Scandals, crashes & rivalries – eight dramatic F1 title battles

The 2024 title race is getting increasingly heated as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris battle on track for the drivers’ championship.

Tension has been growing as the pair came close to colliding in Texas, which earned Norris a five second-penalty. While in Mexico, Verstappen – who leads the standings by 47 points – was punished for his actions and handed two 10-second penalties.

Verstappen’s erratic actions last weekend were compared to Wacky Races villain Dick Dastardly by former world champion Damon Hill.

There have been so many dramatic and intense title run-ins over the years and, with just four races remaining, it looks like 2024 will be another to live long in the memory of F1 fans. Here are eight other title battles that weren’t short on drama.

Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s title fight is considered the most dramatic in recent history.

The Brazil Grand Prix was controversial as Verstappen forced Hamilton off the track, but did not face a penalty.

Hamilton eventually won the race, maybe one of his greatest, from 20th in the sprint weekend.

The battle continued at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which featured a series of events between the title contenders.

Verstappen was ordered to give Hamilton the lead back, twice, after illegal overtaking off the track.

Hamilton collided into the back of Verstappen’s Red Bull, which had slowed – Verstappen was given a 10-second penalty for this.

The points were level and the title race went down to a winner-takes-all finale.

The intense last lap in Abu Dhabi would become one of the sport’s most controversial moments.

Race director Michael Masi incorrectly applied the rules in a late safety-car period, as Hamilton seemed on course to win his eighth title.

Masi went against protocol regarding lapped cars before the final-lap restart, allowing Verstappen to pass Hamilton into Turn Five and claim his first title.

Before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel was the championship leader, but events in Baku turned the fight nastier.

Ferrari’s Vettel collided into the back of Hamilton’s Mercedes as they prepared for a restart after a safety car. The German pulled alongside Lewis Hamilton and drove into his car, banging wheels.

Vettel accused Hamilton of “brake-testing” him but was given a 10-second penalty for his deliberate move against the Briton.

Hamilton finished the race 14 points behind but eventually won the 2017 title.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s rivalry at Mercedes reached heights on and off the track.

The Spanish Grand Prix was a mess for the Silver Arrows as their drivers collided with each other on the first lap.

Rosberg was leading the race when Hamilton went on to the grass and lost control, crashing into the German’s car as he spun back on to the track, taking both out.

Rosberg was 12 points ahead of Hamilton and a podium finish in Abu Dhabi would secure the championship.

Hamilton won at the Yas Marina Circuit, driving slow to bring others into the battle – in an attempt to stop his team-mate from clinching the crown.

However, Rosberg’s second-placed finish ensured the title was his.

Rosberg retired from racing after his championship victory, admitting that he did not have the energy and commitment to go toe-to-toe with Hamilton again.

The 2008 title race went down to the final moments in Brazil. Felipe Massa won the race at Interlagos and what he thought was the championship.

His Ferrari team and family were already celebrating in the garage – but it was not over yet.

Lewis Hamilton was one place lower than he needed to be to secure his maiden title.

But out of the last corner, in wet weather, Hamilton’s McLaren passed Toyota’s Timo Glock and moved up to fifth spot, winning the title by a point.

This season was incredibly intense, where the rivalry between McLaren team-mates Hamilton and Fernando Alonso almost tore the team apart.

Hamilton was aiming to make history by winning the title in his maiden season – an achievement that looked likely heading into the final two races in China and Brazil.

However, a retirement at the Chinese Grand Prix and a seventh-placed finish at Interlagos – following a technical problem – meant Hamilton lost the title by one point to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

Both he and Alonso ended the campaign tied on 109 points, with Hamilton classified in second on results countback.

McLaren were fined $100m and excluded from the constructors’ championship after being found guilty of having confidential Ferrari documents.

Alonso went on to leave McLaren by mutual consent.

The title race between Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher and Williams’ Jacques Villeneuve went down to the final race in Jerez, Spain where the German was one point ahead.

Villeneuve overtook Schumacher, who then tried to take out the Canadian driver.

The collision resulted in Schumacher’s car spinning off the track and ending his race, meanwhile Villeneuve finished the grand prix and claimed the title.

Schumacher was disqualified from the drivers’ championship because of his actions.

Another Schumacher title battle that went down to the final race, this time in Adelaide, where he was a point ahead of Britain’s Hill.

The German had built an early lead but Hill caught up by lap 36. Schumacher’s Benetton then ran wide and hit the wall, but managed to rejoin the race.

At the next corner, Schumacher crashed into Hill as the Williams driver tried to overtake him.

Both drivers retired because of damage and Schumacher was named champion.

In 1989, McLaren team-mates Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost tangled at the chicane during the Japanese Grand Prix as Senna tried to pass Prost.

While Prost retired from the race, Senna recovered and went on to to win at Suzuka. However, the Brazilian was disqualified for cutting the chicane and Prost was crowned champion.

Senna believed Jean-Marie Balestre, president of the FISA, had interfered to help Prost.

In 1990, history repeated itself at Suzuka when Senna deliberately crashed into title rival Prost’s Ferrari at the first corner, taking both cars out to secure the championship.

Senna was angry that Balestre refused his request to move pole position to the left-hand side of the track, and on to the racing line.