A total of 128 career Formula One starts defines the professional trajectory of Adrian Sutil, a milestone that underscores his persistence within the sport. Between 2007 and 2014, the German driver navigated the grid primarily with the Spyker and Force India teams, competing through multiple technical evolutions and team rebrandings during his eight-year tenure in the championship.
Early Racing Progression
Born in Starnberg in 1983, Sutil began karting at age 14. His formal transition to single-seaters occurred in 2002, where he secured the Swiss Formula Ford title by winning all 12 rounds. He expanded his experience in the Formula Masters Austria series before moving into the Formula 3 Euroseries. In 2005, he finished as the runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in the Euroseries, subsequently relocating to Japan in 2006 to win the All-Japan Formula Three Championship and place third in the Macau Grand Prix.
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Sutil joined the Midland F1 team as a test driver in 2007, a connection facilitated by Colin Kolles. Following the team's purchase by Spyker Cars, he was promoted to a race seat. Throughout the 2007 season, he out-qualified teammates Christijan Albers, Markus Winkelhock, and Sakon Yamamoto. His campaign was highlighted at the Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway, where he secured his first career point after a post-race penalty was applied to Vitantonio Liuzzi.
Force India and Sauber Tenure
The team underwent a rebranding to Force India for the 2008 season, retaining Sutil as a driver. He remained with the organization through 2011. After a hiatus from the grid, he returned to Force India in 2013. His final season in Formula One was spent driving for the Sauber team in 2014. Throughout his career, he became statistically notable for holding the record for the highest number of race entries without achieving a podium finish.
Fast facts
- Born: 1983, Starnberg, Germany
- Formula One career: 2007–2014
- Teams: Spyker, Force India, Sauber
- 2005 Formula 3 Euroseries: Runner-up
- 2006 All-Japan Formula Three Champion
- Formula One race starts: 128
Questions readers ask
How many Formula One races did Adrian Sutil start?
He started 128 Grand Prix races during his career.
Did Sutil ever achieve a podium finish in Formula One?
No, he holds the record for the most career starts without finishing on the podium.
Achievements
- Represented Spyker F1, Force India and Sauber Motorsport
- Discipline: auto racing
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