997-1998, and Michelin from 2001-2006.
Kimi Raikkonen started his 150th Grand Prix.
Spotted any more stats and facts? Share them in the comments!
Read more: Championship standings after Valencia
mp4-19b
24th August 2009, 7:16
nick heidfield?? not worth mentioning any more?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
24th August 2009, 8:46
The ‘most finishes’ thing? I’m so bored of it…
Patrickl
24th August 2009, 10:09
I guess it’s boring, but it’s quite an achievement though.
Nitpicker
24th August 2009, 12:02
Can we have an article on the most boring achievements?
Patrickl
24th August 2009, 13:55
Like who won the most points in the fastest car?
Or we can go for most “spectacular” achievements like who crashed out the most in one season. Who is it this season, Vettel, Piquet or Sutil? I’d guess Vettel.
sumedh
24th August 2009, 12:43
It is boring. But when his run does come to an end, we should know how many races did he finish on a trot!!! So, don’t forget it
mp4-19b
24th August 2009, 7:37
LAST EUPOPEAN GRANDPRIX FOR A MERCEDES HUMANOID
Kovalainen is the most frustrating humanoid i’ve ever come across ;) Is he mercedes’ answer to Honda’s Asimo ? If that is the case they no longer need him & neither do i. If they haven’t noticed, honda have already pulled out & mercedes can do away with this humanoid kovi.
Sputnik
24th August 2009, 13:23
this post has nothing to do with the article.
Terry
24th August 2009, 15:59
The best thing to do would be to not give it any credibility and simply ignore it
Lustigson
24th August 2009, 7:55
If you leave out crashes, penalties and occasions on which drivers were unable to set a time, I believe L. Badoer is the first Ferrari driver that has actually qualified last.
schumifan
24th August 2009, 8:02
And Badoer increased his record for most F1 starts without a point, reaching 49.
isn’t it 50 not 49? he was on 62 races but hadn’t started 12 times
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
24th August 2009, 8:53
I make it 12 in 1993, 15 in 1995, 6 in 1996, 15 in 1999 and one this year for 49. But let’s be careful, this could lead us into a nerdy discussion about exactly what constitutes a ‘start’.
Ned Flanders
24th August 2009, 12:39
But Keith, isn’t this website designed for nerdy discussion of obscure F1 subjects?!
Damon
24th August 2009, 13:26
Right on!
schumifan
24th August 2009, 8:06
it was Kimi’s 60th podium finish
Brendan
24th August 2009, 8:20
When was the last time we heard the Brazilian national anthem followed by God Save the Queen being played on the podium? Adelaide 1993, for Senna and McLaren?
James Bolton
24th August 2009, 8:35
There have been four pole sitters in the last four races, the first time this has happened since rounds 6 to 9 last year.
There have been five winners in the last five races. The last time this happened was in 2003 when rounds 10 to 14 were won by Ralf Schumacher, Barrichello, Montoya, Alonso and Michael Schumacher.
8 different drivers have set the fastest lap in the last 8 races from 5 different teams. Only Jenson and Rubens have set 2 fastest laps this year. I have no idea when this last occured!
Jenson has scored 11 points in the last four races. In the four races previous to these he scored 40 points.
Jenson has scored points in 11 consecutive races. In recent history, Alonso went 18 consecutive races in ’05 – ’06 and Schumacher went 24 in ’03 – ’05.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
24th August 2009, 9:12
That’s cool, well spotted. Kovalainen for the win at Spa!
matt
24th August 2009, 13:30
Nooooooooooo! Let it be someone deserving, like Rosberg or Raikkonen, or even Badoer so long as McLaren aren’t given any incentive to keep Kovalainen next year.
Ned Flanders
24th August 2009, 12:44
I don’t think Schumacher set a points record from 03- 05- he crashed at Monaco 2004, and scored no points later on at China. I think mabye you mean 2001- 2003
matt
24th August 2009, 13:19
Damn, was just about to point out the 5-race thing.
DanThorn
24th August 2009, 8:43
The second race where a driver on the grid is younger than me. (Meant to mention this after Hungary, but I forgot. Is my chance to be an F1 driver over?)
Also would like to know where Rubens ranks on the list of drivers who have the longest time between successive GP wins. I know Patrese had to wait over 6 seasons between two of his wins, but does Rubens’ gap of almost 5 seasons put him second on that list?
Lustigson
24th August 2009, 9:53
First time a driver older than me has won since Michael Schumacher, in China 2006… ;)
SaloolaS
24th August 2009, 11:37
First time after Schumacher’s win in 2006 a driver, who drove in f1 before I was born, won a race.
GeoCucc
24th August 2009, 10:10
Surprisingly Rubens is only 6th on that list. 1st is Patrese, he had to wait 6 years and 210 days. Barrichello had to wait 4 years and 331 days, but between them there are Bruce McLaren, Jack Brabham, Mario Andretti and John Watson (as I count).
AndrewT
24th August 2009, 8:57
Hamilton and Kovalainen finished also 2nd and 4th on last years Europe GP in Valencia as well.
It was mentioned that this was Räikkönens 60th podium finish, also his 90th pointscoring finish.
This was the 50th time Rosberg finished a race (out of 64)
@schumifan: according to my own documentation and calculations, this was the 57th Grand Prix that Luca Badoer participated.
However, he didn’t qualify 6 times (twice in 1993, Europe and Monaco, and 4 times in 1996 because of the 107% rule, Australia, Europe (again), Britain and Spain), and didn’t start twice (1995 Argentina and Australia)
So 57GP – 6NQ – 2DNS = 49
And Räikkönens 150th Grand Prix was back in Hungary, this was his 150th race start, the difference is US GP 2005, the Michelin-gate.
fminas
24th August 2009, 9:35
Keith said : Kimi Raikkonen started his 150th Grand Prix.
AndrewT
24th August 2009, 13:44
true, sry :)
Tom
24th August 2009, 11:29
pretty good podium conversion for kimi: 90 points scores, 60 of which on the podium. i wonder what michael schumacher’s stat for this one would be?
fminas
24th August 2009, 11:38
190 points scores, 154 on the podium (81,05%)
pitt layne
24th August 2009, 9:11
The stat is Barri finally won for Brawn. A well deserved victory. The fact is Luca Badriver shouldn’t be allowed to race at Spa. Or any other F1 GP. The question is what will play out at Team Brawn regarding the Drivers Championship. I don’t think Barri would go for helping Button at this stage of his career unless the math dictates it. Mathematically, it’s still open. Considering the time spent at Ferrari and what transpired then, Brawn owes Barri. At the very least, he’s owed equal preparation and strategic opportunities from here on. Hopefully, that’ll be the case.
Rahim
24th August 2009, 9:14
Kimi’s 150th grand prix start and kimi’s 60th podium.awesome
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(these are 60)
todd
24th August 2009, 9:16
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9JV3RSM5lo
did he win the race or a game show?
Tom M
24th August 2009, 9:28
braZIL!
Brendan
24th August 2009, 9:39
Also, the safety car hasn’t come out in 6 races (Spain being the last time).
sumedh
24th August 2009, 12:35
Nice spot!!
Ned Flanders
24th August 2009, 13:09
Damn I was going to say that one about the safety car. But I can improve it: There have been 445 consecutive laps, since lap 4 at Spain, since the safety car was last required.
My question is- of those 445 laps, how many have actually been exciting? All I can think of was Vettel being overtaken by everyone over a couple of laps at Monaco, the first few laps at the Nurburgring, and when Hamilton overtook Webber at Hungary.
This season really has been boring. I appreciate that F1 is not Moto GP or NASCAR, and I’m happy to watch the odd dull race once in a while, but there’s been too many for my liking lately
Lustigson
24th August 2009, 10:01
R.G. Barrichello last won a race in China, september 2004: that’s about 4 years and 11 months ago. From what I can quickly find on Forix, that’s the 3rd or 4th longest period between 2 victories:
1. R. Patrese, 6 years 7 months (ZAF 83-SMR 90)
2. M.G. Andretti, 5 years 7 months (ZAF 71-JPN 76)
3. J.M. Watson, 4 years 11 months (AUT 76-GBR 81)
(Durations approx.)
PJA
24th August 2009, 10:07
With the way F1 is now we often seem to get someone unexpected setting the fastest lap, in this case Glock. When the track is at it’s fastest near the end of the Grand Prix most drivers are not pushing because they have to look after the car. If Barrichello had to push in his final stint I am pretty sure he would have got the fastest lap.
Also after Vettel losing two engines in one weekend it looks like he will be the first driver this season to receive an engine grid penalty for using a 9th engine.
Patrickl
24th August 2009, 10:15
Actually Vettel was on his sixth engine this race. Kubica was on engine 6 since Silverstone (4 races ago). He’s probably in a similar situation as Vettel.
Both have only got 2 new engines left. Although Vettel won’t have many old engine laying around either.
Tom
24th August 2009, 11:25
most laps without a single overtaking attempt/move?
Patrickl
24th August 2009, 11:30
There were several attempts actually. Probably some actual overtaking too, but we didn’t see much of it since the camera was only on the front few drivers.
At the very least Button’s and Sutil’s attempts were on TV though.
Lobo
24th August 2009, 11:41
> At Valencia Romain Grosjean became the 70th French driver to start a race.
Is Romain Grosjean not swiss?
Ned Flanders
24th August 2009, 13:14
Grosjean is French- Swiss, but he races under a French license.
sumedh
24th August 2009, 12:39
Actually, I meant to post this after the German Grand Prix
1. Jenson Button won from pole in Mark Webber’s home race
2. Mark Webber won from pole in Sebastian Vettel’s home race
3. Sebastian Vettel won from pole in Jenson Button’s home race
Thus none of the title contenders won their home race, and were outclassed by the winner.
Ned Flanders
24th August 2009, 13:12
So presumably Rubens has no chance of winning at Brazil yet again
Hallard
24th August 2009, 16:05
I was just about to point out this triangle! Well played…
Giant21
24th August 2009, 12:46
How does Rubens win rank in terms of oldest driver to win? I know he doesn’t reach the top ten (he’s 38 years old), but he has to be the oldest since Mansell, or at least the oldest in the decade (Schumi was 37 when he won in Shangai), right?
Charlie
24th August 2009, 14:57
In the 50s drivers were winning races in their, er, 50s so I think there’s quite a few in front of him for that accolade.
Brakius
24th August 2009, 12:58
Rubens won a race in his 17th season as a F1 driver. I think Schumacher had the record before, maybe tied, but the last win came in his 15th season.
Romain from Grenoble
24th August 2009, 13:19
Luca Badoer’s race fastest lap : “1:40.590”, is faster than his time in lightweight qualifying : “1:41.413”. Is this an unusual stat, or does it happen often?
sato113
24th August 2009, 18:58
well not really, sometimes the car will reach a lighter weight in the race (the lap before the pitstop perhaps?) than in qualifying.
Ned Flanders
24th August 2009, 13:22
Williams have improved a lot recently, Nico Rosberg has scored 5 consecutive top 5 finishes. Williams are having a similar season to 1999, where they rarely quite quick enough to challenge for podiums or wins. Also, Ralf Schumacher was their lone point scorer that season with about 30, just like Nico Rosberg has been this year.
Williams have only had 3 podiums in the last 4 years, but they all occured on street/ parkland circuits, in races of attrition. Their last podium on merit was Nick Heidfeld in mid 2005
Damon
24th August 2009, 13:27
And how is Nick Heidfeld doing with his consecutive finishes streak?
Ciaran
24th August 2009, 13:40
Difference in age between the pole sitter and winner? Its about 13 years of age between Hamilton and Barrichello. This breaks the old record from the European grand prix in 2006 (Alonso on pole and Schumacher wins), when the difference was 12 years.
Damon
24th August 2009, 14:50
This cannot be the record. We had 50-year-old drivers in the past. Come on.
Pete Walker
24th August 2009, 14:22
Here’s a thought – Rubens’ win could be the last time a ’20th century’ F1 driver ever wins a Grand Prix.
I seriously hope he spends the next sixes races proving me wrong!
Pete Walker
24th August 2009, 14:25
*six
Ned Flanders
24th August 2009, 16:05
Don’t be silly. Luca Badoer was racing in the 90’s, and he’s bound to start winning races once he gets to circuits he knows, like Spa and Monza.
(but seriously, good point, he probably will be, unless he wins again or Trulli gets his act together next season)
Andrew White
24th August 2009, 16:18
– Brawn extended their lead in the constructors’ championship for the first time since Monaco.
– Ten drivers from six teams have started from the front row this year; ten drivers from six teams have finished on the podium this year
– Barrichello won by 2.3 seconds; this is the closest gap between first and second this year, apart from Australia which was affected by the safety car
– Barrichello was the first man this season to win from third on the grid; 7 have won from pole, one from second and two from fourth
alejoburger
24th August 2009, 16:59
Glock fastest lap means that 5 drivers achieved for the 1st time this season: Button in MAL, Trulli in BAH, Vettel in GB, Webber in HUN and Glock in EUR. Almost a record, previous was in 1968 with Jean Pierre Beltoise in Jarama, Richard Attwood in Monaco, Pedro Rodríguez in Rouen, Joseph Siffert in Brands Hatch, Jackie Stewart in the Nurburg and Jacky Oliver Monza.
Giant21
24th August 2009, 17:39
Be careful with the whole “last driver of the 20th century monniker”, for it may lead into a discussion of if the year 2000 was or not the first year of the new century blah blah, in which case Button would also be a 20 th century driver…
mire
24th August 2009, 20:32
In Valencia, R. Barrichello won the race at his 279th start, which sets a new record.
Previous holder was M. Schumacher, winning his 247th GP in China, 2006.
Third is still R. Patrese (won in Japan 1992, his 238th start).
HounslowBusGarage
24th August 2009, 21:16
Any clever stats about the number of Mercedes-engined victories this season?
Nomad Indian
24th August 2009, 22:05
The first post on a “GP Facts and Stats” in which 3 F1’natics have been outhought by others in pointing out a stat, namely Matt, Ned Flanders and Hallard.
Hope no one was just going to mention this stat.
:)
Daniel
24th August 2009, 22:25
Just a few minor stats related to brazilian results in Formula 1:
Rubens is the 5th brazilian and 30th driver to reach the 10 wins mark… the only country better represented in this list is obviously the UK, with Mansell, Stewart, Clark, D. Hill, Moss, G. Hill, Coulthard, Hunt and Hamilton, making 9 drivers in total…
The only other countries with more than 1 driver are Austria (Lauda, Berger) Finland (Hakkinen, Raikkonen), Australia (Brabham, Jones) and Argentina (Fangio, Reutemann), with 2 each.
Rubens win marks the fourth successive season with brazilian wins: 2006 (Massa – 2), 2007 (Massa – 3), 2008 (Massa – 6), 2009 (Barrichello – 1 – for now).
This is the longest streak since the Senna-Piquet days (with successive wins from 1980 to 1993).
Daniel
25th August 2009, 1:49
Well, and obviously its the second Grand Prix in the Valencia Street Track, and both were won by brazilians:
2008 – Felipe Massa
2009 – Rubens Barrichello
Giant21
25th August 2009, 3:47
Fun fact about Barrichello; he has never won a race in the first half a season (except 2002), which may explain why he never really contended a title (that and Michael Schumacher). Here’s a quick breakdown:
2000: Germany (race 11/16)
2002: Europe (race 9/17), Hungary (race 13), Italy and USA (races 15 and 16).
2003: Great Britain (race 11/16), Japan (last race)
2004: Italy and China (race 15 and 16/18)
2009: Valencia (race 11/17)
Giant21
25th August 2009, 3:48
“first half of a season”, I meant.
Lars
25th August 2009, 4:45
2009 Grand Prix of Europe: 60th Podium For Kimi!
mire
25th August 2009, 6:18
Could GP winner and his team manager bearing the same initials (RB) be considered as a noteworthy fact ?
Any example of this happening before ?
Pete Walker
25th August 2009, 10:05
And at a track thats Really Boring too… spooky :D
Eero
28th August 2009, 9:58
This was second time as Barrichello was only Brazilian taking part in the weekend. He has won both races.
In Indianapolis 2002, there was three Brazilians in the beginning. Bernoldi was left without drive after Arrows withdrew and Massa was out for that race due to his collision and subsequent penalty.
Again this year, three Brazilians at the start – Massa injured and Piquet being sacked left Barrichello as the only one.
Eero
28th August 2009, 10:04
Also first race since Hockenheim 1994 where no former winners on the track were present – and race was held there previous year.