F1's 5 Biggest Underdog Wins
If this season is anything to go by, even the most ardent F1 fan would have to admit that it can be a bit predictable. Verstappen's record-breaking 19 wins so far this year have been an incredible achievement, but they have taken some of the excitement out of races with many believing the result is a foregone conclusion before even starting.
Of course, nothing in sport is ever guaranteed and F1 has seen some incredible underdog stories in its history. Everyone likes an underdog and Hollywood is littered with stories about David and Goliath stories of the underdog overcoming seemingly unsurmountable odds to achieve victory. In reality, it is nowhere near as common.
This means that when it does happen, it can remain etched in people’s heads for a long time and the races below are some examples of that; they might inspire you to back an outsider the next time you bet on motorsports.
Keke Rosberg 1984
Dallas, Texas in 1984 was the setting for Keke Rosberg's famous win: although the best Texas sports betting apps weren’t yet around in the 80s, we can guarantee that if they were, none of them would have predicted the outcome of this race. This story is one of opportunity and perseverance. Rosberg took advantage of both Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost being involved in accidents to secure the famous victory thanks to his great technical driving.
Mansell looked like he had things wrapped up with Rosberg back in third until he sustained damage. Prost took over the lead until he collided with a barrier and also damaged his vehicle. This left Rosberg free to secure his famous win.
Olivier Panis 1996
In 1996, torrential rains made the Monaco Grand Prix one of the most exciting events in the sport's history. Legendary driver Michael Schumacher fell victim to the difficult conditions which resulted in a very open race.
The lead continued to switch as the laps wore on with crash after crash reducing the numbers until just three racers were left competing on the final lap.
Johnny Herbert and David Coulthard eventually finished behind Olivier Panis as the Frenchman recorded a memorable victory on home soil.
Damon Hill 1998
In 1998, the British driver Damon Hill won his last Grand Prix in Belgium despite a terrible start before the race was restarted because of a pile-up involving 13 cars.
Hill made a much better start and held off the challenge of Michael Schumacher until the eighth lap. Schumacher raced into the lead and held off Hill until a collision on lap 23 allowed Hill to regain the lead and see out the race.
Sebastian Vettel 2008
2008 saw the arrival of Sebastian Vettel as one of the most promising young drivers in the championship. At the Italian Grand Prix, he stunned racegoers by becoming the youngest pole-sitter following an impressive qualifying lap.
He continued his form in the Grand Prix as wet conditions suited his tire choice, going on to become the youngest Grand Prix winner in history at the age of 21 and 74 days.
He was able to maintain the lead for the majority of the race and went on to become the Autosport Awards Rookie of the Year for 2008.
Gilles Villeneuve 1981
The difference in F1 cars between 1981 and now is incredible, and Gilles Villeneuve managed a victory despite driving one of the worst cars in '81.
At Spain's Circuito del Jarama, Villeneuve used incredible driving skills to take the lead and hold onto it against vastly superior cars.
One of the most impressive things about this race is that Villeneuve never resorted to underhand tricks to maintain his lead and his clean racing earned him a lot of plaudits.
Conclusion
Hindsight is a great thing, and it is difficult to look past the favourites for a race because of the quality the drivers have and the incredible cars they are racing. If race fans could go back in history they would love the opportunity to check their favourite sportsbooks and find the odds for Keke Rosberg or to see what the betting on Panis winning the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix with only two other finishers.
While Verstappen is completely dominating the sport at present, it does provide potential for people to explore betting apps and find great value for money. All it takes is a bump or some engine trouble that rules Verstappen out of a race for the market to totally open up. This could result in another great underdog story for one lucky driver out there.
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