Photo by mrlaugh via Flickr , licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 .
While we have mostly focused on forgotten drivers, fascinating team stories and other forgotten moments in Formula 1 history, this time we’re turning our attention to the outliers: F1 teams with only one Grand Prix victory.
Winning even a single race is enough to be remembered forever. It is a huge achievement that can define a team’s entire history. For some, however, that moment of glory never came again. Whether due to financial difficulties, changes in ownership or simply the end of a racing project, several teams left Formula 1 with just one Grand Prix victory to their name.
F1 Teams With Only One Grand Prix Win
Here is a list of former teams that won at least one Formula 1 World Championship race but never managed to repeat that success. We have excluded Kuzma from the list because it was an American constructor focused on Indianapolis racing rather than a team specifically built for Formula 1. However, its 1952 Indianapolis 500 victory is still officially counted in F1 World Championship records, as the race was part of the championship calendar between 1950 and 1960. It is worth mentioning this historical detail to explain why Kuzma appears among F1’s one-time winners in official statistics.
Some teams won when nobody expected them to, while others needed years of hard work to reach the top. From small independent outfits to major automotive manufacturers, here are the F1 teams that reached the top just once and never won another race under the same name.
Porsche – 1962 French Grand Prix
Porsche is one of the most successful manufacturers in motorsport history, particularly in endurance racing.
However, Porsche’s F1 operation had a relatively short life and managed only one Grand Prix victory.
That historic achievement came at the 1962 French GP at Rouen-Les-Essarts. American driver Dan Gurney delivered a memorable performance driving the Porsche 804, defeating his rivals to give the German manufacturer its first and only victory as a F1 constructor.
The air-cooled, flat-eight-powered engine proved particularly reliable on demanding circuit where several leading competitors encountered mechanical problems, Gurney eventually finished a full lap ahead of second-place Tony Maggs.
Despite the achievement, Porsche decided to leave F1 at the end of the 1962.
Eagle – 1967 Belgian Grand Prix
The team was founded by American racing driver Dan Gurney. Anglo American Racers entered Formula 1 with its beautiful Eagle machinery, hoping to establish a strong American presence in the championship.
The greatest moment for the team arrived at the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Driving the Eagle Mk1, Gurney produced an outstanding performance to claim victory, becoming the first American driver to win a Formula 1 race in an American-built car, built by his own team.
The achievement was impressive because Eagle had been competing against best European teams with greater resources. Despite the win, the team struggled to secure the financial backing to continue in F1. By 1968, Gurney had shifted his attention towards American racing, bringing Eagle’s F1 ambitions to an end.
Its Belgian GP win remains one of the most memorable achievemetns by an American constructor.
Hesketh – 1975 Dutch Grand Prix
Few F1 teams made an entrance quite like Hesketh.
The team was founded by Lord Alexander Hesketh, so behind the glamorous lifestyle, however, there was a genuinely competitive racing team.
The win came at the 1975 Dutch GP at Zandvoort. James Hunt, driving the Hesketh 308, took advantage of changing weather conditions and made an excellent decision to switch tyres as the track began to dry.
He then had to defend his position against Niki Lauda’s Ferrari, holding off the Austrian for more than 30 laps to secure a remarkable victory.
However, financial difficulties eventually caught up with the operation, without sponsorship, the team disappeared from F1 in 1978. But Hunt’s victory in the Netherlands remains the defining moment of Hesketh’s F1 history.
Penske – 1976 Austrian Grand Prix
Roger Penske is a legendary figure in American motorsport, with an impressive record across IndyCar, NASCAR and endurance racing.
But F1 adventure of Penske Team, however, produced just one race victory. That success arrived at the 1976 Austrian GP at the Osterreichring. John Watson drove the Penske PC4 to a memorable victory, finishing ahead of Jacques Laffite and giving the American team its first and only Grand Prix win.
Despite the postential and finishing fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, Penske decided to withdraw from F1 after 1976 season. Roger Penske chose to continue only in American racing.
Shadow – 1977 Austrian Grand Prix
With its distinctive black cars and mysterious identity, Shadow became one of the most recognisable independent teams of the 1970s. The team was founded by Don Nichols, and the operation reached the top at the 1977 Austrian GP.
Australian driver Alan Jones produced an impressive performance in the Shadow DN8, starting 14th before working his way through the field in difficult conditions.
The race eventually turned in his favour when James Hunt retired with an engine failure on lap 43, allowing Jones to take the lead and secure an unexpected victory.
It was special moment for Shadow F1 Team, which had spent several seasons trying to compete with the best teams on the gird.
However, Shadow’s success didn’t lead to a sustained period at the front; financial problems and internal disagreements weakened the team, while several key personel eventually left to create Arrows team.
Shadow continued in F1 until 1980, but never managed to repeat its Austrian triumph.
Stewart Grand Prix – 1999 European Grand Prix
Founded by three-time World Champion Jackie Stewart and his son Paul, Stewart Grand Prix entered Formula 1 in 1997 with ambitions of becoming a competitive factory-backed operation.
Their best moment came during the chaotic race in 1999 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. With rain and changing track conditions causing problems throughout the field, Johny Herbert kept his Stewart-Ford SF3 on the road and made the most of the opportunities presented to him. He crossed the finish line in first place, securing a historic victory. Teammate Rubens Barrichello completed a memorable afternoon by finishing third.
It was the highlight of Stewart Grand Prix’s short F1 existence, at the end of 1999, Ford acquired the operation and prepared to introduce it under a new identity.
The team became Jaguar Racing, ending Stewart’s independent chapter with just one victory in F1.
BMW Sauber – 2008 Canadian Grand Prix
BMW Sauber enjoyed several competitive seasons in F1, but its greatest achievement came in 2008 at the Canadian GP.
One year after Robert Kubica incident at the same Montreal circuit, the Polish driver returned to the top of the podium. He led teammate Nick Heidfeld home for a memorable one-two finish, giving BMW Sauber its first and only win in F1.
However, BMW made a controversial strategic decision to stop developing its 2008 car relatively early and concentrate on the major regulation changes coming in 2009.
The following season was disappointing for the team, and BMW announced its withdrawal from F1 at the end of the season. BMW Sauber’s victory in Canada therefore remained its only success under that name.
Toro Rosso – 2008 Italian Grand Prix
Red Bull’s junior team, Toro Rosso, achieved something remarkable at the 2008 Italian GP.
In extremely difficult wet conditions, a young Sebastian Vettel delivered one of the greatest performances of his early career. Driving the Ferrari-powered STR3, he secured pole position before controlling the race and take his first F1 victory.
At just 21 years old at the time, Vettel became the youngest Grand Prix winner in Formula 1 history. And that win was impressive considering Toro Roso team, which was generally regarded as a midfield team rather than a regular contender for victories.
The Italian Grand Prix remains the team’s only victory under the Toro Rosso name. In 2020, Red Bull rebranded the operation as AlphaTauri, giving the Faenza-based outfit a new identity.
AlphaTauri – 2020 Italian Grand Prix
Twelve years after Toro Rosso’s unforgettable victory at Monza, its successor AlphaTauri returned to the top at the same circuit, the 2020 Italian GP produced another unexpected winner, this time in the form of French driver Pierre Gasly.
A perfectly timed pit stop before the pit lane closed, followed by a red flag, completely changed the race; Gasly found himself in the lead and then had to defend against Carlos Sainz during the closing stages. Despite the pressure, he held on to claim his first F1 victory and AlphaTauri’s first under its new name.
It was a remarkable achievement for a team that had spent much of its existence supporting Red Bull’s young drivers. Although the organisation had previously won as Toro Rosso, Gasly’s triumph gave AlphaTauri its own single victory before another rebranding took place in 2024.
Racing Point – 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix
Racing Point’s only F1 victory arrived in one of the most dramatic races of the modern era.
At the 2020 Sakhir GP in Bahrain, Sergio Perez suffered an early collision and dropped to the back of the field. What followed was an outstanding recovery drive from the Mexican, who gradually worked his way towards the front.
The race took another unexpected turn when Mercedes made a disastrous pit stop with Bottas during the safety car period, damaging its chances of victory. Meanwhile, one lap after the safety car was deployed, race leader Russell pitted but rejoined behind the leading cars.
Perez took advantage of the situation, moved into the lead and held on to claim his first Grand Prix victory. Teammate Lance Stroll finished third.
It was a historic afternoon for the team, but also its last major moment under that identity. Lawrence Stroll’s team was transformed into the Aston Martin factory team for the 2021 season, leaving Racing Point with exactly one victory.
Alpine – 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix
Alpine is another interesting addition to the list because its F1 history is closely connected to Renault team.
For the 2021 season, Renault rebranded its factory team under the Alpine name, promoting the French manufacturer’s sports car brand through F1.
The new identity didn’t have to wait long for its first victory, at the 2021 Hungarian GP, Esteban Ocon took advantage of a chaotic opening lap that eliminated several competitiors from contention.
He was under pressure from Sebastian Vettel for almost the entire race, but in the closing stages, the team had to find a way to resist Lewis Hamilton’s charge. Before Hamilton could reach the leader, Fernando Alonso delivered one of the drives of his life, defending brilliantly for several laps to keep him behind and give his teammate, Esteban Ocon, some breathing room at the front. It was a race to remember, and one that F1 fans thoroughly enjoyed.
Ocon crossed the finish line first to secure Alpine’s maiden F1 victory.
Although the Enstone-based operation had already celebrated numerous victories and championships as Benetton and Renault, Ocon’s Hungarian triumph remains Alpine’s only F1 win under that particular constructor identity.
One win and never again
F1 history is filled with teams that enjoyed long periods of success; but some constructors are remembered for a single afternoon when everything came together.
While some of the teams mentioned are no longer in existence, all except Alpine, none of them can ever add another victory to their tally. Alpine is the only team still on the grid with a chance of securing a second win and being removed from this list. For the others, their place in history is permanent, and the list will remain unchanged.
What makes these teams interesting is that their only wins became an essential part of their identities, they may not have built dynasties or collected multiple championships, but they achieved something that many F1 teams never managed, winning a Formula 1 race.
FEATURED IMAGE CREDITS: Photo by mrlaugh via Flickr, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
