He is the F1 driver with the most Grand Prix starts without scoring a point, Ferrari once chose him over Michael Schumacher

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Formula 1 has changed an awful lot in its 75-year history, and one of those aspects is the number of points handed out at each Grand Prix.

During the first Formula 1 season in 1950, only the top five drivers would score points, with the fastest lap also earning its recipient an additional point.

The removal of the fastest lap point has received a mixed response, but drivers theoretically have a much easier time making an impact on the drivers’ championship in 2025.

Half of the 20 drivers on the grid will score points at each race as long as they’re classified, in stark contrast to the 1989 F1 season.

Thirteen drivers would sometimes take part in pre-qualifying, battling for the top five spots to progress to a 30-driver qualifying session.

That led to a race where the fastest 26 drivers would battle for the points, with only the top six added to their tally at the end of the race weekend.

This led to plenty of drivers going through their whole careers without scoring a point.

And out of all of the hundreds of drivers who never achieved that feat, Italian – and one-time Ferrari driver – Luca Badoer holds the record for the most Grand Prix starts without getting off the mark.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton must listen to the advice Jackie Stewart gave Michael Schumacher when he first joined Ferrari

Luca Badoer’s Formula 1 record for most Grand Prix starts without scoring a point

Born on 25 January 1971 in Montebelluna, Italy, Badoer had a fascinating racing career.

He was an International Formula 3000 champion in 1992, which led to him earning a race seat with Lola the following year.

Alongside Michele Alboreto, Badoer took part in 14 races and came agonising close to earning Lola their only point that year with a P7 finish at his home race in Imola, even if he did finish three laps down on race winner Alain Prost.

Lola didn’t complete that season, leaving Badoer without a race seat until he was picked up by Minardi in 1995.

Two eighth-place finishes in Canada and Hungary followed before Italian minnows Forti hired Badoer for the following season, although he failed to qualify on four of his 10 attempts.

Another break in Badoer’s F1 career followed before being handed one last chance with Minardi in 1999.

At the end of that campaign, he had reached 48 Grand Prix starts without scoring a point and that’s where his time in Formula 1 looked to be coming to an end, but he was offered one final and unexpected lifeline by Ferrari.

READ MORE: Kimi Antonelli given advice by Ferrari driver Luca Badoer ahead of Monza FP1 outing

Luca Badoer drives for Ferrari after Michael Schumacher turns down the opportunity

Badoer spent years after his Formula 1 career ended working as a test driver for Ferrari.

In 2009, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Felipe Massa was injured during qualifying by a loose spring that had come off Rubens Barrichello’s car.

The Brazilian was ruled out for the rest of the season and Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali told BBC Sport that it was only ‘right’ to call up Badoer in his place.

He said: “It was the right decision to choose him after what he has done for the last 10 years.

“He has risked his life for our racing drivers, and it is a reward Ferrari wanted to give him for that.”

It turned out that Michael Schumacher was also approached for the role despite retiring three years earlier, however, he told Mediaset, as relayed by BBC Sport: “No. I’m not thinking about doing any races. My life is OK.”

Schumacher had a serious motorcycle accident months before and he wasn’t in the condition to race in F1 again at that stage.

However, Schumacher would go on to make that rumoured comeback the following year after being brought out of retirement by Mercedes.

Luca Badoer’s unfortunate two-race stint as a Ferrari Formula 1 driver

Ferrari were third in the constructors’ championship at the time, and the points-paying position now included the top eight drivers, giving a 38-year-old Badoer a fantastic chance to end his already record-breaking streak.

Speaking ahead of his debut, Badoer said: “I have prepared myself to be ready under any circumstances just as I’ve been doing in previous years.

“I’ve been in this business for quite a while. After Felipe’s accident (in Hungary last month), I intensified my programme and I’m sure I won’t have any problems.”

Unfortunately for Badoer, he qualified last at the European Grand Prix before finishing 17th.

He didn’t improve at the next race in Belgium, again starting from the back of the grid and then being the last of the classified runners to cross the line in P14.

Ferrari made Giancarlo Fisichella’s dream come true and signed him to complete the season, leaving Badoer without a point after 50 Grand Prix appearances.