Has this ever happened?

[yellowcar]

I have a question about Formula One and I'm hoping I've come to the right place to find the answer.

Has it ever happened that a race leader lost the race because he ran out of fuel just before the finishing line? If so, where and when?

Thanks in advance.

[Adam43]

Well back in the Turbo days it was quite likely that drivers ran out in the last few laps. The regulations stipulated a maximum amount of fuel that could be used and the drivers had to keep the turbo pressure turned down to make it.

Imola and Hockenhiem were particularly bad for fuel consumption.

[Knowlesy]

It happened to Prost quite a lot.....he was rather outspoken about the rule!

[006_007]

Originally posted by yellowcar
I have a question about Formula One and I'm hoping I've come to the right place to find the answer.

Has it ever happened that a race leader lost the race because he ran out of fuel just before the finishing line? If so, where and when?

Thanks in advance.

Back when Nigel Mansell was driving for Lotus his car ran out of gas just before the finish. I believe the race was in Phoenix. He got out of the car, and started pushing it, which was in vain as the car must cross the finish line under its own power. He collapsed in the heat!

TJ

[Knowlesy]

Another part of the Mansell legend!

[006_007]

Originally posted by knowlesy
Another part of the Mansell legend!

He was such a great character. Really sad that F1 does not have his sort of personality in it any more. Maybe Kimi will develop!

TJ

[Knowlesy]

You're right 006_007.

We discuss "Our Nige" around here a lot, and there are some major major fans of his. Sato san, Spudgn, me (off the top of my head). We love him!

Although there are some detractors of his!

Anyways, something about running out of fuel?

[swatty]

Originally posted by 006_007

Maybe Kimi will develop!

Yep he'll be telling jokes before the seasons out

[PRF]

Late Jim Clark at Spa driving a Lotus naturally, think either 65 or 66.

PRF

[006_007]

Originally posted by knowlesy


Anyways, something about running out of fuel?

Towards the end of Alesi's stint at Benetton he ran it out of fuel in the middle of the race (forgot to make his pitstop several laps over)

Flavio was not impressed.....

[pirenzo]

Originally posted by PRF
Late Jim Clark at Spa driving a Lotus naturally, think either 65 or 66.

PRF

But he didn't lose...
Dan Gurney ran out of fuel later that lap, and because Clark had been in the lead at the start of that lap, Clark won.
Clark did run out of fuel at the 1967 Italian Grand Prix after clawing his way back into the lead from a lap down, only to slow on the last lap and let Jack Brabham and John Surtees battle it out for the win.

[blueflagger]

The Mansell story took place during the only F1 race ever to be held in Dallas. It was a blazing hot summer day. He wouldn't let anyone touch him or the car because it would mark him out.

I can't remember the figures but the temperatures were so high that the computerized timing system failed when the air conditioning couldn't keep the equipment cool enough.

[Muzza]

Yes, it did happen.

Jack Brabham lost the 1970 British GP to Jochen Rindt when his Brabham ran out of fuel in the last lap.

Brabham's car was coughing for gas in the last lap, but was somehow helped by the topograhy of Brands Hatch. It finally ran dry at Clearways, the last turn. Some 300 meters before the start/finish line Rindt zapped past him. By inertia Brabham still cross the line, and grabbed second place.

(Rindt's Lotus was initially disqualified under accusations of having its rear wing too high, but it was later re-instated that same day).

This is a famous incident as the mechanic encharged of fueling Brabham's car was Ron Dennis - that of course, would go on to become owner of McLaren and one of the most powerful motorsport personalities on Earth... (and out it, his detractors would add)

I saw this episode in video and it is pretty gut-wrenching (particularly as a few weeks before Brabham had lost the Monaco GP to Rindt, when the Austrian induced the Australian to a braking error in the very last turn of the race)

Cheers,

Muzza

[esorniloc]

Pironi was in the lead of Monaco 82 and ran out of fuel in the tunnel, was that the last lap?

[Kicking-back]

Senna ran out of fuel at Silverstone on the last lap in 1991, 92 and 93 as I recall.

[kdr]

what was hills problem in the arrows in hungary 97?

[Kicking-back]

It was a part worth about 50 pence which failed in the hydraic system

[Muzza]

Originally posted by esorniloc
Pironi was in the lead of Monaco 82 and ran out of fuel in the tunnel, was that the last lap?

No, that was the penultimate lap (75th lap). Officially Ferrari claimed the car stopped due to an electrical failure, although some claimed it had run out of fuel. Pironi finished second.

De Cesaris's Alfa Romeo, who finished third, did run out of fuel - but, again, in the penultimate lap.

The end of the race was as chaotic as memorable, and the only car to complete all 76 laps was Riccardo Patrese, the winner.

[Adam43]

Originally posted by esorniloc
Pironi was in the lead of Monaco 82 and ran out of fuel in the tunnel, was that the last lap?

It was the last lap that Pironi ran out of fuel (while in the lead). De Cesaris was in second, but didn't get a chance to pass Pironi for the lead as he too ran out of fuel!

The race nobody wanted to win Prost and Patrese also tried to lose it too, Patrese not quite succeeding as he went on to win after a bump start: http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr363.html

[Muzza]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Senna ran out of fuel at Silverstone on the last lap in 1991, 92 and 93 as I recall.

That was 1991, and it happened in the penultimate lap - and I think Senna was not leading, but was in third place when the car stopped (someone please confirm this).

Senna's McLaren was classified 4th nevertheless.

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Muzza
No, that was the penultimate lap (75th lap).

I understood that they did run out of fuel on the last lap (76th) and hence only completed 75 full laps.

[Muzza]

Thanks Adam for correcting me, it was indeed the last lap for both Pironi and de Cesaris (they were halfway the last lap, they had completed 75 laps).

[jj2728]

imola 85...yep i was there.....mr. prost received the 1 finger salute from quite a few of the tifosi that day...i remember that within the space of a half a lap or so, and right on the very next to or last lap, that senna lead-ran out of fuel, then it was johannson-ran out of fuel, and finally prost, who won.......

[DieRitter]

Originally posted by knowlesy
Another part of the Mansell legend!

Another one:

Mansell continued to lead in dominant fashion until the very last lap when, waving to the crowd, he allowed the revs to drop too low and the car stalled... [and] old rival Piquet swept to a joyous victory. Canada'91

I initially thought he had run out of fuel... Ironically Piquet, the guy I believe Mansell desliked the most won the race.

[RWC]

I distinctly remember Prost losing the lead and pushing his maclaren just before the finish line in (1986?).
That was the most famous one i thought because of the huge problems the fuel rules were giving every team that year. The mansel one sounds more interesting though