When F1 comebacks don't go to plan

Jean Alesi has advised Felipe Massa not to return to F1 just weeks after retiring... if he does indeed comeback, he probably won't want to read this!

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On Jan 5, 2017
1

Nigel Mansell

Having stunned the motorsport world by preferring to quit F1 for the American-based IndyCar Series immediately after winning the 1992 F1 world title rather than partner Alain Prost at Williams in 1993, Nigel Mansell made a rather 'inglorious' return to the series in 1995. Though a 31st - and final - win in the 1994 Australian GP finale during a brief fling with Williams suggested he hadn't lost his nous, his deal with McLaren for 1995 appeared doomed from the start. Things began badly when it turned out Mansell's portly frame couldn't squeeze into the MP4-10, prompting the rather unprecedented measure of missing two races whilst it was re-designed. Returning for round three, Mansell started just two races in the innovative, Mercedes-powered car before quitting bemoaning the car's lack of competitiveness... it would be the final time 'Our Nige' turned a racing wheel in F1.

2

Michael Schumacher

When Michael Schumacher announced he'd be ending his spectacular F1 career at the conclusion of the 2006 season, few expected to ever see him in an F1 car again, much less one that wasn't with the Ferrari team he won five of his seven titles with. Indeed, though Mercedes' big budget entry - taking over from 2009 champions BrawnGP - seemed to be a match made in heaven for the now 41 year-old, it was still a shock to see him back on the grid in 2010. Alas, three seasons yielded scant success and Schumacher retired for a second time in 2012 having secured just a single podium result.

3

Jean-Louis Schlesser

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Ayrton Senna's worst nightmare - yet something of an unwitting hero in Italy -, Jean-Louis Schlesser made only 2 F1 appearances (and just one start) in his career but has still earned his place in F1 folklore thanks solely to the above clumsy bungle against Ayrton Senna during the 1988 Italian GP. Five years after he failed to qualify for the 1983 French GP driving with RAM, Schlesser turned up at Monza as a sub for Martin Brundle - who himself was supposed to be subbing for Nigel Mansell - in the competitive Williams. Perhaps inevitably, Schlesser's pace was modest and he was coming up to be lapped for a second time by leader Senna when he misjudged his braking and clipped the McLaren at Turn 1, spinning the racing legend into retirement. An embarrassed Schlesser apologised for the unintentional mistake, but while Senna and Ron Dennis were incensed to see what would have been a whitewash of wins for McLaren in 1988 ruined, it was drowned out by the gratitude from the Tifosi as its beloved Ferrari were elevated into a 1-2 result. The fact it came just 2 weeks after the iconic Enzo Ferrari had passed away made it all the more poignant...

4

Luca Badoer

Which driver has started the most F1 races without ever scoring a point? It makes a good F1 pub quiz question, but one perennial backmarker Luca Badoer no doubt wishes did not apply to him… particularly given the prime late career opportunity that landed in his lap in 2009. In a sporadic F1 career that saw him complete four seasons between 1993 and 1999, Badoer never troubled the points in the 56 races he entered but nonetheless found a worthwhile role as Ferrari test driver in the years thereafter. Credited as having played a pivotal behind the scenes role in turning Ferrari into the dominant force it was between 2000 and 2004, Badoer was given a surprise ‘thank you’ call up to race ahead of the 2009 European Grand Prix as a replacement for Felipe Massa, injured the previous round in Hungary. Marking the Italian’s first F1 start in 10 years, with a familiar and competitive car beneath him, many felt this was the ideal belated opportunity for Badoer to finally get his name on the scoreboard and rid himself of his inauspicious ‘honour’. Alas, Badoer was not only outside the points, he was comfortably off the pace and whilst he kept it out of the wall he managed just two races at the back of the field before Ferrari rescinded its offer and dropped him. Badoer retired from all competition later that year.

5

Alan Jones

Not many F1 drivers have bowed out of the sport on the high of winning their final race but Alan Jones had that exact opportunity when he won the 1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix having already announced plans to retire. However, the 1980 champion couldn't resist a one-off return in 1983 with Arrows before coming back for a full season in 1986 with the American Haas team. Sadly, the car was not competitive and Jones' career ended with just two more points' finishes to his name. Years later Jones revealed he had been contacted by Ferrari to replace the injured Didier Pironi but took too long to decide... a moment he has since said he regrets.

6

Alex Zanardi

Alex Zanardi’s life and career will be remembered for many things - his successful return to racing after losing his legs in a horrifying accident in 2001 and subsequent Paralympic triumphs most notably -, but his return to F1 five years after his initial foray isn't likely to be one of them. The Italian had suffered a mediocre first stint in F1, scoring a sole point across four middling seasons of sporadic appearances for Jordan, Minardi and Lotus, but secured a high-profile Williams seat for 1999 following back-to-back successes in CART, a strategy that served the team well when it secured Jacques Villeneuve three years earlier. However, the campaign was an unmitigated disaster, Zanardi failing to score a single point as team-mate Ralf Schumacher picked up three podiums. To date, Zanardi is just one of two drivers to suffer a point-less season driving a Williams (the other being Kazuki Nakajima).

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