Alpine has announced Jack Doohan will partner Pierre Gasly in next year’s Formula 1 World Championship joining Oscar Piastri and possibly Daniel Ricciardo on the grid, however having three Australians on the grid is not unprecedented.
During the infamous 1976 Formula 1 season where James Hunt secured the title from Niki Lauda in a season covered by film Rush, three Australians competed in the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.
Future World Drivers’ Championship winner Alan Jones, racing legend Larry Perkins and Formula 5000 frontrunner Warwick Brown all made the start in the US.
Alan Jones had debuted the previous season driving the Harry Stiller Racing in a Hesketh-Ford 308B at the Spanish Grand Prix failing to finish. A move to Graham Hill’s Embassy Racing for Round 8 at the Dutch Grand Prix led to a points finish two races later in Germany.
Moving to another former driver’s operation in John Surtees’ Durex-sponsored team for 1976, it was a frustrating season for Jones despite scoring seven-points finishing a best of fourth twice.
In the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, Jones failed to finish inside the points and was eighth.
After transitioning to America after refusing to continue at Surtees, Jones received an opportunity to return to Formula 1 following the tragic death of Tom Pryce. Racing for Shadow, Jones scored his maiden victory in Austria and linked up with Frank Williams in 1978 to successful win the World Drivers’ Championship in 1980.
Perkins had moved to Europe at around the same time as Jones and received his Formula 1 opportunity courtesy of New Zealander Chris Amon. Driving for his team, Perkins failed to qualify for the German Grand Prix in what was his only attempt of season 1974.
Driving for the cash-strapped Dutch Boro Racing squad in 1976, Perkins finished a best of eighth in Belgium as three of the six Grand Prix he entered ended in retirement and one DNQ.
However, Perkins received the call up to replace Carlos Reutemann at Brabham for the final three races of the season. The first event in Canada resulted in 17th before arriving at Watkins Glen where Perkins qualified the best of the Australian contingent in 13th, but retired due to suspension problems.
Perkins failed to get his big break in Formula 1 after signing for the once great BRM team, but this was a disaster and it was the same when he joined Surtees halfway through the season.
Of course, Perkins enjoyed a fruitful career in touring cars and open-wheelers when he returned to Australia.
The 1976 US Grand Prix marked Brown’s only Formula 1 start and came at a time when he was enjoying great success in Formula 5000 competition globally.
Brown won the Tasman Series in 1975 and was a top 10 finisher in the SCCA Formula 5000 Championship from 1974 to 1976.
An opportunity arose for Brown to make his Formula 1 debut when he deputised for Amon in the Wolf-Williams. Qualifying 23rd, Brown finished five laps down on race winner Hunt after losing multiple gears and enduring rear brake troubles.
Of course, Warwick won back-to-back Rothmans International Series titles in 1977 and 1978 in addition to returning to America in 1978 finishing second in the Cam-Am Series to fellow Aussie Jones.
So, this marked the last time three Australians were on the Formula 1 grid and this may change in 2025.
Piastri, Doohan and Ricciardo could also be joined by New Zealander Liam Lawson marking four drivers representing the Antipodes for next season, which is quite staggering considering the populations of each country.