Born on 27 August 1995 in Moscow, Sergey Sirotkin might have entered Formula One as a relative unknown, but he left as one of the paddock’s most respected brains—even if the results column didn’t quite do him justice. With a blend of raw speed, technical nous, and the misfortune of racing in one of the worst cars of his era, Sirotkin’s short F1 story is a classic case of “what could’ve been.”
| Nationality | Russian |
|---|---|
| Born | Sergey Olegovich Sirotkin 27 August 1995 Moscow, Russia |
Sirotkin’s journey to F1 began relatively late—he only started karting at 12—but he rose through the ranks rapidly. By 2011, he was already Formula Abarth European Champion and runner-up in the Italian series. His strong performances in Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2 (including two 3rd-place championship finishes) showcased his ability to hang with the best of the pre-F1 ladder.
His early link with the Sauber F1 Team in 2013, at just 17, raised eyebrows, especially with talk of him racing the very next season. He did get his first Friday practice run at his home race in Sochi in 2014, and that outing earned him a Super Licence—but a full-time seat would have to wait.
From Renault to Williams: 2016–2018
Sirotkin returned to F1 via Renault in 2016, appearing in several Friday practice sessions and earning praise from team principal Cyril Abiteboul for his sharp feedback and development work.
Then came his big break: after an impressive post-2017 Abu Dhabi test with Williams, Sirotkin was announced as a full-time F1 driver for the 2018 season, partnering Lance Stroll and replacing veteran Felipe Massa. He became the first Russian to race full-time in F1 since Daniil Kvyat.
Williams 2018
To say 2018 was difficult would be an understatement. The Williams FW41 was a handful—a car that confused even its own engineers—and Sergey spent much of the season at the back of the grid. Still, he managed to outqualify and outpace Stroll on numerous occasions and emerged as a reliable driver and consummate professional.
His only F1 point came at the 2018 Italian Grand Prix, where he finished 11th but was promoted to 10th after Romain Grosjean was disqualified. It may not seem like much on paper, but in the FW41, scoring a point was practically a miracle.
There were flashes of promise—strong qualifying at Baku and Hockenheim, a feisty (if chaotic) drive in Singapore—but the car’s limitations were inescapable. By season’s end, with SMP Racing pulling their support, Sergey was out of a seat for 2019.
Reserve Duties and Life Beyond the Grid
Sirotkin didn’t fade away. In 2019, he served as a reserve driver for both Renault and McLaren, and continued with Renault in 2020. Though no race seat came his way, his technical reputation only grew.
Since leaving F1, Sirotkin made a name in endurance and GT racing, competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, GT World Challenge Europe, and Middle East Trophy, often with SMP Racing.
Sergey Sirotkin Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Williams |
| Car number | 35 |
| Entries | 21 (21 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 1 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 2018 Australian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
Sergey Sirotkin Teammates
| 7 drivers | Involvement | First Year | Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian Sutil | 1 | 2014 | |
| Esteban Gutierrez | 1 | 2014 | |
| Jolyon Palmer | 6 | 2016 | 2017 |
| Kevin Magnussen | 2 | 2016 | |
| Nico Hulkenberg | 4 | 2017 | |
| Lance Stroll | 21 | 2018 | |
| Robert Kubica | 3 | 2018 |
Complete Formula One Results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Sauber F1 Team | Sauber C33 | Ferrari 059/3 1.6 V6 t | AUS | MAL | BHR | CHN | ESP | MON | CAN | AUT | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | SIN | JPN | RUS TD | USA | BRA | ABU | ̶ | ̶ | ||
| 2016 | Renault Sport F1 Team | Renault R.S.16 | Renault R.E.16 1.6 V6 t | AUS | BHR | CHN | RUS TD | ESP | MON | CAN | EUR | AUT | GBR | HUN | GER | BEL | ITA | SIN | MAL | JPN | USA | MEX | BRA TD | ABU | ̶ | ̶ |
| 2017 | Renault Sport F1 Team | Renault R.S.17 | Renault R.E.17 1.6 V6 t | AUS | CHN | BHR | RUS TD | ESP TD | MON | CAN | AZE | AUT TD | GBR | HUN | BEL | ITA | SIN | MAL TD | JPN | USA | MEX | BRA | ABU | ̶ | ̶ | |
| 2018 | Williams Martini Racing | Williams FW41 | Mercedes M09 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t | AUS Ret | BHR 15 | CHN 15 | AZE Ret | ESP 14 | MON 16 | CAN 17 | FRA 15 | AUT 13 | GBR 14 | GER Ret | HUN 16 | BEL 12 | ITA 10 | SIN 19 | RUS 18 | JPN 16 | USA 13 | MEX 13 | BRA 16 | ABU 15 | 20th | 1 |
