F1 races with no retirements...?

[timbob]

If Di Resta had not dropped out with technical problems yesterday in Turkey, then aside from Timo Glock (who did not make the grid, or start the race later), there were no retirements at all.

Google hasn't showed up very much, so to those even more geeked up than myself - have there ever been any F1 world championship events without a single retirement?

If not, I wonder what the odds are that it happens this season? Might be worth a cheeky tenner...

[UnluckyTimmeh]

I'm sure the last f1 race (prior to Turkish) everyone finished. May be wrong though.

[Eric Mc]

Yep - last race was the race with the fewest retirements. Which surprised me, frankly.

[megy]

If I remember correctly, Silverstone 2008 had no retirements, and I have a feeling I heard it was the first time it had ever happened. I may be wrong on the year, but I am pretty certain its 2008.

[Eric Mc]

Fewer cars on the grid though.

The Malaysian race was the highest number of finishers ever.

[megy]

megy said:

If I remember correctly, Silverstone 2008 had no retirements, and I have a feeling I heard it was the first time it had ever happened. I may be wrong on the year, but I am pretty certain its 2008.

I have jut had a look at these dates and cannot see it, but I am sure I remember seeing it at one of the races at Silverstone

[SamHH]

1961 Dutch Grand Prix and 2005 Italian Grand Prix are the only two, apparently.

[hullbilly]

It defintely wasnt the 08 British GP as it poored down and lots of people got stuck in the gravel trap.

The chinese grand prix this year had the most finishers at 23. But previously there have been races where everyone finished but there was less cars to start with.

[jonnylayze]

SamHH said:

1961 Dutch Grand Prix and 2005 Italian Grand Prix are the only two, apparently.

Not a single pit stop at Zandvoort '61 apparently

[TonyHetherington]

UnluckyTimmeh said:

I'm sure the last f1 race (prior to Turkish) everyone finished. May be wrong though.

Close - it was 23 out of 24 finished.

[Streps]

The Other extreme was in 96
when Olivier Panis drove like a rat up a drainpipe with his Ligier for the win
I think something like 3 cars finished the race so the reliability has vastly improved.

Definitely will be more retirements because of the engine usage further in the season.
They were blowing up old engines in practice sessions last year.

[Eric Mc]

jonnylayze said:

SamHH said:

1961 Dutch Grand Prix and 2005 Italian Grand Prix are the only two, apparently.

Not a single pit stop at Zandvoort '61 apparently

By 1961, pit stops were quite rare and only tended to happen when there was a problem with the car. The 1.5 litre engines were relatively economical and the lightweight cars were easy on their tyres - so there was no real need to stop for fuel or tyres. Jim Clark actually could use one set of tyres for two or three races. Many of the cars had four or five stud wheels which shows how unlikely a stop for tyres was going to be.

The races were still up to three hours long as well.

[jonnylayze]

Eric Mc said:

jonnylayze said:

SamHH said:

1961 Dutch Grand Prix and 2005 Italian Grand Prix are the only two, apparently.

Not a single pit stop at Zandvoort '61 apparently

By 1961, pit stops were quite rare and only tended to happen when there was a problem with the car. The 1.5 litre engines were relatively economical and the lightweight cars were easy on their tyres - so there was no real need to stop for fuel or tyres. Jim Clark actually could use one set of tyres for two or three races. Many of the cars had four or five stud wheels which shows how unlikely a stop for tyres was going to be.

The races were still up to three hours long as well.

What's most extraordinary about Zandvoort is that it was early in the season when reliability tended to be worse but also right at the start of a new formula. You could argue that most of the machinery was more or less brand new but it was also relatively untested in the context of races of this length.


What about most retirements - Monaco 1996 springs to mind - I think there were only 4 finishers from the 26 who took the start but there may be others (and those numbers might not be correct - my memory is a bit hazy).

Edited by jonnylayze on Monday 9th May 22:13

[supertouring]

Was thinking on Sunday how reliable the cars have become and I do not remember the last time I saw cars spewing oil out the back for a few laps before thier final demise. Driver user to come to the finish coated in oil from following them around.

Or is it that now that these problems are detected before they happen and the cars retire to help save engines etc.

[mattikake]

With the cars are as reliable as they are, the tension of the race has vanished, and with it, the majesty of the whole event.

Or is that just me.

We could actually do with Craig Pillock setting up a company to manufacture F1 engines!

[manek]

jonnylayze said:

What's most extraordinary about Zandvoort is that it was early in the season when reliability tended to be worse but also right at the start of a new formula. You could argue that most of the machinery was more or less brand new but it was also relatively untested in the context of races of this length.


What about most retirements - Monaco 1996 springs to mind - I think there were only 4 finishers from the 26 who took the start but there may be others (and those numbers might not be correct - my memory is a bit hazy).

Edited by jonnylayze on Monday 9th May 22:13

Three finishers at Monaco 96 - I was there, watching it from a boat in the harbour. Yes, Panis won. Most of the attrition was caused by offs in the rain.

[macleary]

4 people finished at Monaco in 1996.

Panis, Coulthard, Herbert, & Frentzen was a lap behind.

[mattikake]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYvvzNOQLSk

and not a single retirement through accident.

[Matt..]

mattikake said:

With the cars are as reliable as they are, the tension of the race has vanished, and with it, the majesty of the whole event.

Or is that just me.

I fully agree with you. I really miss the days of the teams/drivers pushing so much that the car fell apart. We don't have anything like that anymore


I think there are too many variables now (tyres, drs, kers) and we need to remove at least one. I would say that the tyres need to last longer to remove confusion, and put the emphasis back on to going as fast as you can and trying harder than you probably should do.

Edited by Matt.. on Tuesday 10th May 08:39

[scubadude]

I'd wager the forthcoming 4pot turbo engines won't be as reliable as the current engines, we're at the end of several years of fixed engine regs so they are as good as they're gonna get right now.

Mind you, I suspect Timo Glock isn't really that impressed by the stats :-)