62 replies to this topic

[Baddoer]

I was just thinking about most bizarre finishes in modern history. Heidfeld finishing on three wheels in China 2006, darkness coming in Malaysia 2009, Button spraying oil into Fisichella in Australia 2006 and then stopping meters before chequed flag are obvious examples. What else?

[Disgrace]

Christian Fittipaldi finishing the race upside-down and airborne at Monza '93.

Schumacher winning while serving a stop-and-go at Silverstone '98.

Barrichello handing the win over to Schumacher on the line then accidentally returning the favour in Austria '02 and USA '02.

[GT Racing Online Magazine]

I personally witnessed Christian Fittipaldi's somersault finish in 1993 at Monza, so evidently that's my pick.



Otherwise, of course, Brabham's 1959 finish where he physically pushed his car over the line to win the championship

Edited by GT Racing Online Magazine, 15 August 2013 - 15:12.

[DutchQuicksilver]

Hakkinen's last lap failure at Barcelona in 2001

[ApexMouse]

The bike racer at muggello celebrating his victory.

At the end of the penultimate lap.

Edited by ApexMouse, 15 August 2013 - 15:19.

[TimRTC]

Most memorable I have sat through was at the FIA European Drag Racing finals back in 2011 which was, for those who follow drag racing, the last competitive Top Fuel dragster event (in the world?) to take place over the 1320 yard distance and a serious pedal-fest, with both drivers smoking their engines and exchanging the lead with the race being won with a 7.84 second pass.


Erbacher and Poutiainen pedalling hard towards the finish by Tim R-T-C, on Flickr

[ApexMouse]

Most memorable I have sat through was at the FIA European Drag Racing finals back in 2011 which was, for those who follow drag racing, the last competitive Top Fuel dragster event (in the world?) to take place over the 1320 yard distance and a serious pedal-fest, with both drivers smoking their engines and exchanging the lead with the race being won with a 7.84 second pass.


Erbacher and Poutiainen pedalling hard towards the finish by Tim R-T-C, on Flickr

Dumb Question;

Why do drag strips always look soaking wet?

[DampMongoose]

Hmmm... define modern?

Brambilla crashing over the line at a very wet Osterreichring in '75 for his only win was particularly memorable!

[milestone 11]

Monza Gorilla

[ensign14]

I was just thinking about most bizarre finishes in modern history. Heidfeld finishing on three wheels in China 2006, darkness coming in Malaysia 2009, Button spraying oil into Fisichella in Australia 2006 and then stopping meters before chequed flag are obvious examples. What else?

Paul Stewart won an F3 race while going backwards across the line.

[SealTheDiffuser]

Brambilla Austria 1975

ahh we have it already...

Edited by SealTheDiffuser, 15 August 2013 - 15:43.

[giddy69]

How about Björn Wirdheim - 2003 F3000 Monaco race?

Slowed down to celebrate with the team - and then got beaten to the line by Nicolas Kiesa.

Edited by giddy69, 15 August 2013 - 15:47.

[teejay]

Two different world champions within 30 seconds in 2008

[DampMongoose]

Two different world champions within 30 seconds in 2008

Nah, you don't receive any points until the race ends... exciting yes, but not bizarre!

[teejay]

Darkness in 1994 - Champcar Surfers Paradise.

[teejay]

Bathurst 1992 - rain = chaos = a winner in the wall = infamous speech by one of the great touring car drivers.

[DampMongoose]

Bathurst 1992 - rain = chaos = a winner in the wall = infamous speech by one of the great touring car drivers.

Ah the "pack of R Souls" comment, good one!

[teejay]

QLD 500

Another touring car legend wins in the sand - once again rain makes chaos

[taz]

Nightfall in Korea 2010

[Bob Riebe]

Dumb Question;

Why do drag strips always look soaking wet?

Few tracks nowadays are not treated with a compound.

Those who race on untreated tracks face a greater challenge and professional racing does not want drivers to face any greater a challenge that can be avoided, that would make it more competitive.

This way big money wins.

That said, winning with a 7.84 in 2011 is really odd.
What ever prep. they did to the track was gone making it a true heads-up race.

Edited by Bob Riebe, 15 August 2013 - 16:36.

[Atreiu]

Michel Fabrizio going one way with his bik the other over the finish line at WSBK Silverstone 2012. Still got a podium, IIRC.

[Collombin]

Otherwise, of course, Brabham's 1959 finish where he physically pushed his car over the line to win the championship

He would have been champion in any case. I loved John Cooper realising in mid air that the wrong driver crossed the line ahead though

At one point in the 1950 US national championship season, officials got the winner wrong in 2 out of 3 races. Puts today's stewarding blunders into perspective!

[sopa]

Monaco 1982 was certainly a bizarre finish with half of the guys retiring on the last lap. Well, actually many finishes in the 80s had drivers barely getting over the finish line or stopping before the end without fuel.

Brazil 2003. Timing chaos and wrong man was given the victory.

[TimRTC]

Michel Fabrizio going one way with his bik the other over the finish line at WSBK Silverstone 2012. Still got a podium, IIRC.

Do you mean this crash at the finish of race 1 - actually Ayrton Badovini along with Johnny Rae - a real heart-in-mouth moment when the wrecked bikes almost got hit by a following rider pulling a post-race wheelie:

[ApexMouse]

Thanks Bob!

[JimiKart]

Hakkinen's last lap failure at Barcelona in 2001

Dam Murry Walker and his "kiss of death"

[pingu666]

stenhouse won with a blown engine, carl edwards ploughed into him just before the start/finish line, couldnt turn on the oil. carl was his team mate

[DampMongoose]

Mansell 'stalling' at Montreal or the race with the dodgy lap charts revson won but fittipaldi should have?

[Atreiu]

TimRTC, that's it!

[Atreiu]

stenhouse won with a blown engine, carl edwards ploughed into him just before the start/finish line, couldnt turn on the oil. carl was his team mate

I had to google that up. Awesome.

[Diablobb81]

[jrg19]

Biaggis wheelie?

[jj2728]

1973 Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport.

[scheivlak]

Mansell 'stalling' at Montreal or the race with the dodgy lap charts revson won but fittipaldi should have?

From what I've seen and read that claim was false and Revson was the rightful winner.
See e.g. the lap chart at p. 141 of http://edition.pages...d4-ffab16ce8709
Only the Shadow team made an official protest, claiming that Jackie Oliver had won but after a while they accepted the result based on the official lap chart.

Of course the outcome was heavily influenced by the place in the pack the pace car chose to intervene - but that's another story.

[William Hunt]

Jack Brabham misbraking himself, under pressure from Jochen Rindt, whilst leading at the Monaco GP in 1970 at the final corner was one of the most remarkable finishes in a race.

[UPRC]

The 2003 Brazilian GP was pretty memorable for the strange ending it had in which nobody knew who won.

Edited by UPRC, 15 August 2013 - 23:47.

[Mila]

The bike racer at muggello celebrating his victory.

At the end of the penultimate lap.

What's the deal with the two checkered flags (at the end of the race)?

[Les]

Dieter Quester flips his car, finishes the race on his roof, gets the last podium place:

[PayasYouRace]

What's the deal with the two checkered flags (at the end of the race)?

Precisely to try to avoid what happened in that race. It's to increase the chances of the rider seeing that they've finished the race.

[ElJefe]

I'm surprised to see no one mentioned Austria 2002. I have never seen anything quite like it (until Indy 2002...) and I doubt we'll see something like that again.

[Andrew Hope]

Carl Edwards flips from first place and stops short of the line and on fire, then bails and runs across the finish line on foot.

[BrawnGeePee]

Monaco 1982...and perhaps the season itself ;)

[Atreiu]

Darkness in 1994 - Champcar Surfers Paradise.

Gosh, I forgot how beautiful those cars were.

[crbassassin]

Montreal 2011

[Jackmancer]

it has to be this



I was heartwrecked, shocked, amazed, thrilled and lots more, all at once.

[Rentta]

Dumb Question;

Why do drag strips always look soaking wet?

Quick googling http://forums.corvet...-the-drags.html

[HuddersfieldTerrier1986]

The 2003 Brazilian GP was pretty memorable for the strange ending it had in which nobody knew who won.

Finishing up with what turned out to be the REAL winning car catching fire in the pits!

[Rob]

The bike racer at muggello celebrating his victory.

At the end of the penultimate lap.

Julian Simon did that as well.

[Owen]

Ayrton Senna, French Grand Prix, Magny Cours 1991 (Final qualifying)

Ayrton spun on Olivier Grouillard's oil and still qualified 3rd! crossing the line while spinning towards a wall.

[byrkus]

Didn't his nephew score a Pole Position in GP2 on the same track, in almost identical way - by spinning across the line into the wall?