In F1 The Movie, the action thrills from start to finish – from Sonny Hayes’ miracle comeback to the sport after 30 years away following a career-threatening crash, to the combustible team mate rivalry inside of APXGP, and a race result that seemed all but impossible.
While the movie’s blend of unimaginable odds and entertaining on-track battles kept us glued throughout, Formula 1 doesn’t often need a script to deliver that calibre of drama. The history of the sport is packed with real stories just as jaw-dropping as Sonny’s journey.
From miracle comebacks to title deciders on the final corner, here are 10 Formula 1 moments that took our breath away and could be movies in their own right. These are stories every F1 fan needs to know, and ones we’ll be talking about for many years to come.
Nico Hulkenberg’s maiden F1 podium: 2025 British Grand Prix
For years, Nico Hulkenberg was F1’s nearly man. Having driven for eight teams throughout his career, he’d led laps at Brazil in 2012, before a late collision ended his shot. He also qualified on pole at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2010, only to finish eighth, and he came close at the Korean Grand Prix in 2013 and Bahrain Grand Prix in 2014, but a podium always slipped away – sometimes by mere seconds, sometimes by cruel misfortune.
By 2025, the stat was as agonising as it was infamous: 238 race starts, zero podiums. His talent found some reward when winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015, but the illusive F1 podium still evaded him coming into the 2025 season. Then came Silverstone, his 239th start…
Heading into the Grand Prix on Sunday, the weekend had not gone to plan for the German driver, as he lined up a less-than-ideal P19 on the grid. But a wet-dry race can always produce surprises.
The German’s masterstroke call early on was key as he overruled his team to dive in for fresh intermediate tyres as the rain intensified on Lap 9. He was the only driver to pit, from P10 at the time, and this launched him straight into podium contention.
As he ran in P3 late on he fended off the charging Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton to hold onto his spot on the rostrum. “I don’t think I can comprehend what we’ve just done… oh my God!” came his reaction over the radio, his voice shaking.
On the podium, trophy in hand, he grinned like a man who had just lifted a curse. Fourteen seasons of near-misses collapsed into a single moment of joy. Next up, top step of the podium? Stay tuned…
Pierre Gasly’s redemption: 2020 Italian Grand Prix
France’s Pierre Gasly had high hopes when he was promoted to Red Bull from their sister team Toro Rosso (now known as Racing Bulls) at the start of the 2019 season. But, in a similar vein to a number of Max Verstappen’s team mates, Gasly was not making the mark that he – or the team – had desired.
F1 can be ruthless, and with limited time to make a positive impression, Gasly was demoted from the team during the mid-season break of that year and sent back to Toro Rosso. Clearly a talented and hard-working driver, a positive result was crucial for the morale and self-belief of the Frenchman.
As Toro Rosso became AlphaTauri in 2020, Gasly started the Italian Grand Prix in a modest P10 grid slot, sat in the cockpit of a car that hadn’t been close to a podium so far that season. However, the drama of Monza became his canvas.
The quiet start to his race turned golden on a perfectly timed pit stop under a Safety Car, just moments before race-leader Lewis Hamilton was handed a stop-go penalty for entering the closed pit lane. Following this, a huge crash for Charles Leclerc brought out a red flag, and on the restart Gasly found himself second, inheriting the lead once Hamilton served his penalty.
From there it became a high-speed game of survival for Gasly. The McLaren of Carlos Sainz was quickly closing the gap, but in the end, the two crossed the line less than half a second apart. Gasly became the first French driver to win a Grand Prix in 24 years, screaming “Oh my God, what did we just do?!” into the radio. After the pain of 2019, he had turned rejection into vindication, and a triumphant rebuke to any doubters.
Robert Kubica: From championship contender to F1’s ultimate comeback
Robert Kubica immediately made a name for himself in Formula 1 over the 2006 season with BMW Sauber. In just his third race, the Pole finished on the podium, and in 2008 he clinched his first ever victory at the Canadian Grand Prix. Ahead of the 2011 season, it was speculated that Kubica was in the running for a seat at Ferrari for the 2012 season.
However, in February 2011, while competing in a rally during the off-season, Kubica suffered a devastating crash that partially severed his right forearm. The Pole was left with multiple fractures and severe damage to his right arm, hand, shoulder, and leg. Though his arm was saved, he was forced to sit out the entire 2011 F1 campaign, with the possibility of returning to the sport seemingly out of reach.
Robert Kubica’s rollercoaster journey from F1 to Le Mans victoryInternal link
Kubica’s remarkable comeback began in 2013 as he returned to rallying, before also racing in sportscars. Against all odds, Kubica returned to the F1 grid with Williams in 2019, scoring a point in Germany. While his comeback was a victory in itself – proof of his resilience, a challenging campaign led him to announce his departure from the team at the end of the season.
Alongside staying in Formula 1 as a reserve driver for Alfa Romeo (now Kick Sauber), the Pole pursued new ventures, most notably endurance racing in the Le Mans series and later the World Endurance Championship. Here, he found new glory, culminating in an emotional victory at the coveted 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans – with none other than Ferrari. The sight of him on the top step, more than a decade after his crash, was a testament to the Pole’s grit over circumstance.
From being a Grand Prix-winner to surviving a life-threatening injury and making it back to one of motorsport’s greatest podiums, Kubica’s journey is more than a comeback. It’s a storyline Hollywood would dream of – except in F1, it’s true!
Gallery6Kubica was part of the BMW Sauber team between 2006-2010. Swipe for more imagesClose image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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Kubica was part of the BMW Sauber team between 2006-2010. Swipe for more images
Button and Brawn: The fairytale season of 2009
In late 2008, Jenson Button’s Formula 1 career was looking uncertain. Honda had pulled out of the sport, leaving hundreds of staff – and Button – without a team. In a last-minute rescue, team boss Ross Brawn bought the entire operation for just £1, rebranding it as Brawn GP.
What followed during the next season in 2009 felt like pure Hollywood. The car, fitted with a novel “double diffuser” design, stunned the paddock by being instantly competitive. Button, who had never come close to a title before, won six of the first seven races, his smooth driving style perfectly suited to the BGP 001 car.
Despite the fantastic start, this was no easy cruise to glory for Button and Brawn. Mid-season, rivals caught up, and the fairytale looked like it might quickly unravel. Button had to dig deep, fighting through tense title battles and high-pressure points races. His fifth-place finish in Brazil sealed both the Drivers’ Championship and the Constructors’ crown for Brawn GP, an achievement no other debut team has ever been close to replicating.
From the brink of unemployment to conquering the sport in just 12 months, Button and Brawn’s story is F1’s ultimate underdog triumph – and proof that sometimes the impossible really does happen.
Watch the incredible 2009 season unfold with ‘Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story’ on Disney+.
Kimi Raikkonen: The last-lap champion in 2007
The duration of the 2007 Formula 1 season had been a three-way thriller. In his first year with Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen was up against the explosive McLaren duo of rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton and reigning double World Champion Fernando Alonso. By the season finale in Brazil, Hamilton led the standings, Alonso was three points behind, and Raikkonen was seven points adrift.
To win the title, the Finn needed victory, along with Alonso off the podium, and for Hamilton to falter – a combination that seemed far-fetched at best. But from the moment the lights went out at Interlagos, the script began to shift…
Hamilton ran wide at Turn 4 on the opening lap and later suffered a gearbox glitch that dropped him out of contention. Meanwhile, Alonso, chasing his third successive title, couldn’t match the pace of the Ferraris. Raikkonen shadowed team mate Felipe Massa all race, the pair controlling the pace at the front. Then, heading into the pits for the final stops, Ferrari executed the switch flawlessly – Raikkonen emerged from the stop ahead, leading the race.
When the chequered flag fell, the Iceman had done it – he was World Champion by a single point. It was a twist ending worthy of a Hollywood classic.
Although Raikkonen would never win another title, that day in Sao Paulo cemented his legacy as one of F1’s coolest operators and most unlikely champions.
Gallery4Raikkonen became World Champion in the closing stages of the final race of the season in 2007. Swipe to see more imagesClose image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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Raikkonen became World Champion in the closing stages of the final race of the season in 2007. Swipe to see more images
Michael Schumacher: From a broken leg to five straight championships
By mid-1999, then two-time World Champion Michael Schumacher was the undisputed spearhead of Ferrari’s championship campaign. But at the British Grand Prix that July, disaster struck. A high-speed brake failure sent his car flying into the barriers at Stowe, breaking his right leg. His season was over, and with it seemed Ferrari’s title hopes.
While rival Mika Hakkinen went on to claim the championship that year, Schumacher focused on recovery. The German driver returned for the final two races of 1999 to help team mate Eddie Irvine’s bid for the title, but the bigger story was the fire it lit for the following years.
Remembering Schumacher’s stunning first win for FerrariInternal link
From then on, the fully fit Schumacher was relentless, fending off Hakkinen in an epic season-long duel to deliver Ferrari’s first Drivers’ title in 21 long years. What followed was total domination – the 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 titles all went to Schumacher, the last season seeing him win 13 of 18 races. Five consecutive titles, 72 victories, and a dynasty unlike any the sport had ever seen.
That crash in 1999 could easily have ended his already decorated career. Instead, it became the turning point in one of F1’s most remarkable reigns. Schumacher ultimately became a seven-time World Champion – a jaw dropping record that he shares with Lewis Hamilton.
Watch ‘Schumacher’ on Netflix to find out the incredible story behind one of the best drivers Formula 1 has ever seen.
Gallery4Schumacher was already a two-time World Champion by the time of his frightening crash in 1999. Swipe for more imagesClose image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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Schumacher was already a two-time World Champion by the time of his frightening crash in 1999. Swipe for more images
How the ‘Flying Finn’ Mika Hakkinen defied the odds
The 1995 season finale at the Australian Grand Prix should have been straight forward, with Schumacher having already secured the title two races before. Instead, this race weekend nearly ended Mika Hakkinen’s life. In Friday practice at Adelaide, a tyre failure sent his McLaren hurtling into the barriers at over 120mph. The impact was so violent that Hakkinen suffered a skull fracture, requiring an emergency tracheotomy trackside from Professor Sid Watkins to save his life.
His journey to recovery was uncertain, with questions about whether he would ever be able to race again, let alone compete at the top level. But, as with all born-champions, Hakkinen was nothing if not determined. Amazingly, by the start of the 1996 season he was back in the cockpit, finishing a commendable P5 in his first race back. Over the next few seasons, he quietly rebuilt his speed and confidence.
Just a few seasons later in 1998, the ‘Flying Finn’ was transformed. In a dramatic season-long duel with Schumacher, Hakkinen clinched his first world title, following it up with a second in 1999. His laser focus on his goal and refusal to quit made him one of the era’s most respected drivers.
From a freak crash that almost claimed his life, to standing on the top step of the championship podium twice in succession, Hakkinen’s journey was the ultimate F1 redemption arc, and proof that in this sport, longer comebacks can be as thrilling as victories themselves.
Gallery3Before his crash in Australia 1995, Hakkinen was building momentum, having finished P2 twice in the last five races. Swipe for more imagesClose image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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Before his crash in Australia 1995, Hakkinen was building momentum, having finished P2 twice in the last five races. Swipe for more images
Nigel Mansell’s relentless return from retirement
Nigel Mansell came agonisingly close to Formula 1 glory in the mid-1980s. In 1986, he dominated much of the season but suffered multiple mechanical failures, finishing second in the championship behind Alain Prost. The following year, 1987, saw a similar story as Mansell led races and showed pace, but reliability issues and injuries from crashes meant he narrowly missed out on the title again. These heartbreaks left him frustrated and increasingly questioning his future in the sport.
By 1990, after yet more seasons of near-misses, and seeing younger drivers rise, Mansell made the decision to step away from F1. Fans assumed his best days were behind him, and it seemed like the championship dream had slipped away for good.
But thankfully, Mansell wasn’t done yet. The Brit was lured back to Formula 1 by Williams a few months later where, in 1991, he instantly proved his hunger was still present. The Williams car, with revolutionary active suspension and cutting-edge electronics, perfectly complemented his aggressive driving style – it was a match made in heaven!
1992 became one of the most dominant seasons in F1 history. Mansell won nine out of the first 10 races, clinching the championship with an incredible five rounds to spare. The comeback story was complete: a driver who had left the sport in despair returned to conquer it with absolute authority.
From quitting F1 to becoming World Champion two years later, his story is as cinematic as any blockbuster movie – an important reminder that in Formula 1, nothing is really over, even when it seems all hope is lost…
Gallery4In 1988 Nigel Mansell became the last Ferrari driver to be hand-picked to join the team by Enzo Ferrari himself. Swipe for more imagesClose image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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In 1988 Nigel Mansell became the last Ferrari driver to be hand-picked to join the team by Enzo Ferrari himself. Swipe for more images
Prost vs Senna: The Suzuka showdowns of 1989 and 1990
Few rivalries in sport have burned as fiercely as that of Alain Prost vs Ayrton Senna – two drivers that, despite their mutual respect, battled with such competitive intensity in their title bids. Their most notable battleground? Suzuka, Japan.
In 1989, the title fight was between the McLaren team mates. Heading into the penultimate race of the season at Suzuka, Prost led Senna in the championship by 16 points, meaning Senna had to win both remaining races in order to defend his title – an unlikely task seeing as his team mate was leading in Japan with just seven laps to go.
Prost vs. Senna: The top 10 moments of F1’s defining rivalryInternal link
With Prost ahead, Senna attacked, and they collided at the chicane. Prost was forced to retire on the spot… but Senna rejoined, and went on to win. However, the Brazilian was later disqualified for re-entering the circuit incorrectly, handing Prost the title, a controversial conclusion to a tense battle.
A year later, the roles were reversed. Prost was now at Ferrari, Senna still at McLaren. Still bitter about the previous season’s ruling, Senna vowed revenge. On the very first corner of the 1990 race in Suzuka, Senna collided with Prost to eliminate them both from the race. The crash sealed Senna’s second championship and snatched the title back from his rival, but also cemented their feud as one of the most infamous in the history of motorsport.
James Hunt vs Niki Lauda: The drama of 1976
The 1976 Formula 1 season is one of the sport’s most legendary rivalries of two polar opposite characters. Niki Lauda, defending champion and methodical perfectionist, dominated early on, but his season – and life – nearly ended at the German Grand Prix. During a terrifying lap in torrential rain, Lauda lost control and crashed into the barriers before his car caught fire. He would suffer severe burns, lung damage, and face a battle for survival. Although he recovered by what the medical profession called sheer force of will, many assumed his championship hopes were over.
Enter James Hunt, the charismatic, risk-taking Brit whose season so far had been a rollercoaster of wins and close calls. With Lauda sidelined for recovery, Hunt clawed back points relentlessly, winning multiple races on the bounce and keeping his title fight alive. But then came Lauda’s jaw-dropping return. Just six weeks after the crash he was back; he was bandaged and burned, yet steely and determined, as he continued racing again at the Italian Grand Prix – against all odds.
Unsurprisingly, the turbulent championship fight came down to the final race in Fuji, Japan, with Lauda sitting just three points ahead of Hunt. Torrential rain and fog turned the circuit into a dangerous test of nerves, especially for Lauda – with debates over whether the race should be started at all. On Lap 2, Lauda drove into the pits to withdraw, as he believed the weather conditions were too dangerous, later stating: “My life is worth more than a title.”
The retirement left Hunt needing only fourth place to take the title. At first, he seemed on course – but as the track dried, Hunt’s pace faded and rivals surged past. Tyre issues forced an unscheduled pit stop, dropping him to fifth.
With the championship slipping away, Hunt launched a furious late charge, passing two drivers in quick succession to climb back up to third. Confusion reigned as the unofficial result initially placed him fifth, but after a tense review period, Hunt was confirmed as third, and had done enough to win the championship by a single point.
The storyline of this rivalry in 1976 proved so captivating that even decades later it grabbed the attention of Hollywood directors, who transformed the story into the movie Rush, released in 2013.
Gallery4Lauda was very much in control of the championship before his horror crash at the German Grand Prix in 1976Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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Lauda was very much in control of the championship before his horror crash at the German Grand Prix in 1976