Four teams recorded double DNFs during the 2023 season, while McLaren recorded their first double retirement in three years at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. But when was the last double DNF for every F1 team on the current grid?
Mercedes: 2024 Australian Grand Prix
Mercedes were the team who have gone longest without a double retirement until the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. At Albert Park, Lewis Hamilton retired in the opening stages of the race while George Russell crashed out on the final lap. It was the team’s first double DNF in almost six years and ended a 62-race scoring streak for the team which had been running since the 2021 French Grand Prix.
Prior to the 2024 Australian Grand Prix, Mercedes’ latest double DNF came at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix, when both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas retired with technical troubles. A hydraulic issue eliminated Bottas from proceedings early on in the race, while Hamilton retired less than ten laps from the end with a fuel pressure issue.
Sauber: 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix*
*as Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo (now racing as Sauber, or Stake) recorded their most recent double DNF at the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Both drivers retired with mechanical issues – Zhou Guanyu suffered engine issues, while a hydraulic issue for Valtteri Bottas ended the team’s race on Lap 39 of 71.
The team’s previous double DNF came at the 2022 British Grand prix, where Zhou was eliminated in a scary crash at the very start of the race, while Bottas retired from the race before the halfway point, pulling into the pits on Lap 21 with gearbox issues.
Before the 2022 British Grand Prix, the team’s last double retirement came at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Pdrix, when both Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi retired on their final Formula 1 appearances. Raikkonen, in his 349th and final race, became the first retirement of the Grand Prix on Lap 26 after encountering a brake failure. Eight laps later, team-mate Giovinazzi joined him on the sidelines following a hydraulic issue.
Aston Martin: 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix
With both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso retiring from the 2023 Mexico Grand Prix, Aston Martin recorded their third double DNF in Formula 1. At the 2022 Italian Grand Prix, Aston Martin recorded their first double DNF since their championship debut at the 1959 Dutch Grand Prix, when both Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby failed to finish.
Prior to becoming Aston Martin, the Silverstone-based team’s most recent double retirement came at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, when both Racing Point drivers failed to cross the finish line. Lance Stroll’s car was flipped over on the third lap of the race, while Sergio Perez retired with power unit issues when running in the podium positions in the closing stages of the race.
Williams: 2023 Japanese Grand Prix
Williams recorded their second double retirement of the 2023 season at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix. Alex Albon was hit by Valtteri Bottas on the opening lap, causing damage which would ultimately cause the Williams driver to retire on Lap 27. Sargeant also retired from the race with collision damage after hitting Bottas in a separate incident.
Williams’ other double DNF in 2023 came at Albert Park, where Albon brought out the red flags when he crashed out early on in the race and Sargeant tangled with Nyck de Vries, bringing both rookie drivers’ races to an end . This marked Williams’ first double retirement at Albert Park since 2011.
The 2023 Australian Grand Prix marked Williams’ first double DNF since the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix. Nicholas Latifi was out on Lap 7 after colliding with Zhou Guanyu, in an incident which saw the Canadian handed a five-place grid penalty. Later in the race, Alex Albon crashed into the barriers. While he was able to make it back to the pit lane, he retired with damage.
Alpine: 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix
Alpine recorded their second double DNF of the 2023 season at the British Grand Prix, with both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly’s afternoons coming to an early end due to mechanical problems. Earlier in the season, the 2023 Australian Grand Prix weekend ended in disappointment when the two team-mates collided with one another at the final standing restart of the Albert Park race.
The duo collided again at the start of the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, bringing an early end to Alpine’s Sunday for a second race running. It marked the first time the Enstone team recorded double retirements at successive races since they were in their Benetton guise back in 1999.
With their three double DNFs in 2023, the team – under their Alpine guise – are up to five double retirements in total. Both drivers also retired from the 2021 United States Grand Prix and the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix.
McLaren: 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
McLaren last recorded a double DNF at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Daniel Ricciardo was eliminated on the opening lap after making contact with Kevin Magnussen, while Lando Norris stopped out on track on his 51st lap.
It was the team’s first double retirement since the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix. The Spa race was bookended by retirements for the Woking-based team. Carlos Sainz failed to pull away from his grid slot, a power failure meant his race was over before it began. Meanwhile, Lando Norris stopped just after the finish line on the final lap of the race, losing power and dropping out of the points at the last moment.
Ferrari: 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Ferrari last recorded a double DNF at the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Carlos Sainz retired just nine laps into the race, pulling to the side of the track with a hydraulic leak. 13 laps later, Charles Leclerc retired while leading with a power unit issue.
Before that, Ferrari’s last double retirement occurred at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix. It’s probably a good job the Tifosi were not present at Monza to witness a nightmare afternoon for the Scuderia. Sebastian Vettel was out with brake failure at the start of Lap 7, while Charles Leclerc crashed out at the final corner on Lap 24.
Haas: 2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Haas became the latest team to record a double DNF at the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix. Kevin Magnussen pulled into the pits on Lap 21 of the race. Six laps later, Mick Schumacher suffered a heavy crash, bringing out the red flags.
Before that, their previous double DNF was at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Their race was over within the first 15 laps of the inaugural race at Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Mick Schumacher became the first retirement of the race with a heavy crash on Lap 8 which brought out the red flags. At the restart, Nikita Mazepin collided with George Russell – in an incident which brought out the red flags for a second time – ending the Haas team’s race.
Red Bull: 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix
It was a nightmare start to the 2022 season for Red Bull. Both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were running in the top four until the closing stages of the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix. Verstappen challenged Charles Leclerc for the victory, but the reigning World Champion pulled into the pit lane with three laps to go. Similar fuel pressure issues halted Perez at the start of the final lap, meaning Red Bull left the first race of the season having scored zero points. This was their first double DNF since 2020’s season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.
Visa Cash App RB: 2021 Italian Grand Prix*
*as AlphaTauri
Can a team record a double retirement at a race which only one car started? The jury is out on that one. If so, the Red Bull junior team’s last double non-finish came at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix. Yuki Tsunoda failed to start the race due to a braking issue, while Pierre Gasly retired just four laps into the race with suspension damage.
The team’s last double retirement before the 2021 Monza race was under their Toro Rosso guise, when both Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley retired with similar brake issues on Lap 5 of the 2018 Russian Grand Prix.
