Which motorsport has the most fatalities?

Motorcycle road racing—most notably the Isle of Man TT—has recorded the most fatalities in motorsport. The TT alone has seen well over 260 rider deaths since 1907, and the broader Snaefell Mountain Course (including the Manx Grand Prix and other events) has surpassed 270. By comparison, other top-tier categories such as Formula 1 and American open-wheel racing have seen fatalities in the dozens to around a hundred across their entire histories.

How to interpret “most fatalities” in motorsport

Counting fatalities in motorsport varies by whether you look at a single event, a discipline, or a sanctioning body, and whether you include practice and qualifying, support series, and spectator incidents. The Isle of Man TT is widely regarded as the deadliest single event in motorsport history. As a discipline, motorcycle road racing—races on closed public roads rather than purpose-built circuits—has the highest cumulative toll due to the nature of the venues and the speeds involved.

By the numbers: where fatalities have been highest

The following list summarizes the motorsport categories and events most frequently cited for high fatality counts, with figures rounded to reflect long historical spans and evolving record-keeping.

• Isle of Man TT (motorcycle road racing): Over 260 competitor deaths at the TT since 1907; the Snaefell Mountain Course in total (TT, Manx Grand Prix, Classic TT, practice/qualifying) has exceeded 270 fatalities. It remains the deadliest motorsport event.
• Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP/Moto2/Moto3, historically 50–500cc): Roughly around 100 rider deaths since the world championship began in 1949 across all classes, with fatalities now rare but not eliminated in the modern era.
• American open-wheel (IndyCar/CART/USAC/AAA): On the order of 95–100 driver fatalities since the early 1900s across championship-level events, testing, and the Indianapolis 500’s practice and qualifying.
• Formula 1 (World Championship, since 1950): Just over 50 driver fatalities when counting races, qualifying, practice, testing, and non-championship F1 machinery. The last Grand Prix weekend driver death linked to an F1 crash was Jules Bianchi (injured in 2014, died in 2015); none have occurred in F1 since.
• World Rally Championship and international rallying: Dozens of competitor fatalities and a historically significant number of spectator deaths, particularly during the Group B era (1982–1986), though total competitor fatalities are lower than in motorcycle road racing.
• NASCAR (national series): Around 30 driver fatalities across NASCAR-sanctioned competition since the late 1940s. The top-tier Cup Series has not had a driver fatality since 2001, amid major safety reforms.
• Drag racing (NHRA and international): Multiple driver and rider fatalities over the decades, though far fewer than the categories above, with modern safety measures significantly reducing the rate.

Taken together, these comparisons show that while several series have endured tragic eras, motorcycle road racing stands out—with the Isle of Man TT the starkest example—as the discipline with the greatest cumulative loss of life.

Why motorcycle road racing is so lethal

Several structural factors make motorcycle road racing, and the Isle of Man TT in particular, exceptionally dangerous compared with circuit-based series.

• Public-road circuits: Races take place on closed public roads lined with stone walls, trees, curbs, poles, and buildings—offering little to no runoff or impact attenuation.
• High sustained speeds: Long, fast sections produce extreme average speeds, so even small mistakes can have catastrophic consequences.
• Minimal rider protection: Unlike car cockpits with survival cells and energy-absorbing structures, riders are exposed; protective gear reduces but cannot eliminate injury risk.
• Variable conditions: Changing weather, surface imperfections, and elevation add unpredictability that is harder to mitigate on public roads.
• Event format: Long laps and time-trial formats can stretch medical response and complicate rapid intervention compared with compact circuits.

These inherent characteristics limit how much safety can be engineered into the environment, keeping baseline risk higher than in most other forms of motorsport.

The safety picture today

Modern motorsport safety has advanced dramatically: energy-absorbing barriers, halo and aeroscreen driver protection, improved helmets and airbag suits, stricter track standards, and medical intervention protocols. Formula 1, IndyCar, MotoGP, WRC, and NASCAR have all seen sharp declines in fatality rates in recent decades. The Isle of Man TT and other road races have adopted airbag leathers, better marshaling, enhanced medical coverage, speed-controlled sectors, and course changes, yet the fundamental exposure of public-road racing means the risk remains significantly higher than for purpose-built circuits.

Summary

Motorcycle road racing—especially the Isle of Man TT—has the most fatalities in motorsport history. While many series have faced deadly periods, sustained safety advances have reduced risks across most disciplines; public-road motorcycle racing remains the outlier, with an inherently higher baseline danger that continues to produce the sport’s highest fatality counts.

What has more deaths, F1 or NASCAR?

Formula 1 has seen more total driver deaths (around 52), while NASCAR has recorded 29 deaths in its Cup Series, with the majority occurring before 2000. However, the total number of F1 fatalities is higher due to its longer history and a higher concentration of deaths earlier in the sport’s development, whereas NASCAR’s safety record has improved significantly, with no Cup Series deaths since 2001. 
Formula 1

• Higher Total Fatalities: There have been approximately 52 driver fatalities related to Formula 1. 
• Distribution of Deaths: Most of these deaths occurred in the earlier decades of the sport. 
• Notable Recent Death: The most recent F1 driver fatality was Jules Bianchi in 2014. 

NASCAR

• Lower Total Fatalities: 29 drivers have died in the NASCAR Cup Series since the sport began. 
• Safety Improvements: The majority of NASCAR deaths happened in the 1950s and 1960s. 
• No Recent Deaths: There have been no driver fatalities in the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, or Truck Series since 2001. 

Key Differences and Safety Trends

• Historical Context: F1 has more accumulated deaths due to a longer history and a period in the sport’s history where safety was not as advanced. 
• Safety Innovations: Both sports have implemented major safety improvements, including car design and track infrastructure, leading to a significant reduction in fatalities in the last 20 years. 
• Modern Safety: In the 21st century, both NASCAR and F1 have only had one recorded fatality each, demonstrating massive improvements in overall safety. 

Which car has the highest rate of fatalities?

The Hyundai Venue has the highest fatality rate per billion miles, followed closely by the Chevrolet Corvette, Mitsubishi Mirage, Porsche 911, and Honda CR-V Hybrid, according to a 2024-2025 study. These vehicles are often small, light, or high-performance, increasing occupant vulnerability in crashes. 
Top vehicles with the highest fatal accident rates (per billion miles): 

1. Hyundai Venue: 13.9 (4.9 times the average)
2. Chevrolet Corvette: 13.6 (4.8 times the average)
3. Mitsubishi Mirage: 13.6 (4.8 times the average)
4. Porsche 911: 13.2 (4.6 times the average)
5. Honda CR-V Hybrid: 13.2 (4.6 times the average)

Factors contributing to high fatality rates:

• Lightweight and compact vehicles: These smaller vehicles often lack the mass to absorb significant crash forces, putting occupants at higher risk in severe collisions. 
• High-performance sports cars: The speed and power associated with sports cars like the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 911 increase the likelihood of high-impact crashes. 
• Driver behavior: In some cases, the advanced technology in vehicles like Tesla models may contribute to higher fatality rates, possibly due to driver inattention or overreliance on driver-assistance systems. 

What has more deaths, MotoGP or F1?

According to a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, fatal accident rates in motorcycle racing are higher than in F1. The Isle of Man TT alone has claimed around 270 lives since its inception, while the MotoGP sees occasional fatalities.

What motorsport has the most deaths?

In particular motorcycle racing claims more deaths than car racing due to the nature of motorcycle riding and the lack of protection for a rider in the event of a crash.