Fisichella's bizarre maiden F1 win

Giancarlo Fisichella, who is celebrating his 43rd birthday on this day, had to wait until the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix - his 103rd career start - to secure his maiden F1 win in one of the most bizarre and chaotic races in recent memory.

Driving the unfancied Jordan, Fisico steadily worked his way up from an already strong eighth on the grid, staying out of the numerous pitfalls that Interlagos threw at the drivers that Sunday. Torrential rains led to a flurry of accidents and the race was eventually stopped when Fernando Alonso struck a tyre that had come off Mark Webber’s wrecked Jaguar at the final corner.

With F1 rules stating that results are based on positions two laps prior to the red flag, Fisichella was supposed to be the winner but a glitch in the timing system showed McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen as the victor instead.

The podium ceremony went on with a disappointed-looking Fisichella stepping on the second step. However, the FIA overturned the decision in favour of the Italian a few days later, which resulted in Kimi having to hand the winner’s trophy back to Giancarlo at the next event in Imola (pictured above).

Julien Billiotte

Recent Posts

Ferrari and Mercedes admit to plank changes based on FIA’s TD

Ferrari and Mercedes have both modified their car’s floor element in Las Vegas to comply…

1 hour ago

Las Vegas GP: Hamilton continues on top in second practice

Lewis Hamilton put Mercedes on top of the timesheets for the second time in Las…

2 hours ago

2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix Free Practice 2 - Results

Full results from Free Practice 2 for the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas,…

2 hours ago

Leclerc confident Ferrari ‘has a shot’ at F1 Constructors’ title

Charles Leclerc believes that Ferrari has a genuine “shot” at beating rival McLaren to Formula…

3 hours ago

Komatsu: F1 teams united against Audi 2026 cost-cap offset

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has revealed that nine Formula 1 teams stand in opposition…

4 hours ago

Las Vegas GP: Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 in trouble-free FP1

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell led the field in a chilly but trouble-free first practice…

5 hours ago