Editorial credit: Nelson Antoine / Shutterstock.com
Formula 1 cars have several onboard cameras, which capture the on-track action from the inside, and are an essential element in today\’s broadcasts. Onboard footage first appeared during the 1950s, but the cameras were huge and were not practical during races.
During the 1960s and 1970s, onboard cameras were occasionally used in testing and practice sessions, and it was really from the mid-1980s that F1 began to adopt its own version of onboard cameras, first used in the 1979 Bathurst 100 and soon exported to the USA for use in both NASCAR and IndyCar.
Since then, the onboard cameras have captured some of F1\’s most exciting moments, which we will review today.
1. Ayrton Senna – 1990 Monaco GP Pole Lap
Ayrton Senna is for many the greatest driver of all time, and he was the undisputed king of Monaco, winning a total of six races in the Principality. On a circuit where the most important thing is the driver\’s skill, no one could match him.
In 1990, the Brazilian absolutely dominated the weekend, taking pole position and the win. Watching the onboard of his pole lap mesmerizes you, and shows that you have to be a truly exceptional driver to master the car so well on such a challenging and tight circuit.
This lap has it all: Senna, McLaren, Monaco, V10 engine… The lap is a constant fight between Senna and his car, as there was no traction control or automatic shift in those times. Throughout the lap, you can feel how he attacks, over-accelerates, and over-steers, making the camera shake constantly.
Watching Senna take a lap around Monaco is like watching Michelangelo sculpt David, simply brilliant.
2. Felipe Massa Battles Kubica In The Wet – 2007 Japanese GP
The 2007 Japanese GP, which was held at the Fuji Speedway for the first time since 1977, was marked by heavy rain and misty conditions throughout the weekend. Conditions during the race were not very favorable, and drivers could barely see the track, but the race was not canceled.
One of the great battles we experienced in the wet at the Fuji Speedway was between Felipe Massa and Robert Kubica. The Brazilian started fourth, while the Polish started tenth, but both drivers met on the last lap to fight for sixth position.
Through Massa\’s onboard camera we can see how bad the conditions were, in which you could hardly see anything when approaching Kubica\’s car, as it gave off a large trail of water, and you can also see how both drivers struggle to control the car.
The battle was very intense, and both drivers overtook each other on several occasions. Massa overtook Kubica on the inside of Turn 6, but the BMW Sauber driver overtook him in Turn 7.
In Turn 10, the Brazilian overtook Kubica again on the inside, and in the chicane of Turns 11 and 12 both touched several times, forcing them both to run off, and they came out of the chicane in parallel. They touched wheels again in Turn 13, and Massa took advantage on the inside in Turn 14.
Finally, in the last corner, Kubica tried to overtake on the inside, forcing Massa to run off the track, but the Brazilian came out of the corner faster and won this fervid battle. It was a fantastic and aggressive fight, in which after the race, both drivers shook hands.
3. François Hesnault, First F1 Live Onboard – 1985 German GP
37 years ago, fans around the world were able to experience live what it was like to drive a Formula 1 car via an onboard camera. It was at the 1985 German GP that the first live onboard camera was introduced at a Formula 1 race.
The one to go down in history as the first driver to be seen live while driving was Frenchman François Hesnault. Hesnault had competed in 20 Grands Prix in 1984 and 1985 for Ligier and Brabham, and during the 1985 German GP, he was Renault\’s third driver, and entered this race specifically to be the camera car.
This was also the last race in which a team entered three cars in a single race. A camera and microphone were taped to Hesnault\’s car on the side, just behind the cockpit, which could be shown live.
Hesnault qualified twenty-third and unfortunately, his race did not last long, as he retired on lap 8 with clutch problems, thus ending his racing career. During the onboard, whose image gets progressively dirtier, we can see Hesnault around the Nürburgring, chasing and eventually overtaking the Zakspeed of Jonathan Palmer.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
4. Kimi Räikkönen – 2020 Portuguese GP Opening Lap
Kimi Räikkönen made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2001, and retired at the end of the 2021 season, aged 42 and being the driver with the most entries in history, 353. However, despite not having very competitive cars during his last years, the Finn showed that he was still in great shape.
One of his most brilliant recent drives was his opening lap around the Algarve International Circuit at the 2020 Portuguese GP, in which he moved up 9 positions.
Räikkönen qualified sixteenth, but during the chaotic first lap, he made a great comeback, in which drivers who started on medium tires fell behind those who started on the soft tire, like the Finn.
The most impressive thing about Räikkönen\’s lap is that he doesn\’t force anyone off the track or touch anyone, but is simply pure clean racing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ChdaNDFI30&t=17s
5. Lewis Hamilton – 2012 Belgian GP Start Crash
The 2012 Belgian GP was especially remembered for the carnage that occurred at the first corner, which left 4 cars out in a spectacular accident from which miraculously no one was hurt.
There is no better point of view to see the accident than from Lewis Hamilton\’s onboard camera. The Briton qualified eighth and had a bad start, so Romain Grosjean, who started just behind, soon overtook him. However, the Frenchman moved to the inside and squeezed Hamilton between himself and the pitwall.
The two touched wheels and Hamilton\’s McLaren got stuck on Grosjean\’s rear wing, causing both to lose control. Grosjean missed the corner, crashed into Sergio Perez\’s Sauber and went airborne, crashing heavily into Fernando Alonso and running over the Spaniard\’s Ferrari just inches from his head.
This stunning accident caused a huge stir around the safety of F1 cars and was one of the events that prompted the use of the halo. For his part, Grosjean was fined €50,000 and was given a one-race ban for reckless driving.
Alonso, on the other hand, can think of that day as the day he lost the 2012 title or the day he was miraculously saved from a much worse outcome.
6. Ayrton Senna “Lap of the Gods” – 1993 European GP
Ayrton Senna\’s first lap in the 1993 European GP is for many the best lap in Formula 1 history, described as the \”Lap of the Gods\”.
In torrential rain, Senna started fifth at Donnington Park, but in less than a lap, he showed who was the king of the rain. His start was not particularly good, as he was overtaken by Karl Wendlinger, who started just behind, in the first corner, but in Turn 2 he overtook Michael Schumacher on the inside.
In Turn 3, Senna overtook Wendlinger beautifully on the outside and began his hunt for the Williams of Damon Hill and Alain Prost, who were leading the pack. A couple of corners later, in Turn 7, he easily passed Hill, and before reaching Turn 10, he had already caught up with Prost, braking on the inside and taking the lead.
Senna showed absolute dominance in the wet during this lap, and it practically looked like he was competing with amateur drivers, making this lap a true driving lesson. The Brazilian had no rival during the race, winning with a minute and twenty-three seconds advantage over the second, Damon Hill.
7. Johnny Dumfries – 1986 Australian GP Opening Lap
The 1986 Australian GP, held at the Adelaide Street Circuit, was one of the first races to use a modern-style in-car camera. One of the drivers who used an onboard camera was Johnny Dumfries, driving for Lotus-Renault.
The onboard of his opening lap makes you realize how physical and challenging it was to drive one of those cars on such a tight and tricky circuit as Adelaide. Dumfries qualified fourteen, so he was in the middle of the grid fight during the first lap.
At the start, Dumfries lost some positions due to some incidents in front, skipped the first chicane to avoid contact with other drivers, and started a chase of the front pack.
The lap shows how demanding those cars with manual transmission, round steering wheel, analog dials, and no detraction control were. As with Senna\’s lap, it is a constant battle between the driver and the car, which can be felt through the constant shaking of the camera. Also worth mentioning is the incredible sound of the V6 turbo engine, which is simply music to the ears.
It is really this type of onboards that reflects how much Formula 1 has changed and evolved in a few decades. Driving an F1 car from the 80s has nothing to do with driving one from today.
8. Lewis Hamilton\’s Hair Rising Lap – 2011 Monaco GP
The 2011 Monaco Grand Prix was not easy for Lewis Hamilton. The Briton started ninth, and during the race he was involved in numerous accidents that cost him two penalties, but he finally managed to finish sixth.
On lap 68, Hamilton was ninth, and ahead of him was a pack of cars formed by Adrian Sutil, Vitaly Petrov and Pastor Maldonado, while Jaime Alguersuari was close behind.
During lap 69, the 5 drivers were very close, and touched each other on numerous occasions, as the barriers are very close in Monaco. In this particular group battle, Hamilton and Maldonaro passed Petrov before the Grand Hotel Hairpin, but the Russian overtook the Briton immediately again.
The climax of the battle was at Tabac. Hamilton passed Petrov on the inside, and on the exit of the corner, Sutil hit the barrier, causing him a right-rear puncture. Hamilton braked to avoid Sutil, who continued as best he could, and then Alguersuari ran into the back of Hamilton and hit the barrier, causing Petrov to do the same, with both retiring.
The Safety Car came out and on lap 72 the race was red flagged, and Hamilton changed the entire rear wing under the red flag. Shortly after, the race was restarted for the last 6 laps.This fight really shows why Monaco is one of the most challenging circuits of the season.
9. Michael Schumacher Battles Montoya – 2001 Austrian GP
The 2001 Austrian GP will be remembered for many things, among them, the epic battle between Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya for the lead early in the race.
Schumacher had started in pole position, with Montoya second, but the German had a slow start and within a few meters was passed by the two Williams. After a safety car, Schumacher began his chase for the lead and overtook the Williams of Ralf Schumacher, who was suffering from rapidly decreasing braking power.
From then on, Schumacher only had Montoya in front of him to regain the lead. The two drivers hated each other and always tried to make things difficult for each other, so it was not going to be an easy battle.
For several laps, the German came very close on several occasions to Montoya, but the great defense of the Colombian made overtaking impossible.
The climax of the battle came on lap 16, at Turn 3, Remus. Schumacher tried the outside line and braked too late, but Montoya braked even later and sacrificed himself not to give up the position. The reckless driving of both caused both drivers to run into the gravel and lose some positions.
10. Lewis Hamilton, Fastest Lap In F1 – 2020 Italian GP
With the exception of the 1980 edition, the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza has hosted every Italian Grand Prix since the first championship in 1950. Monza, also called the Temple of Speed, is the fastest circuit of the season, and is especially noted for the fervent Tifosi who always come to cheer on Ferrari.
From 2017 to 2021, we had the fastest generation of cars in F1 history, due to the powerful turbocharged V6 engines, combined with the great width that those cars had, making them have great grip.
Specifically, the 2020 cars were the fastest of all, and the Mercedes W11 EQ Performance absolutely dominated the season with Lewis Hamilton. The Briton took pole position at Monza, the 94th of his career, with an average speed of 264.362 km/h (164.27 mph), setting the fastest lap in F1 history.
Watching the lap from the onboard camera is a real treat, as it\’s a flawless lap where you can see the efficiency of these cars in all areas. It\’s a perfectly coordinated dance.
11. Pastor Maldonado Crazy Last Laps – 2015 Austrian GP
The last laps of the 2015 Austrian GP were intense for Pastor Maldonado. The Venezuelan started eleventh, and during the race, he managed to climb up to eighth place. With several laps to go, Maldonado began a chase for Max Verstappen, who had started seventh and had remained in that position.
From Maldonado\’s onboard camera we can see how the tires were already very worn, and he was already low on fuel, as the car was behaving very nervous. The first overtaking attempt of the Venezuelan was in Turn 3, Remus, which he tried on the outside, but Verstappen defended the inside very well.
On the next lap, the same thing happened, with the same result. The Venezuelan did not give up, and immediately after, he tried to overtake on the outside of Turn 4, but the Dutchman made a relentless defense.
Several laps later, and after several overtaking attempts, on the start/finish straight, Maldonado, with DRS, took advantage of Verstappen\’s slipstream, and when changing the line to the outside almost lost the rear of the car, as Verstappen blocked at the first corner, giving the position to the Lotus driver in a passionate battle.
12. Michael Schumacher – 1991 Spanish GP Opening Lap
The 1991 Spanish GP was held for the first time at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and a certain Michael Schumacher, who was facing his third race in F1, surprised everyone with his performances on track.
The young German qualified fifth with his Benetton-Ford, and in front of him were some living legends such as Gerhard Berger, Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna. Despite Schumacher\’s youth, he was not intimidated and stood up to them. At the start, he was faster than the driver in front, Riccardo Patrese, and overtook him before the first corner.
Schumacher defended his position very well during the following corners, and overtook Nigel Mansell on the inside of Turn 5. At the end of the lap he challenged Senna for second place, fighting side-by-side before entering Turn 12.
At the end of the race, Schumacher finished sixth, which is quite impressive, as a rookie stood up to some of the best drivers of his time. A new legend was born.
13. Carlos Sainz – 2020 Tuscan GP Multi-Car Crash
During the 2020 season, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the F1 calendar was modified, and new circuits were included, such as Mugello, which hosted the Tuscany GP. It was a well-remembered race, as it was very eventful and had 2 red flags.
After several incidents on the first lap, the Safety Car came out and stayed until lap 6. When the Safety Car pulled in, an accordion effect led the midfield drivers to accelerate up to racing speed before the leaders did and were forced to brake, triggering a collision involving Carlos Sainz, Kevin Magnussen, Antonio Giovinazzi and Nicholas Lattifi.
It was a very messy chain accident, in which the drivers behind, who were going faster, collided with those in front. It is unclear whose fault it was, and probably no one in particular, although some, like Grosjean, blamed the leader, Valtteri Bottas, for causing the accordion effect.
From the onboard camera of Carlos Sainz, who was the driver of the four who was farthest behind, you can see very well how it went. Fortunately no one was hurt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u900k-obTRs&t=89s
14. Fernando Alonso Battles Hamilton – 2013 Canadian GP
During the 2013 Canadian GP we experienced one of the best battles of the season, between two of the greatest drivers of our time: Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton. On lap 62, with 8 laps to go, the Spaniard was closely following Hamilton, who was in second place.
Throughout the lap, Alonso was threatening Hamilton\’s second place, and the magic moment came at the DRS detection zone, which can be seen very well from Alonso\’s onboard camera.
Hamilton braked to get the DRS for the next straight and then, in a fraction of a second, Alonso not only sees Hamilton braking, but decides to brake enough to not passHamilton, so he can get DRS on the straight.
Due to this brilliant move by both, the two were approaching turn 10, a right hand hairpin, side-by-side, but Hamilton went on the inside and came out in front on the straight. After the last chicane, Alonso, with DRS and taking advantage of Hamilton\’s slipstream, passed the Briton to take second place.
Conclusion
Onboard cameras have been one of the best introductions to Formula 1 in recent decades, and have allowed us to experience some of the best action from the inside.
We\’ve probably left out a lot of moments, so feel free to comment on which is your favorite of all!
Sources
- https://f1experiences.com/es-MX/blog/brief-history-onboard-cameras-in-formula-1
- https://www.diariomotor.com/competicion/2015/08/04/se-cumplen-30-anos-de-la-primera-camara-a-bordo-en-directo-en-la-formula-1/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/François_Hesnault
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwn6GWF01qc&t=50s
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Japanese_Grand_Prix
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Monaco_Grand_Prix
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Tuscan_Grand_Prix
