The first times are not forgotten. The first podium, the first victory… and, of course, the first race.
Formula 1 is the dream of practically every motorsport driver. If karting is the beginning, F1 is, as the highest category, the peak where everyone wants to reach and to which only a few lucky people have access.
After debuting in F1 2021 the Japanese Tsunoda and Mick, son of Michael Schumacher , in this 2022 Zhou has debuted as the first Chinese driver in history.
We review below with which team and result all the drivers on the current grid debuted with, talking about their first race, even if they had previously played a free practice session.
(Before reading, pay attention to these photos, which are not wasted)
Photo By: Sutton Motorsport Images
Photo de: Brousseau Photo
Foto de: Sutton Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro/Motorsport Images
Photo de: Sutton Motorsport Images
Photo By: Sutton Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Charles Coates/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Charles Coates/Motorsport Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Carlos Herrera de los Santos
Photo by: Alastair Staley/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andrew Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Charles Coates/Motorsport Images
Foto de: LAT Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo de: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Sutton Motorsport Images
The Monegasque, great hope for the future for Ferrari (which promoted him for 2019), did not have the best preseason with Sauber and his first weekend seemed to be in the shadow of his teammate’s.
However, in the race he was problem-free and with consistent pace he took Alfa Romeo Sauber, the least competitive car on the grid, to 13th position, ahead of a Williams and a Toro Rosso.
Photo By: Sutton Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Erik Junius
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Red Bull Content Pool
Photo de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo By: Sutton Motorsport Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Red Bull Sauber Petronas
Photo by: Brousseau Photo
Photo de: Andrew Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: XPB Images
How was the debut of Fernando Alonso in F1, first race (Australia 2001)
Sponsored by Flavio Briatore and signed by the Benetton team, Fernando Alonso was loaned to Minardi for the 2021 Formula 1 season, his debut. With the slowest car on the grid, Alonso was 19th in his first classification (Australian GP 2001) ahead of his teammate, a car from the Prost team and another from the Jaguar team.
In his first F1 race, at that 2001 Australian GP, Alonso survived a race plagued by retirements to finish 12th (and finish ahead of a Benetton), leaving a very good impression in the premier class despite the circumstances. That day Enrique Bernoldi, a certain Juan Pablo Montoya and a certain Kimi Raikkonen had also debuted in F1.
How was Hamilton’s debut in F1, first race (Australia 2007)
Few can say that his first Formula 1 team is one of the most successful in history. This was the case of Lewis Hamilton, who at the age of 22 made his debut in the top category after being GP2 champion in 2006.
The Englishman, with Alonso as his teammate (recently signed by McLaren after winning both world championships), made his debut at the 2007 Australian GP. With one of the best single-seaters, if not the best, the Englishman managed to finish third, achieving a podium in his first appearance in Formula 1.
How was the debut of Sebastian Vettel in F1, first race (United States 2007)
Before turning 20, while competing in the World Series by Renault and testing for BMW Sauber , Sebastian Vettel got his first chance. It was due to an injury to Kubica after a terrible accident.
The German debuted at the 2007 United States GP and surprised everyone from the first moment. He was seventh in qualifying and, although it did not go very well in the race, he managed to finish eighth, adding his first point. That made him the youngest driver to score points in F1 history and earned him a place at Toro Rosso for the final part of the season.
How was Nico Hulkenberg’s debut in F1, first race (Bahrain 2010)
After brilliantly winning the GP2 championship, Williams promoted Nico Hulkenberg to contest the 2010 Formula 1 season. He would pair up, at 22, with veteran Rubens Barrichello , 15 years older than him.
Hulkenberg did not make it to Formula 1 in Williams’ best year. With a mid-grid car, the German could only leave glimpses of his talent. In his first grand prix (Bahrain 2010) he qualified 13th, and in the race he finished 14th. His partner did manage to score (10th).
How was the debut of Sergio Pérez in F1, first race (Australia 2011)
After being runner-up in GP2 in 2010, Sergio Pérez was signed by Sauber, days before he was appointed driver of the Ferrari youth academy. He would debut at the age of 21.
The Mexican qualified 13th for the Australian GP race. Both he and his teammate Kobayashi gave the bell being 7th and 8th respectively in the race, but later the news of his disqualification would jump. Technical irregularities in the rear wing of the Sauber erased with a stroke of the pen the great debut that Checo would have had.
How was Daniel Ricciardo’s debut in F1, first race (Great Britain 2011)
Although he had taken part in some free and test sessions thanks to belonging to the Red Bull program, Daniel Ricciardo’s first opportunity to take part in a race came with the Spanish team Hispania Racing ( HRT ) in mid-2011, when he had just turned 22.
To prepare him for his promotion to Toro Rosso in 2012, Red Bull placed him in one of the most humble teams on the grid. Replacing Indian Narain Karthikeyan , Ricciardo only managed to finish 19th in his first race, at Great Britain 2011, taking advantage of five DNFs after starting last.
How was the debut of Valtteri Bottas in F1, first race (Australia 2013)
The next to make his F1 debut on the current grid was Valtteri Bottas. After having shown good performances in free practice the previous year, Williams had the Finn for the 2013 season. He started at the age of 23.
The Finn did not have the best year collecting only four points in the penultimate race. The FW35 was not an easy car to drive and Bottas could only finish 14th in his first race, Australia 2013, after starting 16th. That first weekend, as seen in the image, he already tried the Formula 1 loopholes.
How was Kevin Magnussen’s debut in F1, first race (Australia 2014)
Like Hamilton, Kevin Magnussen had the opportunity to make his debut at McLaren, in the final year of the Mercedes-powered English team (until his return in 2021). He replaced a Pérez who had not shone in the previous season with those from Woking.
And it could not have gone better for the Danish. In Australia, like Hamilton in 2007 and with the same team, he also got on the podium. However, he even improved the position of the Englishman with a 2nd place that tasted like glory. There is a suspicion that, seeing the result of that race, Mercedes began to give engines with lower performance to McLaren, which the following year went on to carry a Honda power unit. In fact that was Magnussen’s first and only podium finish… and that was the only race all year in which McLaren finished in the top three.
How was the debut of Max Verstappen in F1, first race (Australia 2015)
At the age of 17 years, 5 months and 15 days, Max Verstappen broke all precocity records by becoming the first driver to make his Formula 1 debut as a minor. He had not won the European F3 in 2014 (Ocon took it), but he had already shown signs of his undoubted talent and Red Bull did not think twice.
In fact, Verstappen “caused” F1 to change its regulations and since then no one can debut as a minor, so his record will be set for many years, at least until they change that requirement. His debut was not the best. He qualified 11th (his teammate Sainz was 7th) and retired on lap 32 with an engine problem.
How was the debut of Carlos Sainz in F1, first race (Australia 2015)
Still called ‘Sainz Jr’, the man from Madrid won the seat at Toro Rosso after being champion, already in the Red Bull program, of Formula Renault 3.5 (later World Series V8 3.5). He arrived when he was 20 years old.
Carlos Sainz’s letter of introduction in F1 could not have been better. The man from Madrid shone in qualifying for the 2015 Australian GP, reaching Q3 and finishing 7th, and he held on to the points positions in the race, finishing 9th and adding two on his debut. He was unable to maintain 7th place due to a team error at his pit stop, when a nut got stuck causing him to lose many seconds and two practically safe positions.
How was Esteban Ocon’s debut in F1, first race (Belgium 2016)
As a junior Mercedes driver and after being champion of the European F3 and GP3, Esteban Ocon was waiting for his opportunity in Formula 1, and he arrived with one of the German manufacturer’s client teams, Manor. Ocon debuted in F1 in the middle of the year, at the Belgian GP and as a substitute for Rio Haryanto, who did not renew his 11-race contract with the modest team.
With Hamilton barely doing a lap knowing he had a penalty and Alonso suffering a breakdown in his Honda engine, Ocon excelled in his first F1 qualifying by finishing 18th (out of 22), also ahead of Kvyat’s Toro Rosso and Ericsson’s Sauber. In his first race, the Belgian GP, Ocon also took advantage of several retirements to finish 16th, ahead of Nasr (of Sauber).
How was Lance Stroll’s debut in F1, first race (Australia 2017)
Highly questioned for being a clear example of a paid driver, Williams gave Lance Stroll the opportunity to make his Formula 1 debut when Felipe Massa retired. Finally, the Brazilian would return to fill the gap left by Bottas and was a teammate of the young Canadian, who rose to the top category at just 18 years old, after winning the European F3 in 2016.
But, in a first year with many shadows and some light, Stroll would not have a good start. He had an accident in FP3 of the 2017 Australian GP and that forced him to replace the gearbox, causing a five-position penalty that would see him start 19th. A brake problem on his Williams on lap 40 completed his poor first weekend.
How was Pierre Gasly’s debut in F1, first race (Malaysia 2017)
Pierre Gasly was GP2 champion in 2016, but that did not make him a starter in 2017, causing him a major anger that made him confront his bosses. However, fate would play in his favor months later…
Kvyat’s poor performance prompted Toro Rosso to upgrade Gasly to Formula 1 for the final races of the year. He debuted in Malaysia 2017. He was 14th, and Red Bull said they were very happy with his performance, more than the position reflected. He would repeat in four other appointments of that end of the course and was finally renewed for 2018.
How was the debut of Charles Leclerc in F1, first race (Australia 2018)
Linked to Ferrari as a promising youngster, Charles Leclerc was signed by Sauber when the Swiss team reached a partnership agreement with Alfa Romeo. After overwhelmingly winning Formula 2 in 2017, Leclerc would make the leap to F1 in 2018, at the age of 20.
The Monegasque, then a great hope for the future for Ferrari (which promoted him for 2019), did not have the best preseason with Sauber and his first weekend seemed to be in the shadow of his partner’s.
However, in the race (Australia 2018) he was trouble-free and with consistent pace took Alfa Romeo Sauber, the least competitive car on the grid, to 13th position, ahead of a Williams and a Toro Rosso.
How was George Russell’s debut in F1, first race (Australia 2019)
With the departure of Lance Stroll to the team acquired by his father (Racing Point, former Force India), Williams also decided not to renew Sirotkin and renew his line-up. In addition to the return of Kubica, they signed the Mercedes junior and Formula 2 champion in 2018. A Russell who already wanted to be a team driver in 2018, offering himself through a Powerpoint (here the story) and who in 2019 called the team himself for them to sign him. Who follows her…
With the worst car on the grid, George Russell only aspired to be penultimate if he defeated his teammate Kubica, a veteran who was returning after many years out of Formula 1 and with physical limitations. He did it by far, and finished in 16th position out of 17 that finished that first race, that of Australia 2019.
How was the debut of Lando Norris in F1, first race (Australia 2019)
McLaren stopped relying on Vandoorne for the 2019 season, and Alonso’s withdrawal prompted a complete line-up change. Along with Sainz, Norris was chosen as the starter. In 2018 he did not meet the expectations placed on him in Formula 2, where he finished second, but his undoubted talent earned him to sign for Woking.
Norris shone in qualifying for the 2019 Australian GP, seeing a rookie through to Q3 for the first time in several seasons. They qualified 8th, second only to Haas from among the mid-zone teams. However, in the race he ran into Giovinazzi in front and the Italian, who had not stopped and was slower than him, blocked him for many laps. When Norris finally had a clear path, he had already lost his chances of scoring points, and finished 13th.
How was Alex Albon’s debut in F1, first race (Australia 2019)
A bad time for the Red Bull academy (both in number and in driver talent) made Alex Albon a clear candidate for the 2019 season. The Thai had committed to moving from Formula 2 to Formula E with Nissan and .dams, but when Toro Rosso called, he agreed not to even make his debut in the electric category. After the anger of e.dams, there was finally an agreement and he went to the ‘B team’ of energy drinks.
He made rookie mistakes in pre-season, and in his first free practice sessions in Formula 1 he also had an accident and damaged the Toro Rosso. Albon recovered and performed well in qualifying for the 2019 Australian GP, taking 13th place. But in the race he did not opt for the points and finished 14th, while his teammate Kvyat finished in the top10.
How was Nicholas Latifi’s debut in F1, first race (Austria 2020)
After being runner-up in F2 2019, Nicholas Latifi was given the opportunity by the team for which he was a reserve, Williams, to replace Kubica for the 2020 Formula 1 season. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the Australian GP that It was going to be his debut, Latifi, like the rest of the grid, had to wait four long months for the world championship to start.
The 2020 Austrian GP was Latifi’s first race in Formula 1, although with a slow car (one of the two worst on the grid) and far from the performance of his teammate Russell (with a year of experience in F1), Latifi he qualified last at the Red Bull Ring in his first qualifying and last of the drivers who finished the race, although close to the points (he was 11th, nine drivers dropped out).
How was Mick Schumacher’s debut in F1, first race (Bahrain 2021)
Called to be in Formula 1 for being the son of the driver that many consider the best in history, Mick Schumacher had to, despite having the support of Ferrari, work his way up. For 2021 he was announced as a driver for Haas, a team with close ties to Ferrari, and certified his merit by proclaiming himself Formula 2 2020 champion.
With the worst car on the grid, he could do little to shine in his first year, although he met his goal of overtaking his teammate Nikita Mazepin in qualifying and in the race very often. In the 2021 Bahrain GP, in his debut, Mick Schumacher could only beat the Russian (19th) and in the race he finished 16th, the last of the drivers who saw the checkered flag (his teammate would abandon by accident on the first lap).
How was Yuki Tsunoda’s debut in F1, first race (Bahrain 2021)
After being third in the 2020 Formula 2, the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda was chosen by AlphaTauri (Red Bull’s B team, the former Toro Rosso) for the 2021 F1 season, no doubt at the request of his driver, Honda .
Yuki Tsunoda made his debut at the 2021 season-opening Bahrain GP, qualifying 13th after failing to put in a good lap in Q2 on Saturday. However, Tsunoda shone in the race, battling it out with two-time world champion Fernando Alonso before overtaking and stealing ninth place from Lance Stroll on the final lap to score two points. Although he then had a difficult year, Tsunoda’s debut earned him praise: F1 director Ross Brawn said it was “the best driver debut in years”.
How was Guanyu Zhou’s debut in F1, first race (Bahrain 2022)
After several years in Formula 2, when Alfa Romeo Racing completely changed its line-up for the 2022 Formula 1 season, then-Junior Alpine driver Guanyu Zhou became its works driver alongside signing Valtteri Bottas.
His rise was accompanied by criticism as many thought other drivers were more deserving of being in F1. However, and harnessing the power of his Alfa Romeo’s Ferrari engine after a poor start, Guanyu Zhou made no mistakes (he even overtook Hamilton) in his first F1 race (Bahrain 2022) to finish tenth and score points. After that, he assured that this was a good response to those who criticized him.
