Formula 1, often hailed as the pinnacle of motorsports, is a world where precision, speed, and strategic brilliance collide. It’s a stage for heroes, a battleground for engineering marvels, and a testament to human limits. Yet, even in this high-octane realm, moments of sheer, unadulterated absurdity can creep in.
The roaring engines, the blinding speeds, the pressure to perform—sometimes, it all culminates in what can only be described as a “low IQ moment.” These are the instances where common sense seems to take a sabbatical, leading to head-scratching mistakes, comical blunders, and even dangerous mishaps that leave fans bewildered and, occasionally, in stitches.
This isn’t just about a missed braking point or a minor spin; we’re talking about incidents that defy logic, push the boundaries of credulity, and cement themselves in F1 folklore as truly unforgettable—and undeniably dumb—moments.
From seasoned champions to rookie hopefuls, no one is truly immune to the occasional lapse in judgment. As we delve into some of the most spectacularly silly occurrences in Formula 1 history, prepare to question everything you thought you knew about professional racing and perhaps even your own definition of intelligence under pressure.
One of the names that frequently surfaces when discussing crash-prone driving is Pastor Maldonado. The Venezuelan driver, during his tenure in F1, earned a reputation for his aggressive—and often reckless—style. A prime example of this was during the 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix. Exiting the pits on cold tires, Maldonado, in his attempt to defend against Esteban Gutiérrez, went notoriously deep on the brakes into Turn 1. The result? He completely missed the apex, ploughed straight into the side of Gutiérrez’s Sauber, and spectacularly flipped the Mexican driver’s car upside down. Miraculously, Gutiérrez walked away unharmed, but Maldonado was slapped with a four-penalty-point punishment. This wasn’t an isolated incident for Maldonado, who seemed to have an uncanny ability to find himself in compromising situations.
Interestingly, Maldonado wasn’t the first to gain such a reputation. Decades earlier, Vittorio Brambilla, affectionately known as “the Monza Gorilla,” also cultivated an image of an overly aggressive driver, leading to frequent crashes. However, in a twist of irony, Brambilla delivered a phenomenal performance during the chaotic 1975 Austrian Grand Prix. Navigating the tumultuous conditions masterfully, he triumphed against all odds, crossing the finish line nearly 30 seconds ahead of James Hunt. Yet, in a truly iconic “Brambilla moment,” he then smashed his March against the barriers immediately after taking the checkered flag. A win, yes, but not without a signature, self-inflicted dramatic flourish.
Even the greatest drivers aren’t immune to brain fades. Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, had his own bewildering moment during the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. Leading the race, a safety car period prompted a flurry of pit stops. Hamilton, after a slightly longer stop, lost positions to Kimi Räikkönen and Robert Kubica. However, his crucial error came when he failed to notice a red light at the pit exit. What followed was a clumsy collision with the rear of Räikkönen’s Ferrari. In an equally baffling sequence of events, Nico Rosberg, also failing to spot the red light, crashed into the rear of Hamilton’s McLaren. All three drivers were forced to retire, paving the way for Kubica to secure an unexpected victory.
Speaking of Kimi Räikkönen, the “Iceman” himself provided a moment of pure bewilderment during the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, a race famously remembered for its dramatic title decider. On Lap 52, after running wide at Turn 1, Räikkönen attempted to rejoin the track using an auxiliary road. His plan seemed logical until he encountered a closed access gate. The perplexed Finn was then forced to perform a 180-degree turn and backtrack, a truly comical detour in the heat of a championship battle.
The post-chequered flag antics can be just as bizarre. During the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix, fans were stunned to see Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari reappear on screen with its rear completely demolished, well after the race had finished. Replays revealed that Vettel had attempted to overtake Lance Stroll during the cool-down lap. Stroll, running wide at Turn 5, inadvertently collected Vettel’s Ferrari in a surprisingly violent collision for a lap where speeds are supposed to be minimal. Just “Lance Stroll things,” as the saying goes.
Romain Grosjean is another name synonymous with first-lap incidents and controversial maneuvers. His second stint in Formula 1 was particularly marked by a series of crash-prone episodes. The 2012 Belgian Grand Prix start was a prime example. Grosjean, cutting across the front straight with apparent disregard for his competitors, collected Lewis Hamilton. Out of control, his car then launched over Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari, taking out Kamui Kobayashi in the process. Miraculously, all drivers walked away unscathed, but Grosjean’s reputation as a “first lap nutcase” was firmly cemented. He didn’t seem to learn his lesson, as a few months later at the Japanese Grand Prix, he made another questionable move, crashing into Mark Webber’s Red Bull and sending the Australian into the wall. An enraged Webber famously labelled him a “first lap nutcase,” leading to a one-race ban for Grosjean.
Grid position errors are less dramatic but no less perplexing. Giancarlo Fisichella famously missed his grid spot twice, first during the 2001 Malaysian Grand Prix and then again in 2003. In 2001, he lined up on the wrong row, tried to correct it, stalled his Benetton, and triggered another formation lap, earning a penalty. Two years later, he repeated the exact same mistake, only this time he managed to reverse into his correct slot, preventing a similar delay. A case of history almost repeating itself, with a slightly less embarrassing outcome the second time around.
The “do as I say, not as I do” phenomenon was perfectly encapsulated by Vettel and Stroll again during the 2019 Italian Grand Prix. After Vettel spun at Ascari and rejoined the track in an unsafe manner, collecting Stroll, the Canadian driver rightfully complained about Vettel’s dangerous maneuver. Yet, in a remarkable display of hypocrisy, Stroll then did the exact same thing, almost taking out Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly, with Gasly forced into the gravel to avoid a collision. The irony was palpable.
A rookie mistake of epic proportions came from Jack Doohan during his short-lived F1 stint. His promotion to an F1 seat for the 2025 season was a surprise, and his tenure was marked by high-profile errors. During the Japanese Grand Prix, Doohan forgot how the Drag Reduction System (DRS) worked. While most cars can take Suzuka’s Turn 1 flat out, drivers need to manually close the DRS flap when taking a flat-out turn to avoid instability. Doohan completely overlooked this, entering Turn 1 with his DRS open, leading to a high-speed crash. Fortunately, he walked away with only a bruised ego, but it was a glaring reminder of the complexities of modern F1 cars.
Ignoring flags is a cardinal sin in racing, and the consequences can be severe. During the warm-up for the 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix, Enrique Bernoldi crashed, prompting a red flag. Michael Schumacher, the first on the scene, immediately slowed down. However, Nick Heidfeld, coming right behind, was still at green flag speed, inexplicably oblivious to the red flag. He narrowly avoided a brutal collision, a stark reminder of why flags exist and must be respected.
Perhaps the most bizarre incident, bordering on the surreal, involved Taki Inoue and the medical car. In what could be described as an unbelievable stroke of misfortune, Inoue was run over by a medical car not once, but twice, in a single season. During the 1995 Hungarian Grand Prix, after retiring with an engine failure, Inoue grabbed an extinguisher to help marshals. As he walked back to his stricken car, the medical car, making its way to the scene, accidentally ran him over. He took a significant hit to his leg but thankfully only suffered bruises. The incredible part? Earlier that year in Monaco, his FA16 was hit by a service vehicle and rolled upside down after a mechanical failure. Some drivers just have all the luck!
Ferrari’s pit stop troubles in 2022 deserve an entire chapter. Despite having a race-winning car, the Scuderia consistently shot itself in the foot with a series of baffling strategic and operational errors. At the Monaco Grand Prix, they missed the window for slick tires and then created a double stack for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, with Leclerc’s engineer desperately calling him in only to then tell him to stay out—too late. The chaos continued at the Dutch Grand Prix, where Sainz pitted, only for the team to realize they had brought out only three tires, costing him 10 precious seconds and dropping him from fourth to eighth. And to cap off a truly “special” year, during qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix, Leclerc was sent out on intermediate tires on a drying track, then called in for softs, only for the team to bring out another set of intermediates, and then, after finally getting softs, they were used ones instead of new, leaving him stationary for over a minute and unable to set a Q3 time. Ferrari’s 2022 season became a masterclass in self-sabotage.
Finally, Lance Stroll delivered another quintessential “Lance Stroll moment” during the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. On his way to the grid on a wet track, Stroll locked his rear tires, lightly brushed the wall, and then, inexplicably, somehow managed to beach his Aston Martin in the gravel trap. He was forced to retire before the race even began in a bizarre and utterly preventable fashion.
These moments, while sometimes dangerous, often serve as a reminder of the human element in a sport dominated by technology. They highlight that even the most elite athletes and highly sophisticated teams are susceptible to errors, misjudgments, and plain old bad luck. And perhaps, it’s these “low IQ moments” that make Formula 1 even more compelling, adding layers of unpredictable drama to an already thrilling spectacle.
