Ralph Firman is a British-Irish former racing driver who competed in Formula One with Jordan during the 2003 season. Though his F1 career was short-lived, Firman holds the distinction of scoring the Republic of Ireland’s first F1 point since 1982, reviving a long-dormant record. His motorsport pedigree runs deep—his father, Ralph Firman Sr., co-founded the famed Van Diemen racing car constructor, and his sister, Natasha Firman, also pursued a racing career.
| Nationality | Irish |
|---|---|
| Born | Ralph David Firman Jr. 20 May 1975 Norwich, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom |
Formula One Career
Jordan Debut and First Point: 2003
Firman landed his F1 break with Jordan Grand Prix for the 2003 season, partnering experienced Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella. He made his debut at the 2003 Australian Grand Prix and would go on to start 14 races over the course of the year.
His most notable triumph came at the 2003 Spanish Grand Prix, where he finished eighth to claim a single championship point—his only point in Formula One. It was a landmark moment: the first F1 point for a Republic of Ireland-licensed driver since Derek Daly scored in 1982.
Firman’s debut season was abruptly interrupted at the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix, where he suffered a major crash during practice. The incident left him injured and forced him to miss both the Hungarian and the following Italian Grand Prix. He was temporarily replaced by Zsolt Baumgartner, who made his Formula One debut in Firman’s absence.
Later that year, in November 2003, Firman returned to the cockpit of a Jordan EJ13 for a special demonstration at the 2003 Macau Grand Prix, held to celebrate the event’s 50th anniversary. It marked the first time a modern Formula One car had ever lapped the challenging Guia street circuit. Firman’s lap time of 1:59.4 was a staggering 13 seconds faster than the Formula 3 pole time set by Fabio Carbone on the same day.
Ralph Firman Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Jordan |
| Entries | 15 (14 Starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 1 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 2003 Australian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2003 Japanese Grand Prix |
Ralph Firman Teammates
| 4 drivers | Involvement | First Year | Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giancarlo Fisichella | 15 | 2003 | |
| Zsolt Baumgartner | 2 | 2003 | |
| Björn Wirdheim | 1 | 2003 | |
| Satoshi Motoyama | 1 | 2003 |
Ralph Firman Complete Formula One Results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Jordan Ford | Jordan EJ13 | Ford V10 | AUS Ret | MAL 10 | BRA Ret | SMR Ret | ESP 8 | AUT 11 | MON 12 | CAN Ret | EUR 11 | FRA 15 | GBR 13 | GER Ret | HUN WD | ITA | USA Ret | JPN 14 | 19th | 1 |
