Reject Podiums

[Ben Gilbert]

Kind of running out of subjects here, but here is a place for nominations of race podiums that were in someway rejectworthy, no-matter how trivial the reason.

For example:

Phoenix 1991: The first mentioning of medals in F1, and a possible inspiration for Bernie.

USA 2005: Two reasons: If Schumi hadn't won this race, he would have ended his streak of winning a race in every season since 1992. The second reason is that this podium elevated Tiago Montiero from the nether clutches of rejectdom, which is probably a mistake in anyone's books. he was a good driver, but his carrer in bad cars should have allowed him to get an in-depth profile on this site.

Australia 2002: Mark Webber's appearance made him the first ever 5th place podium finisher.

Special mention: Any podium in 2002, because it always had 'he of the violin-shaped chin' on it. Again, a fantastic driver, but there was no need to rub it in that much, Schumi.

Anyone got any other ideas?

[Bleu]

Turkey 2006: winner's trophy awarded by Mehmet Ali Talat, President of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus: a country that hasn't been recognized by any other country than Turkey.

Argentine 1997: Irish flag for Eddie Irvine.

Italy 1989: Alain Prost dropped his trophy to the fans. Ron Dennis was not very impressed.

Brazil 2003: Only two drivers on the podium and they are in wrong order.

[Life w12]

Monza 1993- Just because Michael Andretti's on it and that kept him from reject status

[DonTirri]

Australia 2002: Mark Webber's appearance made him the first ever 5th place podium finisher.

Intrestingly enough his best result in his homerace, shared with the 5th place driven in 05 with a BMW williams

[Yannick]

Most definitely, the most reject-worthy podium was Turkey 2006, with the illegitimate presenter of the trophy, because the Turkish GP organisers were fined heavily for it. So heavily in fact, that they had to sell their circuit to one B3rnie Ecclestone to be able to cover the costs of the fee. It was very close to the point that the Turkish GP would have been no more after Istambul Park near the village of Kurtkoy had just staged two F1 events.

The UK hymn being played for Austrian team RBR on the podium in China 2008 also deserves a mention.

And if you carefully watch the clip on youtube of that Monaco GP from the early 80s when Stefan Bellof came in 3rd in the normally aspirated Tyrrell in a field otherwise consisting of turbo cars after the race had been stopped because of heavy rain,
he wasn't even present at the podium ceremony. Maybe Tyrrell expected to be caught with its lead tank in the car right there and then, and didn't send their driver to the ceremony. We'll never know, but it looks a bit suspicious. Too bad that this would have been Bellof's only podium in his tragically short career.

[Yannick]

Oh, and has there been a podium ceremony in the history of F1 where all 3 of the drivers were later disqualified because of irregularities with their cars? I think they have quite often presented the wrong winner on the podium, or somebody who was the winner, but got disqualified later. But all 3 of them?

[Niallllll]

Gianni Morbidelli in AUS 1995 for the footwork is one that stands out for me. I just remember that in the post race conference he just looked clueless... a (what the bathplug am i doing here kind of face) its also the grand prix that the forti and i suppose if any more had retired the pacifics ould have scored some points

[Jack O Malley]

Hungary 2006 - Button, De la Rosa and Heidfeld.

Austria 2002, with the Ferrari farce.

[rffp]

Japan 1999 - Sandro Nannini looked either uncomfortable or shocked receiving the winning trophy after Senna was disqualified
Austria 2002 - no comments

[DonTirri]

Japan 1999 - Sandro Nannini looked either uncomfortable or shocked receiving the winning trophy after Senna was disqualified

You mean 89?

[WeirdKerr]

Brazil 2003: Kimi and Giancarlo ending up having to swap trophies at the next race......

[Bleu]

Oh, and has there been a podium ceremony in the history of F1 where all 3 of the drivers were later disqualified because of irregularities with their cars? I think they have quite often presented the wrong winner on the podium, or somebody who was the winner, but got disqualified later. But all 3 of them?

No, but in Brazil 82 (winner Piquet and 2nd placed Rosberg) was disqualified. Another reason for that being reject podium is Piquet collapsing on the podium.

[rffp]

Japan 1999 - Sandro Nannini looked either uncomfortable or shocked receiving the winning trophy after Senna was disqualified

You mean 89?

Yes! 89!

[Alianora La Canta]

Austria 1997 [edit - 1977] - Alan Jones won his first Grand Prix. As a result, he could rightfully have expected to hear the Australian national anthem.

Did we hear Advance Australia Fair issue from the speakers? No.

Perhaps the organisers had put on the unofficial anthem of Waltzing Matilda instead on the basis that more people knew that piece of music (and it was still patently Aussie)? No.

Or the other unofficial anthem of Khe Sahn? No.

So what original piece of music did they use to commemorate the future champion's maiden victory? Happy Birthday!

Maybe you might be thinking that the organisers had looked at the biographical information for Alan and decided to surprise him with some appropriate celebratory music on the podium? Alas - Alan's birthday was November 2 and the race was on August 14!

This makes the incorrect podium music for Red Bull's maiden win at China 2009 sound almost plausible.

[RejectSteve]

Austria 1997 - Alan Jones won his first Grand Prix.

I'm pretty sure he wasn't going to fit in a racing car that year.

So Austria owes Australia an anthem, and China owes one for Austria...

In a slightly related topic, during an ice hockey tournament last year, the host organisers did not have God Save the Queen available and the anthem had to be sung by the British in attendance.

[Jack O Malley]

Austria 1997 - Alan Jones won his first Grand Prix. As a result, he could rightfully have expected to hear the Australian national anthem.

Did we hear Advance Australia Fair issue from the speakers? No.

Perhaps the organisers had put on the unofficial anthem of Waltzing Matilda instead on the basis that more people knew that piece of music (and it was still patently Aussie)? No.

Or the other unofficial anthem of Khe Sahn? No.

So what original piece of music did they use to commemorate the future champion's maiden victory? Happy Birthday!

I would pay billions for a video of that!

[Paul Hayes]

Austria 1997 - Alan Jones won his first Grand Prix.

I'm pretty sure he wasn't going to fit in a racing car that year.

So Austria owes Australia an anthem, and China owes one for Austria...

In a slightly related topic, during an ice hockey tournament last year, the host organisers did not have God Save the Queen available and the anthem had to be sung by the British in attendance.

It's the same tune as America (or My Country, 'tis of Thee), and you'd have thought they'd have that around somewhere!

[CarlosFerreira]

Austria 1997 - Alan Jones won his first Grand Prix. As a result, he could rightfully have expected to hear the Australian national anthem.

Did we hear Advance Australia Fair issue from the speakers? No.

Perhaps the organisers had put on the unofficial anthem of Waltzing Matilda instead on the basis that more people knew that piece of music (and it was still patently Aussie)? No.

Or the other unofficial anthem of Khe Sahn? No.

So what original piece of music did they use to commemorate the future champion's maiden victory? Happy Birthday!

Maybe you might be thinking that the organisers had looked at the biographical information for Alan and decided to surprise him with some appropriate celebratory music on the podium? Alas - Alan's birthday was November 2 and the race was on August 14!

This makes the incorrect podium music for Red Bull's maiden win at China 2009 sound almost plausible.

Is that even possible? God!

[noisebox]

Just to flip this on it's head:

Spain 1993 - Prost, Senna, Schumacher

183 wins and 14 world titles between them!

[Jack O Malley]

Brazil 1980, with Arnoux trying to take the trophy AND the girl who gave it to him

[crazydude1992]

*Walks into thread*
1973 Canadian GP
*Walks out of thread*

[Alianora La Canta]

Ah, the one where to this day nobody knows who actually won the race because the Safety Car tried picking up Howden Ganley in is Iso-Marlboro as the leader instead of the actual leader. By the time the mistake was noticed, there had been so many pit stops that nobody knew who the real leader was any more (Emerson Fittipaldi, Peter Revson and Jackie Oliver were all proposed as possibilities by different parts of the pit lane). The Safety Car eventually picked up Revson, who was given the win. But who knows?

As The Concise Encyclopaedia of Formula One put it, "The first time a Safety Car was used at a Grand Prix... ...and boy did it show!"