F1: 5 occasions drivers got into a physical fight

The world of Formula One is often an unforgiving place to be. The drivers take their job very seriously, as they should, and racing at the elite level can end up being so much more different than the glamorous world we see it as.

The sheer number of incidents that have taken place on an F1 track are proof that living on the edge comes with loads of tension, and that drivers need to remain extremely level headed to avoid any wrongdoing.

But many times, it becomes simply impossible to not react to an incident out on track, especially when it has cost you an opportunity to win or finish in the podium spots. This is even more relevant when there is a collision involved, and blaming the other driver seems all but normal.

This past weekend in Brazil brought out the ugly side of the sport, with the passion of one particular driver rearing its ugly head in a confrontation which brought out both the best and worst of F1. As the unforgiving media world continues to scrutinize the situation, we take a look back at some of the times that F1 drivers took matters into their own hands and got physical. Here are some such incidents:

#5 Nelson Piquet vs Eliseo Salazar (1982 German Grand Prix)

Nelson Piquet throws a punch at Eliseo Salazar

The German Grand Prix in 1982 is remembered largely for this unfortunate, yet highly entertaining scuffle.

Having started fourth on the grid, Nelson Piquet found himself in a good position in the race, and was actually leading the pile and consolidating his position. Things suddenly went south however, when the Brazilian came across Eliseo Salazar.

As he tried to overtake the back market in Salazar, Piquet made his move, but everyone was taken by surprise when Salazar refused to slow down enough, resulting in instant contact between the two cars and an instant retirement.

Piquet was fuming after the incident and hopped out of his car and straight towards his adversary, who could only defend briefly as the Brazilian threw wild punches at him and showed his frustration. Truly dramatic.

#4 James Hunt punches marshal (1977 Canadian Grand Prix)

Everyone remembers the flashy, cool and sometimes cocky James Hunt from his incredible 1976 F1 exploits. The Brit sensationally won the World Championship that year ahead of Nikki Lauda, but things turned out very different the following year.

Hunt struggled to keep up with the front of the pack, but had an opportunity at the Canadian Grand Prix in 1977.

Finding himself behind his own teammate Jochen Mass, Hunt tried to lap his partner but only succeeded in hitting his fellow McLaren in the rear, causing him to spin off track and head off.

What happened next was even more absurd, as a visibly irate Hunt got out of his car and made fist gestures towards Mass. As a marshal tried to intervene, the hot-headed Brit proceeded to lay into him with a punch that would have made Muhammad Ali proud. That poor marshal indeed.

#3 Michael Schumacher vs David Coulthard (1998 Belgian Grand Prix)

Michael Schumacher took on David Coulthard in the pit garage

An unforgettable race took place in 1998 at the Belgian Grand Prix. A drenched track welcomed the drivers not once but twice, after an hour-long delay following a melee that took out much of the field.

After the restart, Michael Schumacher found himself in a commanding lead, and had the opportunity to reduce the deficit on a retired Mika Hakkinen, who was Championship leader at the time.

It all went horribly wrong however, as Schumacher tried to get past Hakkinen's teammate David Coulthard. The McLaren driver maintained his racing line, and resulted in the German ramming into him. A wheel was immediately dislodged from the Ferrari, and Schumacher was forced to retire.

As the duo reached the pit garage, a livid Schumacher proceeded to get him some of Coulthard, but couldn't touch him due to race officials intervening. It was nonetheless a nervy exchange.

#2 Nigel Mansell vs Ayrton Senna (1987 Belgian Grand Prix)

Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna typified what racing truly was in the 1980s and early 90s. The duo went at it several times and ensured that fans were entertained the whole time, with 1987 being no different.

The Belgian Grand Prix that year was interesting to say the least, with Mansell taking pole and a second start seeing the Brit make a beeline for top spot. He found himself chasing a familiar foe however, with Senna taking the lead.

Mansell looked quicker and tried overtaking the Brazilian almost immediately, but with Senna sticking to his guns, the two made contact. It caused a double retirement, and a livid Mansell proceeded to chase down Senna in the pit garage later.

The British driver went on to hurl insults and threatened his counterpart, and even lit him up with a few punches off-camera. Ouch indeed.

#1 Max Verstappen vs Esteban Ocon (2018 Brazilian Grand Prix)

And finally, it is the incident that brought us here in the first place. The most recent of all, this particular fight comes to us from the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen did brilliantly to take his Red Bull up the field and overtake the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes to lead the race in Sao Paulo. When it looked as if the Dutchman was sure to pick up a win, disaster struck.

Esteban Ocon may have been a lap behind the race leader, but on fresh tyres, he fancied himself to get ahead of Verstappen. Max never saw it coming, and it led to an ugly collision that saw the leader spin off track. This allowed Lewis Hamilton to take advantage and pick up the win.

A furious Verstappen later stormed into the premises where Ocon stood and ended up pushing and shoving the Frenchman while threatening to punch him as well. Stewards and officials were forced to intervene, and stopped a bad situation becoming much worse.