Moustaches in Motorsport - News

November is the time of year when many motorsport teams pull the dust sheets over their worn cars and finally pull down their shutters after a long, hard season.

However, what some people don't know is that November is also a month when the much-maligned moustache can finally grab the wheel and take the limelight.

No, moustaches aren't coming back in fashion. But, a lot of people, in particular those in sports, do grow moustaches during November to help raise awareness for men's mental and physical health in support of the charity Movember.

Therefore, we felt it was the right time to celebrate some of the greatest moustaches to ever grace the Formula One circuit. Combs at the ready…

• Nigel Mansell

The first name on every motorsport fan's top lip whenever famous motor sporting moustaches are brought up is Nigel Mansell, a man who was never famed for invigorating the crowds with his energetic speeches. But, the Brummie sure did excite many with his manoeuvres on the track.

And we have to visit his iconic victory at Silverstone in 1991, which Mansell claims as being one of his greatest achievements in Formula One. With Ayrton Senna in imperious form, Mansell put on a masterclass at Silverstone, leaving Senna's car stranded during the post-race lap as he had spent all his fuel trying to catch up to Mansell. Mansell's chivalrous conduct kicked in as he gave Senna a lift home – thus an iconic picture was born.

• Keke Rosberg

The original Flying Finn, Keke Rosberg's moustache is something that many men could only dream of achieving. However, it wasn't his moustache which propelled him into the Formula One 'Hall of Fame'.

Rosberg's path into Formula One was a long one, making his debut at the age of 29. Eventually signing for Williams following a last-minute opening for a driver, Rosberg's consistency won him his sole Formula One World Championship in 1982 – coming off the back of only one win in the season.

In 2016, both he and his son, Nico Rosberg became only the second father-son duo to win the Formula One championship which leads us timely onto our next entry…

• Graham Hill

Unlike Mansell and Rosberg's giant moustaches, Graham Hill's top lip was adorned by an impeccable pencil-lined mo' which oozed class.

Hill, the father of championship winner Damon Hill, was an incredibly popular person to have around the pit lane – using his wit and humour to eventually talk Lotus around to give him a seat in their cockpit. He eventually went on to win two Formula One World Championships.

The class of his moustache must've filtered through into Graham Hill's fingertips; as of today he is still the only driver to ever win the Triple Crown of Motorsport, the Indy 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Formula One World Championship. Moustaches breed champions.

• Harald Ertl

Harald Ertl is not a driver known to many, but once we came across him during our research he instantly made our top five.

Featuring an impressive imperial-style handlebar moustache, Ertl was only on the Formula One scene for five years and had a grand total of zero podium finishes and scored no points during his stint in a single-seater. While he may not have been the most successful driver on our list. He was, however. definitely one of the bravest.

Ertl was the first car to pass Niki Lauder's fireball crash site at Nürburgring. As the motoring world looked on in horror, as soon as Ertl passed the inferno he pulled his car onto the grass and ran straight back towards the flames, along with three other drivers, to help pull Lauder to safety, saving his life.

• Dick Dastardly

OK – we admit that Dick Dastardly isn't an Formula One driver but he is technically a race car driver for his stint during Wacky Races. Despite hosting an impressive record of never officially finishing a race, Dastardly's twirly moustache will forever be a champion.

Whether you've grown a moustache for Movember or not, you too can feel like a true champion by testing your skills on any of our increasingly popular Formula 1 Driving Experiences, available to book from our Formula 1 Experiences Calendar or purchase of our Gift Vouchers.

You can also visit the Movember website to learn more about the Mo' movement and how you can get involved in a growing charity for a good cause.