How many F1 drivers have died since 1950

52 Formula One drivers have died as a result of accidents since the World Championship began in 1950, when counting fatalities arising from incidents at official Formula One World Championship events (including the Indianapolis 500 from 1950–1960, when it formed part of the championship). This figure reflects the widely accepted, historical tally and remains unchanged in recent years; the most recent driver to die from injuries sustained in a Formula One World Championship event was Jules Bianchi, who passed away in 2015 following his 2014 crash at the Japanese Grand Prix.

What the number includes—and what it does not

The commonly cited total of 52 covers drivers who suffered fatal injuries during Formula One World Championship events—official practice, qualifying, or races—or who later died from injuries sustained in those sessions. It also includes fatalities at the Indianapolis 500 during 1950–1960, as those editions were part of the World Championship. It does not include non-championship Formula One races, private testing accidents, or fatalities in other series involving drivers who also competed in F1, unless the incident occurred in a World Championship event.

The most recent cases

Below is a brief recap of the most recent Formula One driver fatalities associated with World Championship events, illustrating how rare such tragedies have become in the modern era.

• Jules Bianchi (2015): Died from injuries sustained in a crash during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
• Ayrton Senna (1994): Fatal crash during the San Marino Grand Prix.
• Roland Ratzenberger (1994): Fatal crash during qualifying at the San Marino Grand Prix.

These incidents, particularly in 1994 and 2014–2015, spurred major safety reforms and underscored the sport’s ongoing efforts to reduce risk without diminishing competition.

Context and historical perspective

Formula One’s most dangerous period ran from the 1950s through the 1970s, when circuit design, medical response, car construction, and safety culture lagged the speeds being achieved. The 1980s and 1990s saw substantial improvements, yet the losses of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna in 1994 marked a turning point that accelerated safety innovation. From the mid-1990s onward, fatalities in World Championship events became exceptionally rare, with no driver deaths in such events between 1994 and the injuries to Jules Bianchi in 2014 (he died in 2015).

Safety advances that changed the risk profile

The following developments significantly reduced fatal incidents in World Championship events, especially from the late 1990s onward.

• Stronger chassis and survival cells, improved crash structures, and energy-absorbing barriers.
• HANS devices and high-standard helmets to mitigate head and neck trauma.
• Track redesigns: larger run-off areas, better barrier technology, and stricter circuit homologation.
• Rapid medical response protocols, on-site medical cars, and standardized safety-car and red-flag procedures.
• Halo cockpit protection (introduced in 2018), which has already been credited with preventing multiple serious injuries.

Taken together, these measures have dramatically lowered the risk of fatal outcomes during modern Formula One World Championship events, without eliminating danger entirely.

Why the definition matters

Occasionally, different totals circulate because some counts include non-championship Formula One races or testing accidents (for example, Elio de Angelis in 1986 testing, or Maria de Villota’s 2012 testing crash and death in 2013 from related injuries). Those tragedies are part of the broader safety narrative, but they are not included in the “52” figure, which specifically refers to fatalities arising from Formula One World Championship events since 1950.

Summary

Since 1950, 52 Formula One drivers have died as a result of accidents linked to World Championship events, a number that underscores the sport’s perilous early decades and the profound impact of subsequent safety reforms. The most recent fatality tied to a World Championship event was Jules Bianchi, who died in 2015 from injuries sustained at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. While modern F1 is far safer, the sport’s history continues to drive ongoing safety improvements.

Are any F1 drivers from the 1950s still alive?

Formula 1 has just a handful of drivers still living who competed in the early days of the sport. The inaugural world championship was run in 1950, and Hermano da Silva Ramos – who first raced an F1 car in 1955 – is its oldest driver still alive at 98.

How many F1 drivers died in 1957?

Three Formula One drivers lost their lives this year while racing in other categories. On 14 March, Ferrari driver Eugenio Castellotti suffered a fatal accident when he tested a new chassis for the team at Modena Autodrome.

Who was the famous F1 driver that died?

Senna
During the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Senna was killed in a crash whilst leading the race, driving the Williams FW16. His state funeral was attended by over a million people. Following subsequent safety reforms, he was the last fatality in the Formula One World Championship until Jules Bianchi in 2015.

Is number 69 allowed in F1?

Yes, a Formula 1 driver can technically choose the number 69, as the rules allow any number between 2 and 99 for a driver’s permanent career number, with only the number 1 being reserved for the reigning World Champion. However, since the permanent number system was introduced in 2014, no driver has chosen the number 69, and it remains available for use, though it’s not a commonly selected number.
 
Here are the rules for F1 driver numbers:

• Number 1: Reserved for the reigning World Champion. 
• Other Numbers: Drivers can choose any number from 2 to 99 for their career, which is then permanently theirs. 
• Availability: Numbers are chosen based on availability, with no two drivers having the same permanent number. 
• Reserved Numbers: If a driver retires or leaves the sport, their number is reserved for two seasons to prevent others from taking it. 
• Unchosen Numbers: If a driver does not choose a number, one is assigned based on their team’s historical entry. 
• Number 17: This number is not used as a mark of respect for Jules Bianchi. 

Since there’s no rule banning number 69 and it’s within the allowed range, a driver could pick it if they wish, provided another driver hasn’t already claimed it.