Best ever F1 debut?

[fcuk1_6]

Very impressive debut by Magnussen, reminds me of Hamilton's first appearance.
I know Kevin's 2nd place finish means he actually did better than Hamilton on his debut, and I know Jacques Villeneuve got second on his debut for Williams, what I was wondering is has anyone won their first ever race in F1 excluding the obvious of whoever won the first official F1 race?

[FourWheelDrift]

Giancarlo Baghetti won on his Grand Prix debut for Ferrari at the French GP at Reims in July 1961.

He also won his debut race for Ferrari, a non-Championship race at Syracuse in April 1961 and followed it up with a win at a non-championship race at Naples in May before his debut at the French GP.

3 races 3 wins.

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Monday 17th March 12:10

[Eric Mc]

And don't forget that until the early 1970s there were almost as many non Championship F1 races each year as there were World Championship races.

[fred flange]

How about Jean Alesi, finished 4th for tyrell on his debut.

[AJS-]

Villeneuve would have won if not for an oil leak late on. Magnussen was very impressive though.

[paulrockliffe]

Don't know about first race, but didn't Hamilton manage something like 8 podiums in a row on debut? (Can one of the resident statos add some detail please.) Will be interesting to see how Magnussen goes, but he'll be going some to top Lewis's debut season I reckon.

[Jimmm]

paulrockliffe said:

Don't know about first race, but didn't Hamilton manage something like 8 podiums in a row on debut? (Can one of the resident statos add some detail please.) Will be interesting to see how Magnussen goes, but he'll be going some to top Lewis's debut season I reckon.

9 - http://www.formula1.com/results/driver/2007/828.ht...

[Derek Smith]

Fangio won his first ever F1 GP, the British in 1950.

[FourWheelDrift]

Derek Smith said:

Fangio won his first ever F1 GP, the British in 1950.

No he didn't Farina won the 1950 British GP but that would be the obvious in the OPs post

[Bill Carr]

Eddie Irvine. 6th place at Suzuka and a thump from Senna! Sort of set the tone for his career in some respects.

Also Mark Webber's debut was very impressive to me.

And let's not forget Schumi.

[DanielSan]

I think Magnussen was more impressive than Hamilton to be honest, he wasnt in arguably the quickest car on the grid for a start...

[tristancliffe]

And he hasn't once called the less-fortunate people at the back "monkeys" either.

[entropy]

DanielSan said:

I think Magnussen was more impressive than Hamilton to be honest, he wasnt in arguably the quickest car on the grid for a start...

There are some ifs.

Hamilton's DNF handed the podium on a plate, Bottas had enough race pace worthy of a podium and perhaps Massa as well.

[Tony2or4]

Let's not forget good ole Martin Brundle: 5th in his first F1 race (Brazil 1984, for Tyrrell - a distinctly mid-field team by then).

Unfortunately he had all his points taken off him later in the season, because of some technical infringement by the team. Plus ca change....

[thiscocks]

FourWheelDrift said:

Giancarlo Baghetti won on his Grand Prix debut for Ferrari at the French GP at Reims in July 1961.

He also won his debut race for Ferrari, a non-Championship race at Syracuse in April 1961 and followed it up with a win at a non-championship race at Naples in May before his debut at the French GP.

3 races 3 wins.

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Monday 17th March 12:10

Statisticaly the best debut but there wasn't much competition for Ferrari then.

Remember Carlos Reutemann getting pole on his debut afaik

[joncon]

johnny Herbert, carried to the car , finished 4th , 1989 brazil in the Benetton.

[williamp]

Those are all in class leading cars. How about last to first with a 33 second lead inside 4 laps with a poor car?

Markus Winklehock retired on lap 15 and never drove an F1 car again....


(If this was facebook id leave it there and make it one of those annoying posts. I havent mentionned the rain, etc)

[jonnylayze]

joncon said:

johnny Herbert, carried to the car , finished 4th , 1989 brazil in the Benetton.

When any new driver in a middling team makes their debut (Benetton were second string in '89) I always use Herbert's debut as the yardstick. That was a good day for British drivers. I remember watching the race live as a 10 year old and my Dad jumping up and down shouting 'it's like a fairy tale' when Mansell won on his debut for Ferrari

[groomi]

In my mind, Magnusson's debut was calm and measured as necessitated by the cars, whereas IIRC Hamilton stuck it round the outside of his team mate at the first corner.

Both very impressive, but very different.

[thiscocks]

groomi said:

In my mind, Magnusson's debut was calm and measured as necessitated by the cars,

Why does every one assume they are just cruising in the current cars at 50% just because there is a tighter fuel allowance? I can assure you both mclarens were trying 100% in the second half of that race. (although anyone with half a clue could tell that just from watching)

sorry o/t