Carlos Sainz advertised his services for 2025 in the most effective way with a spectacular return to action at the Australian Grand Prix, pushing Max Verstappen for pole position and then storming to victory. But which other drivers have put themselves in the shop window with standout performances of their own over the years? We’ve come up with 10 varied examples…
James Hunt – 1975 Dutch Grand Prix
James Hunt started his F1 career with privateers Hesketh
Racing, scoring several podium finishes across the 1973 and 1974 campaigns
before well and truly announcing himself to the paddock with a breakthrough
victory at the wet-dry Dutch Grand Prix of 1975.
READ MORE: 5 reasons James Hunt remains an F1 icon
Hunt started the race third, behind only the Ferraris of
Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni, but nailed the switch from wet tyres to slicks
to move into the lead. As the dry conditions stabilised and Lauda closed back
in, Hunt brilliantly defended his position to take the chequered flag.
It was a performance that caught the attention of bosses up
and down the pit lane and, when Hesketh ran into financial problems that
briefly looked set to leave Hunt without a seat for the following year, the
British racer was picked up by McLaren, where he would win the 1976 world title
