Jack Aitken has one grand prix start to his name following his substitute appearance with Williams last month. The Briton is hoping for more but if his Sakhir outing proves his sole Formula 1 start he will join a list that includes some who have carved quite a reputation from their limited presence. MotorsportWeek.com takes a look at some other drivers who made just a single race start in Formula 1.
Jimmy Stewart
Before Jackie Stewart arrived on the F1 scene to set a new standard for British racing drivers, his brother James, or Jimmy as he was known, was highly regarded by his peers. Stewart made a name for himself racing outside of F1, but secured his first and final grand prix entry at the 1953 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Racing for Cooper, Stewart qualified in 15th place and was running as high as sixth before crashing out of the race, which was eventually won by Alberto Ascari.
Following a series of crashes in Sportscar racing in the following years, Stewart opted to retire from professional driving duties and focused on supporting the career of younger brother Jackie.
Bobby Unser
Bobby Unser is best known for being a three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, as well as twice prevailing at the top of the standings in the USAC Championship Car series.
However, Unser tried his hand at F1 towards the end of the 1968 season, months after he won his first Indy 500 race. At the Italian Grand Prix, he practiced and qualified in a BRM, but left the event before the race got underway to compete in the Hoosier Hundred in the United States.
Two races later, Unser was back in an F1 seat at Watkins Glen for the United States Grand Prix, qualifying 19th. This time, he stayed for the race, which was to be the only one in his illustrious racing career. His outing lasted 35 laps, before his engine gave way.
Gerard Larrousse
Before founding his own F1 racing team, Gerard Larrousse enjoyed a successful racing career, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1973 and 1974.
Prior to his second triumph at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Larrousse entered the 1974 Belgian Grand Prix in a Brabham car for the short-lived Scuderia Finotto team. Larrousse qualified 28th, but failed to finish the race.
The Frenchman attempted another entry at his home race in Dijon, however he failed to qualify, meaning his start in Belgium was the only one on record.
After his racing career ended, Larrousse set up his own racing team that ran from 1987 to 1994. Although it was mostly unsuccessful, its most triumphant year came in 1990, when it claimed a third place at the Japanese Grand Prix with Aguri Suzuki.
Jean-Louis Schlesser
With Nigel Mansell sitting on the sidelines due to a case of the chickenpox, Schlesser was called up to replace him at Williams for the Italian Grand Prix in 1988.
Schlesser’s only previous Formula 1 attempt had come at his home event in France in 1983, but he failed to qualify the uncompetitive RAM-run March, setting a best time over nine seconds off the pace.
The Frenchman did much of his racing in Sportscars, finishing second at the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, and when he was called up to Williams was enjoying a strong season in the World Sportscar Championship.
Schlesser qualified 22nd at Monza, 2.1 seconds down on team-mate Ricardo Patrese, though gained infamy in race trim.
Schlesser made contact with race leader Ayrton Senna while being lapped and tipped the McLaren driver into the gravel. It enabled Ferrari to take a 1-2, just weeks after the death of Enzo Ferrari, and marked the only non-McLaren win of 1988. Schlesser went on to classify 11th.
Roland Ratzenberger
Under tragic circumstances, Roland Ratzenberger started just one race during his momentary F1 career.
After signing with Simtek on a multi-race deal in 1994, Ratzenberger failed to qualify at the season-opening event in Brazil, but did finally get on the grid at the Pacific Grand Prix at Aida.
Ratzenberger stayed out of trouble during the race to cross the line in 11th.
Unfortunately, the Austrian is most well-known for the terrible crash that took his life during qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix – the third round of the 1994. The following day, three-time World Champion Senna lost his life in a crash of his own.
Markus Winkelhock
In what is arguably the most dramatic one-off race start for an F1 driver in recent memory, Markus Winkelhock’s debut is still glorified 14 years after the event.
Driving for Spyker at the 2007 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, the team opted to make a late call for full wet tyres at the end of the formation lap as wet weather closed in.
It proved to be the right call, as Winkelhock, who started from dead last on the grid, was propelled into the lead with a gap of 33 seconds to the nearest car behind after the opening laps.
Winkelhock dropped back down the order after the race was halted and restarted due to the adverse weather, and he eventually retired with a hydraulic issue on lap 14, but it was a starring cameo – leading six of his 13 completed laps, having started last. Spyker recruited Sakon Yamamoto for the rest of 2007.
Andre Lotterer
Andre Lotterer has tasted success in the World Endurance Championship, Super Formula, Super GT and Formula E but his Formula 1 race career lasted just a single lap.
Lotterer stepped in for Kamui Kobayashi at Caterham when the 2014 season returned from its summer break at Spa-Francorchamps, marking the first time he had held an F1 role since his test drive with Jaguar in 2002. It was a surprise appearance for Lotterer, who previously had no affiliation with the outfit.
Caterham, which was stuttering towards its eventual collapse following a mid-season takeover, was stuck once again at the back of the grid. Lotterer qualified 21st on the grid, comfortably ahead of team-mate Marcus Ericsson, but a sudden loss of power meant he retired just a few minutes into the race.
Caterham was keen to extend the partnership but Lotterer declined.
