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Man of Many
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Man of Many
Where Oscar Piastri Ranks Amongst Australia's Greatest F1 Drivers
With a win at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Oscar Piastri tied Daniel Ricciardo with eight Formula 1 race wins. Now, the 24-year-old has his sights on his manager Mark Webber's total of nine and, more importantly, winning his first Formula One World Championship. While he still has some achievements to lock in before he challenges Australian F1 greats like Alan Jones and Sir Jack Brabham for the top of the all-time drivers rankings, Oscar Piastri is on track to become the first Australian Formula One World Champion since Alan Jones in 1980. Should he achieve this, his name will go down in history with the greats of Australian motor racing, but some would argue he's already in that conversation. Today, we're taking a retrospective look at the achievements of the greatest Australian F1 drivers. If you want to see how Oscar Piastri compares to the greats in wins, podiums, and points in his short but successful career, read on. Jack Brabham pushing his car across the line to win 1959 Formula One World Championship | Image: Supplied Has There Ever Been an Australian F1 World Champion? Year Champion Points* Wins Podiums 1959 Jack Brabham 31 2 5 1960 Jack Brabham 43 5 5 1966 Jack Brabham 42 4 5 1980 Alan Jones 67 5 10 Scroll horizontally to view full table * FIA championship points credited after the season's drop‑score rules were applied. The first Australian F1 driver to win the Formula One World Championship was Sir Jack Brabham. His first of three titles arrived in 1959 when he won the US Grand Prix at Sebring International Raceway on 12 December 1959 by pushing his rear-engined Cooper T51 across the line. He would then back up his efforts a year later by winning the 1960 title behind the wheel of the Cooper T53, which would also secure the Cooper team a constructors' title. Six years later, he won the 1966 championship behind the wheel of his own Brabham BT19 and BT20, powered by a 3.0-litre Repco 620 3.0 V8. Notably, only the best five results from the nine- and ten-race 1959, 1960, and 1966 seasons counted towards the championship. Still, this was no small achievement as Brabham was racing against names like Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, John Surtees, and Jackie Stewart. The last Australian to win a Formula One World Championship was Alan Jones, who took home the 1980 title behind the wheel of a Williams-Ford FW07 and FW07B. He would beat out names like Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, and Mario Andretti during the 14-race season, winning five races and scoring five fastest laps. Jones would put up a strong fight in the 1981 season, finishing third in the title race, but with Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, and Nigel Mansell on the up and up, and Carlos Reutemann in peak form, it was going to be tough to mirror the success of the 1980 season. Neither Daniel Ricciardo nor Mark Webber won a Formula One World Championship, but Webber managed to finish third in the championship in the 2010, 2011 and 2013 seasons. Ricciardo managed the same in the 2014 and 2016 seasons. Sir Jack Brabham has the most wins with 14 | Image: Supplied Which Australian F1 Driver Has the Most Race Wins? Driver Total wins First victory Win span Sir Jack Brabham 14 1959 Monaco GP 1959‑1970 Alan Jones 12 1977 Austrian GP 1977‑1981 Mark Webber 9 2009 German GP (Nürburgring) 2009‑2012 Daniel Ricciardo 8 2014 Canadian GP 2014‑2021 Oscar Piastri 8 2024 Hungarian GP 2024‑2025 Scroll horizontally to view full table Oscar Piastri is on track to secure his first Formula One World Championship in 2025, but he's still a ways behind Sir Jack Brabham for outright titles. That said, Oscar has a very good chance of catching Sir Jack for total race wins in the not-so-distant future. Most recently, he tied Daniel Ricciardo with eight race wins after a first-place victory at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. His manager, Mark Webber, is next on the list with nine wins before Alan Jones on 12, and finally, Sir Jack Brabham with 14. Mark Webber has the most podiums with 42 | Image: Supplied Who Has the Most Podiums? Driver Career podiums First podium Most‑recent podium Podium span Sir Jack Brabham 31 1959 Monaco GP (P1) 1970 British GP (P2) 1959 – 1970 Alan Jones 24 1977 Austrian GP (P1) 1981 Caesars Palace GP (P1) 1977 – 1981 Mark Webber 42 2005 Monaco GP (P3) 2013 Brazilian GP (P2) 2005 – 2013 Daniel Ricciardo 32 2014 Spanish GP (P3) 2021 Italian GP (P1) 2014 – 2021 Oscar Piastri 21 2023 Japanese GP (P3) 2025 Belgian GP (P1) 2023 – 2025 Tim Schenken 1 1971 Austrian GP (P3) 1971 Austrian GP (P3) 1971 Scroll horizontally to view full table We dislike intergenerational comparisons as much as the next person, but podiums are the toughest to make because of the number of races in a season. The 1959 F1 season had a total of nine races, while the 2025 F1 season has a total of 24 Grands Prix (six of which include an F1 Sprint race). There are more chances to land a spot on the podium, but we don't want to take away from just how hard it is for someone like Daniel Ricciardo, Mark Webber, and Oscar Piastri to get a bottle of Champagne in their hands. With 24 races per F1 season today, Oscar Piastri could easily catch his manager, Mark Webber, within the next two seasons if he continues to win at a high level. Oscar Piastri wins the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix | Image: Supplied Where Does Oscar Piastri Sit Amongst the All-Time Greats? With 21 podiums, eight GP wins, and a real chance at the first Formula One World Championship for an Australian F1 driver in more than 40 years, Oscar Piastri could catch Mark Webber and 1980 F1 Champion Alan Jones quickly to become one of the greatest Australian F1 drivers of all time. If he manages to hold out teammate Lando Norris and win the 2025 World Championship, Piastri would eclipse Jones in the rankings, but where he ranks against Sir Jack Brabham and his pre-ground-effects titles is up for debate. It will be an accomplishment worth celebrating when he catches his manager, Mark Webber, for podiums and wins. However, Piastri likely has more in the tank than a few wins. Still early in his career, he has the potential for more than a few Formula One World Championships if his car, skill, and a little luck can continue to perform at a high level.
The Independent
19-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
Former jockey who helped Minehead crash victims says he ‘couldn't sleep'
A former professional jockey who helped adults and children involved in a school bus crash said he 'couldn't sleep' because of the trauma of what he saw. Alan Jones, 64, ferried passengers to safety by driving them to a safe hub on his quad bike following the crash in Somerset on Thursday. A 10-year-old boy died and six children and three adults remain in hospital after the vehicle left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead and slid down a 20ft slope. The bus had been carrying 60 to 70 pupils and staff from Minehead Middle School, who were returning from a trip to Exmoor Zoo days before the end of term. Mr Jones, who now works as a trainer and lives at East Harwood Farm, said he took a total of eight adults and children to the Rest and Be Thankful Inn in Wheddon Cross after their school bus overturned. As he had a quad bike, he felt he would be able to get to the road, which had been closed, via the fields and took a rope with him. 'It's the most remote place,' he said. 'The children coming out of that accident wouldn't have known where they were. 'I think it would have been wrong not to try and help. I was there in under 10 minutes. 'When I got there, the road was closed and the police were everywhere. Everybody was just looking at the bus. 'I didn't know there were any fatalities at the time, but I knew there were children still in the bus, and all of the police officers were just basically around the bus and there wasn't anybody else about, really; I was the only local person there.' He said he first helped two teachers on the side of the road. As he drove the two women slowly round the bends towards the pub, he saw a group of children and one adult who had been instructed to head to the pub which had been set up as a safe hub. He said: 'They were just sort of stranded there. They didn't know what was going on, really. 'They wouldn't have known where they were and there were high trees behind and in front of them because the road runs through the cliff a bit. 'You could see they were injured and crying and upset. 'It was too far, these were very young middle school children. They'd just been upside down in a bus, over a cliff, all the windows had broken in the bus, and they'd scrambled out and been helped out by emergency services. 'I presume some of them were told to make their way up but they just couldn't walk up.' When he got to the top, ambulances picked up the two women so he returned to pick up another teacher and child. He said: 'They were in shock. They didn't really say a lot. 'One teacher said: 'I'm never going back on a bus or coach ever again'.' Mr Jones said he could not get to sleep when he returned home to bed. 'They're just so innocent and it wasn't their fault. It was a sorry sight,' he added. 'When you hear it's children from a middle school, I should think everybody dropped everything like I did, because it's just something about children – they're pretty helpless, really. 'They couldn't even walk to the pub because they just got tired, which is quite sad.' The crash happened between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe, at about 3.15pm on Thursday. The vehicle left the road, overturned and came to rest about 20ft from the road, down a steep slope. Recovery of the vehicle and the investigation are complex, and the PA news agency understands the road will remain closed until the beginning of next week. Fundraisers have also been set up for affected families, amounting to tens of thousands of pounds in total so far. Tributes have been left at the school, which remained closed on Friday.
BBC News
19-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Jockey 'couldn't sleep' after Minehead school coach crash
A former professional jockey who helped teachers and pupils involved in a coach crash says he "couldn't sleep" after what he had Jones said he had transported passengers to safety on his quad bike after the coach being used for a Minehead Middle School trip crashed near Wheddon Cross in Somerset on Thursday.A 10-year-old boy died after the coach left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill and slid down a 20ft slope during the return journey from Exmoor Zoo. Six children and three adults remain in hospital."They're just so innocent and it wasn't their fault. It was a sorry sight," Mr Jones said. The 64-year-old, who now works as a trainer, said he had taken eight adults and children to the Rest and Be Thankful Inn in Wheddon Cross, which was set up as a safe hub after the crash. 'Crying and upset' Mr Jones said he had used his quad bike to get to Cutcombe Hill via said the crash site was in "the most remote place" and he thought it "would have been wrong not to try and help".He described how he had first picked up two teachers on the side of the road, then saw a group of children and one adult who were trying to get to the safe hub."You could see they were injured and crying and upset. It was too far, these were very young middle school children," he said."They'd just been upside down in a bus, over a cliff, all the windows had broken in the bus, and they'd scrambled out and been helped out by emergency services."I presume some of them were told to make their way up but they just couldn't walk up." When Mr Jones got further up the road, ambulances picked up the two teachers he was transporting and he returned to help another teacher and said: "They were in shock. They didn't really say a lot."One teacher said: 'I'm never going back on a bus or coach ever again'."Fundraisers set up for affected families have raised tens of thousands of have been left at Minehead Middle School, which remained closed on Friday.
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Former jockey who rescued injured children from school coach crash that killed boy, 10, says he 'can't sleep' from the horror of what he saw inside
A former professional jockey who helped rescue adults and children involved in a horrific school bus crash said he 'couldn't sleep' because of the scenes he witnessed. Alan Jones, 64, ferried passengers to safety by driving them to a safe hub on his quad bike following the crash in Somerset on Thursday. A 10-year-old boy died and six children and three adults remain in hospital after the vehicle left the A396 at Cutcombe Hill near Minehead and slid down a 20ft slope. The bus had been carrying 60 to 70 pupils and staff from Minehead Middle School, who were returning from a trip to Exmoor Zoo days before the end of term. Mr Jones, who now works as a trainer and lives at East Harwood Farm, said he took a total of eight adults and children to the Rest and Be Thankful Inn in Wheddon Cross after their school bus overturned. As he had a quad bike, he felt he would be able to get to the road, which had been closed, via the fields and took a rope with him. 'It's the most remote place,' he said. 'The children coming out of that accident wouldn't have known where they were. 'I think it would have been wrong not to try and help. I was there in under 10 minutes. 'When I got there, the road was closed and the police were everywhere. Everybody was just looking at the bus. 'I didn't know there were any fatalities at the time, but I knew there were children still in the bus, and all of the police officers were just basically around the bus and there wasn't anybody else about, really; I was the only local person there.' He said he first helped two teachers on the side of the road. As he drove the two women slowly round the bends, he saw a group of children and one adult who had been instructed to head to the pub which had been set up as a safe point. He said: 'They were just sort of stranded there. They didn't know what was going on, really. 'They wouldn't have known where they were and there were high trees behind and in front of them because the road runs through the cliff a bit. 'You could see they were injured and crying and upset. 'It was too far, these were very young middle school children. They'd just been upside down in a bus, over a cliff, all the windows had broken in the bus, and they'd scrambled out and been helped out by emergency services. 'I presume some of them were told to make their way up, but they just couldn't walk up.' When he reached the top, ambulances picked up the two women so he returned to pick up another teacher and child. He said: 'They were in shock. They didn't really say a lot. 'One teacher said: 'I'm never going back on a bus or coach ever again'.' Mr Jones said he could not sleep when he returned home to bed. 'They're just so innocent and it wasn't their fault. It was a sorry sight,' he added. 'When you hear it's children from a middle school, I should think everybody dropped everything like I did, because it's just something about children - they're pretty helpless, really. 'They couldn't even walk to the pub because they just got tired, which is quite sad.' The crash happened between Wheddon Cross and Timberscombe, at about 3.15pm on Thursday. The vehicle left the road, overturned and came to rest about 20ft from the road, down a steep slope. Recovery of the vehicle and the investigation are complex, and the PA news agency understands the road will remain closed until the beginning of next week. Fundraisers have also been set up for affected families, amounting to tens of thousands of pounds in total so far. Tributes have been left at the school, which remained closed on Friday.
The Sun
19-07-2025
- General
- The Sun
Hero ex-jockey who ferried injured children to safety on quad bike after horror bus crash ‘couldn't sleep' after tragedy
A HERO ex-jockey who ferried children to safety from the horrific bus crash in Somerset has revealed that he couldn't sleep following the tragedy. Alan Jones, 64, drove passengers to safety on the back of his quad bike after they escaped the crash site. 6 6 6 On Thursday, a bus carrying 60 to 70 pupils from Minehead Middle School fell off a 20ft slope. The vehicle was returning from a trip to Exmoor Zoo, before leaving the A396 at Cutcombe Hill and falling from the height. Alan, an ex-jockey, took eight adults and children to the Rest and Be Thankful Inn in Wheddon Cross - following the horrifying crash. The heroic driver used his quad bike to travel across the nearby fields, after the road was closed. However, the sights he saw left him unable to sleep when he got home. Opening up about the crash, Alan said: "It's the most remote place. "The children coming out of that accident wouldn't have known where they were. "I think it would have been wrong not to try and help. I was there in under 10 minutes. "When I got there, the road was closed and the police were everywhere. Everybody was just looking at the bus. "I didn't know there were any fatalities at the time, but I knew there were children still in the bus, and all of the police officers were just basically around the bus and there wasn't anybody else about, really; I was the only local person there." Alan said that he helped two teachers on the side of the road first. Whilst driving the two women towards the pub, he saw a group of children and one adult who had been instructed to head to the pub. The inn was being used as a safe hub for the bus's passengers. Alan said that the group didn't know where they were, when he reached them. He said: "They were just sort of stranded there. They didn't know what was going on, really. "They wouldn't have known where they were and there were high trees behind and in front of them because the road runs through the cliff a bit. "You could see they were injured and crying and upset. "It was too far, these were very young middle school children. They'd just been upside down in a bus, over a cliff, all the windows had broken in the bus, and they'd scrambled out and been helped out by emergency services. 6 "I presume some of them were told to make their way up but they just couldn't walk up." Two teachers were picked up by an ambulance, while Alan worked to get the others to the inn. He says that the teachers and their pupils were a 'sorry sight', but everyone nearby 'dropped everything' to help. One teacher said to him that they were 'never going back on a bus or coach ever again'. When he got to the top, ambulances picked up the two women so he returned to pick up another teacher and child. Sadly, a 10-year-old boy died in the crash and six children and three adults are still in hospital. A resident in West Somerset has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support those affected. The campaign has already raised more than £15,000 in just a day. Despite having no direct connections to those affected by the crash, Bobbie Raymond said he launched the fund because he had a 'strong desire' to help. He wrote on the fundraising page: "We are all heartbroken by the tragic school bus crash that occurred on the A396 on July 17. 6 6 "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the children, families, staff, and emergency responders affected by this devastating event. "As a father of two young children myself, I can only begin to imagine the pain and heartbreak that so many are experiencing right now. "This tragedy has shaken the local community, and like many others, I felt a strong desire to do what I could to help. "I understand this is a sensitive time, and while the specific use of the fund will be shaped by the needs of those involved my promise is to ensure it reaches the people who need it most." One schoolgirl, Emily Manning, 10, climbed onto the bus as it was preparing to leave but was told to get off at the last minute. She was told that the bus was already full and that she needed to get on the other coach. Emily got on the other bus which returned her home safely, while the other veered off the 20ft slope. She said: "It had been a really nice day at the zoo. I wanted to go on the second coach because that's where my friends were but there were too many people so I got off. "Everybody was in front of me and that meant I couldn't. I was upset because my friends were on that bus but also lucky.' Her dad, Nick Manning, 48, a window cleaner from Minehead, said: "I just feel incredibly grateful that she wasn't on it. I got a phone call when I was still at work asking me if I had picked up Emily yet because something terrible had happened. "It's every parent's nightmare, it's absolutely awful. I had constant messages and phone calls checking Emily was ok. People were panicking." An off-duty firefighter also pulled over upon seeing the crash and climbed down to the coach, before pulling passengers from the wreckage. Gavin Ellis, Chief Fire Officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We were mobilised to a major incident to a coach that had overturned onto its roof and slip approximately 20ft (6.1m) down an embankment. "I'm grateful to the off-duty firefighter who was travelling behind the coach at the point of the collision who was able to start taking immediate [action] to start releasing those casualties from the bus."
