Who are the last 10 French Formula 1 drivers?

Established at Racing Bulls, Isack Hadjar will become the 72nd French driver to race in Formula 1 in 2025. For French motorsport, it is the return of a contingent of three representatives on the grid, since the Parisian joins Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.

He also adds his name to a list so far made up of ten French drivers who have competed in Grand Prix racing in the 21st century. A look back at the last ten representatives of France in Formula 1, four of whom were victorious and two of whom are still active.

Jean Alesi

• 13 seasons of Formula 1 (1989-2001), 201 Grands Prix
• 1 victoire2 pole positions, 32 podiums
• Successive teams: Tyrrell, Ferrari, Benetton, Sauber, Prost, Jordan

Arriving in the championship after the first world titles of Alain Prost, the only French world champion still to this day, Jean Alesi rocked the French F1 of the 90s. His love of the Scuderia, still alive today, was crowned a single victory in 1995, at the Canadian GP. The love story linked to his Italian roots is also punctuated by two pole positions signed at Monza, without however materializing them.

Olivier Panis

• 10 seasons of Formula 1 (1994-2004), 158 Grands Prix
• 1 victoire5 podiums
• Successive teams: Ligier, Prost, BAR, Toyota

The story of Olivier Panis combines with that of his country and of a French team, Ligier, with which he achieved the feat of winning in Monaco at the end of a crazy race in 1996. A leading figure of the Prost Grand Prix adventure, he then emancipated himself as a tester at McLaren before returning to the Grands Prix with BAR and Toyota, but without tasting a second victory.

Franck Montagny

• 1 Formula 1 season (2006), 7 Grands Prix
• Stable: Super Aguri

Franck Montagny set foot in Formula 1 at a time when there was a shortage of French drivers in the championship. If he had his chance with Super Aguri, he was never able to shine since the team played at the back of the grid and never held the position. His most recognized contribution remains that of a tester for Renault at the time when the Losange won world titles with Fernando Alonso in the mid-2000s.

Sébastien Bourdais

• 2 seasons of Formula 1 (2008-2009), 27 Grands Prix
• Team: Toro Rosso

Winning titles in Champ Car across the Atlantic, Sébastien Bourdais however had to wait before having the opportunity to drive in Formula 1. Chosen by Toro Rosso in 2008, he made a good debut there but quickly showed his limits against to a Sebastian Vettel who would chart his path to success at Red Bull. He was unable to complete his second season, replaced in the summer by rookie Jaime Alguersuari.

Charles Pic

• 2 seasons of Formula 1 (2012-2013), 39 Grands Prix
• Successive teams: Marussia, Caterham

Charles Pic was one of three French people at the start of the 2012 Formula 1 season. Enlisted by Marussia then by Caterham the following year, he only knew these two teams which had recently arrived and since disappeared, without ever registering the slightest point.

Jules Bianchi

• 2 Formula 1 seasons (2013-2014), 34 Grands Prix
• Team: Marussia

Last minute guest of the 2013 season by recovering the Marussia seat first promised to Luiz Razia, Jules Bianchi was already seen as a promising talent. Covered by the Ferrari Driver Academy, he embodied a possible future for the Scuderia and had achieved the feat of bringing Marussia into Monaco in 2014. A few months later, the terrible accident at Suzuka would shatter everything, until his death in July 2015.

Jean-Éric Vergne

• 3 seasons of Formula 1 (2012-2014), 58 Grands Prix
• Team: Toro Rosso

Having gone through the Red Bull program, Jean-Éric Vergne quickly won over with his attacking style on the track in his early days. Despite three interesting seasons, he was never a real candidate for the Red Bull seat, which was already paving the way for Max Verstappen. JEV left Formula 1 after a campaign that was his best, but without ever reaching higher than sixth place in the race.

Romain Grosjean

• 10 Formula 1 seasons (2009-2020), 179 Grands Prix
• 10 podiums
• Successive teams: Renault, Lotus, Haas

By replacing Nelson Piquet Jr at Renault in the summer of 2009 against a backdrop of CrashgateRomain Grosjean did not have the easiest debut in Formula 1. His second chance at Lotus after a GP2 title led him to challenge for victory and reach the podium ten times, while experiencing a difficult period made of accidents, one of which led to his suspension for a GP in 2012. He was then the first pillar of the new Haas team, with whom the adventure ended by a miracle in the flames of Bahrain, end of 2020.

Esteban Ocon

• 8 Formula 1 seasons (since 2016), 156 Grands Prix, still active
• 1 victoire4 podiums
• Successive teams: Manor, Force India, Renault/Alpine, Haas

Taken under the wing of Toto Wolff and Mercedes, Esteban Ocon rose to Formula 1 by seizing his chance at Manor. He built his character and reputation at Force India against a strong teammate in Sergio Pérez. The missed reunion with Renault in 2019 finally materialized the following year, then he became to date the only French driver to win with Alpine, in Budapest in 2021. He embarks in 2025 on a new adventure with Haas.

Pierre Gasly

• 8 Formula 1 seasons (since 2017), 153 Grands Prix, still active
• 1 victoire5 podiums
• Successive teams: Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri, Alpine

Called to Toro Rosso at the end of 2017, Pierre Gasly convinced Red Bull to give him a chance in 2019, but the collaboration went badly. Demoted mid-season at Toro Rosso, he was not discouraged and wrote one of the most beautiful pages of the Faenza team by winning the 2020 Italian GP. He seized the opportunity to link up with Alpine in 2022, where the understanding with Esteban Ocon was difficult, but the two men found themselves on the podium at Interlagos. He will be the natural leader of the Enstone team in 2025.