Unexpected wins
Though scattered, Jo Bonnier’s top line career included victories on the fearsome Targa Florio, at the 12 Hours of Sebring and 1000km Nurburgring, and demonstrated a natural raw speed. And yet in 108 starts, the Swede achieved just one podium finish, at the 1959 Dutch Grand Prix. It was the step that mattered though, Bonnier holding eventual World Champion Jack Brabham at bay to take a shock victory in the notoriously unreliable BRM P25. It was the first of an eventual 17 Grand Prix victories for the British team.
Vittorio Brambilla would cause a similar upset at the sodden (spotting a theme here?) 1975 Austrian Grand Prix, scything through the pack in the tricky opening stages to topple not only championship favourites James Hunt and Niki Lauda but the now legendary Ronnie Peterson. So treacherous were the conditions that Brambilla spun after taking the chequered flag and thumped the March into the pitwall.
Thierry Boutsen proved that a surprise victory doesn’t always require rain when he incredibly held off Ayrton Senna’s McLaren to win the 1990 Hungarian Grand Prix for Williams, much as Pastor Maldonado would do for the same team against Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix. An even younger Sebastien Vettel used the weather to similar effect at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, planting his midfield Toro Rosso on pole and walking to victory. A performance hinting at three world titles in the making.
Honorable mentions: Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren – 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix. Giancarlo Fisichella, Jordan – 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix. Eddie Irvine, Ferrari – 1999 Australian Grand Prix. Giancarlo Baghetti, Ferrari – 1961 French Grand Prix.
– Shots courtesy of ESPNF1
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