The start-line pile-up that turned Argentina’s F1 return into chaos

On 9 April 1995, the Argentine Grand Prix returned to the Formula 1 calendar for the first time in 14 years, and it barely made it beyond the opening corner before everything jammed up. Jean Alesi spun at Turn 1, the midfield concertinaed behind him, and the race was stopped almost at once after a crash that pulled in Mika Salo, Johnny Herbert, Rubens Barrichello, Luca Badoer, Ukyo Katayama, Olivier Panis and Pierluigi Martini as well.

Buenos Aires had waited since 1981 to host Formula 1 again, but the first lasting image of race day was not a homecoming lap or a grandstand celebration. It was a blocked first corner, damaged cars everywhere and mechanics suddenly preparing spare machinery before the restart.

Alesi’s spin triggered the main chain reaction. Salo checked up, Badoer ran into him, Herbert and Barrichello were collected, Katayama was caught in the spillover, and further back Panis hit Martini. Most of the field escaped, but only just. Badoer was the only driver from the main incident unable to take the restart, while several others continued in spare cars or repaired machinery.

The race eventually settled down enough for Damon Hill to win from Jean Alesi and Michael Schumacher, but the result was never the whole story. This was Formula 1’s long-awaited return to Argentina, and what many remember first is the jam at Turn 1 that made the comeback feel gloriously scruffy from the start.