Surprise Wins and Long Shots: The Best F1 Underdog Victories to Remember

Formula One can produce some truly magical moments. While some drivers manage to dominate most of the races that they compete in across a season or throughout their careers, there can be moments when fans are truly wowed when an unexpected winner happens.

Like many professional sports, there is always a very good chance that anything can happen. It’s not played on paper, which adds to the enthralling nature of each race. That’s why so many like to enhance their viewing with other forms of entertainment, such as placing bets on the grand prixs that take place.

It’s not uncommon for bettors to look at each race and consider those who may be considered underdogs. When looking at the top betting sites with a range of F1 betting markets, some will look at the value of the odds being offered, then consider other factors that can make a difference to the race. Indeed, there has been a history of an unexpected winner in some races, further adding to the potential reward that bettors receive when they accurately predict who they believe may win.

Most Surprising Results

Several surprising results have happened throughout the history of Formula One, with some having been truly memorable for many reasons. The victories to have happened were truly unexpected, as the driver in each scenario managed to surpass all expectations when doing so, with some being given very little credit before making one of the drives of their lives.

Olivier Panis - 1996 Monaco Grand Prix

Driving for Ligier in the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix, Olivier Panis achieved something that many felt was impossible for the team to accomplish. However, many factors helped them win. The race is perhaps best remembered for being one in which only three cars were still running at the finish, with crashes, mechanical failures, and the wet weather all contributing. Still, Panis managed to secure the only win of his F1 career and Ligier’s first in 15 years when he raced from 14th to first to triumph in a notoriously difficult race.

Sebastian Vettel - 2008 Italian Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel can be considered one of the greatest F1 drivers ever, but in 2008, he was a young 21-year-old racing for Toro Rosso. He arguably rose to prominence when he secured victory at that year’s Italian Grand Prix. Prior to Kimi Antonelli’s pole success in Miami at the 2025 Grand Prix, he was the youngest pole-sitter and race winner when he won at Monza, giving Toro Rosso an extremely rare win, let alone points that were hard to achieve.

Johnny Herbert - 1999 European Grand Prix

The 1999 European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring was chaotic with changing weather conditions, crashes, and mechanical failures. Starting 14th in the uncompetitive Stewart car, Johnny Herbert made smart tire choices and stayed out of trouble as leaders like Heinz-Harald Frentzen, David Coulthard, and Giancarlo Fisichella faltered. Herbert’s teammate Rubens Barrichello finished third, securing a double podium for Stewart in what was an incredible year for the team as they won their only race in a short career where they struggled to remain.

Damon Hill - 1998 Belgian Grand Prix

In 1998 at the Belgian Grand Prix, Damon Hill gave Jordan their first-ever F1 victory, while his teammate, Ralf Schumacher, finished second. The race at Spa was memorable because of the first-lap pile-up involving 13 cars and a controversial collision between Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard. Still, Hill came out unscathed and helped the team to a memorable weekend in Belgium.

Pastor Maldonado - 2012 Spanish Grand Prix

Pastor Maldonado was an erratic driver, but he could sometimes produce results, including at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix when driving for Williams. The team wasn’t near its former best, but the Venezuelan driver managed to get the best out of his car on this occasion. He secured a shock pole position after Lewis Hamilton was disqualified, and finished the race first to secure his only pole, podium finish, and win in his F1 career. Perhaps the highlight of the race was his ability to defend the lead from Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari to stop the Spaniard from winning his home race. It was also Williams’ first victory since 2004.

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