Vitaly Aleksandrovich Petrov (Russian: Виталий Александрович Петров; born 8 September 1984) is a Russian former racing driver who competed in Formula One between 2010 and 2012. Nicknamed the “Vyborg Rocket”, Petrov was the first Russian driver to compete in Formula One. He is best known for his podium finish at the 2011 Australian Grand Prix and for playing a pivotal role in the outcome of the 2010 World Championship by holding off Fernando Alonso in the season finale at Abu Dhabi.
Early career[]
Petrov was born in Vyborg, Leningrad Oblast, Soviet Union (now Russia). Unlike many of his contemporaries, he did not have a background in karting and instead began his racing career relatively late, competing in touring cars in Russia in the late 1990s. He progressed to open-wheel racing in the early 2000s, making appearances in the Italian Formula 3000 Championship and Euroseries 3000.
In 2006, Petrov moved into the GP2 Series with Campos Racing. Over several seasons he became a consistent competitor, eventually joining the Barwa Addax Team in 2009. That year, he finished runner-up in the championship to Nico Hülkenberg, a performance that elevated his profile and contributed to his entry into Formula One.
Formula One career[]
Renault (2010–2011)[]
Petrov made his Formula One debut in 2010 with the Renault F1 Team, partnering Robert Kubica. In his rookie season he showed flashes of pace but was also criticised for inconsistency, finishing 13th in the World Drivers’ Championship with 27 points. His most notable performance came in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he successfully defended against repeated overtaking attempts by Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. Alonso’s inability to pass Petrov cost him the championship, which went instead to Sebastian Vettel.
Petrov retained his seat with Renault for 2011, now alongside Nick Heidfeld and later Bruno Senna. He made an immediate impact at the opening round in Australia, finishing third to become the first Russian driver to stand on a Formula One podium. Over the course of the season he scored regularly, finishing 10th in the Drivers’ Championship with 37 points.
Caterham (2012)[]
For 2012, Petrov moved to Caterham F1 Team, replacing Jarno Trulli. The car proved uncompetitive and Petrov spent most of the year racing against backmarkers. His best finish was 11th at the Brazilian Grand Prix, narrowly missing out on points. His result at Interlagos, however, ensured Caterham secured 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship ahead of Marussia. Petrov was released at the end of the season and did not return to Formula One thereafter.
Later career[]
Following his departure from Formula One, Petrov competed in various categories, including the FIA World Endurance Championship. He raced in LMP2 machinery before joining the SMP Racing squad in LMP1, participating in endurance events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In 2020, Petrov briefly served as a Formula One steward at the Portuguese Grand Prix, but his appointment attracted criticism due to comments he had made on social and political issues earlier that year. He stepped down from the role shortly afterwards.
Formula One Statistical Overview[]
Race Engineers[]
- A list of the primary race engineers responsible for managing Vitaly Petrov's car:
| Name | Team | Years |
|---|---|---|
 Mark Slade
|
Renault | 2010 |
 Ayao Komatsu
|
Renault | 2011 |
 Gianluca Pisanello
|
Caterham | 2012 |
| Tim Wright
|
Caterham | 2012 |
Managers[]
- A list of the managers responsible for managing Vitaly Petrov's business affairs:
| Name | Years |
|---|---|
 Oksana Kosachenko
|
2010-2012 |
Formula One Record[]
| Year | Entrant | Team | Pts | WDC Pos. | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 |  Renault F1 Team
|
Renault | 27 | 13th | Report |
| 2011 | Lotus Renault GP
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Renault | 37 | 10th | Report |
| 2012 |  Caterham F1 Team
|
Caterham-Renault | 0 | 19th | Report |
Statistics[]
Correct as of the 2012 Korean Grand Prix
| Entries | 58 |
| Starts | 57 |
| Pole Positions | 0 |
| Race Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 1 |
| Fastest Laps | 1 |
| Points | 64 |
| Laps Raced | 2992 |
| Distance Raced | 15,251 km (9,477 mi) |
Career Results[]
| Complete Formula One Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | Pos | |||
| 2010 | 
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27 | 13th | ||||
| Ret | Ret | Ret | 7th | 11th | 13th* | 15th | 17th | 14th | 13th | 10th | 5th | 9th | 13th | 11th | Ret | Ret | 16th | 6th | |||||||
| 2011 |
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37 | 10th | |||
| C | 3rd | 17th* | 9th | 8th | 11th | Ret | 5th | 15th | 12th | 10th | 12th | 9th | Ret | 17th | 9th | Ret | 11th | 13th | 10th | ||||||
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0 | 19th | |||
| Ret | 16th | 18th | 16th | 17th | Ret | 19th | 13th | DNS | 16th | 19th | 14th | 15th | 19th | 17th | 16th | 17th | 16th | 17th | 11th | ||||||
| Key | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | Meaning | Symbol | Meaning | ||
| 1st | Winner | Ret | Retired | ||
| 2nd | Podium finish | DSQ | Disqualified | ||
| 3rd | DNQ | Did not qualify | |||
| 5th | Points finish | DNPQ | Did not pre-qualify | ||
| 14th | Non-points finish | TD | Test driver | ||
| Italics | Fastest Lap | DNS | Did not start | ||
| 18th† | Classified finish (retired with >90% race distance) | NC | Non-classified finish (<90% race distance) | ||
| 4thP | Qualified for pole position | [+] More Symbols | |||
* Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.
Notes[]
| V T E | Vitaly Petrov
|
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|---|---|---|
| Seasons 2010 • 2011 • 2012 | ||
| Season Reports 2010 • 2011 • 2012 | ||
| Teams Renault (2010–2011) • Caterham (2012) | ||
| Teammates Robert Kubica (2010) • Nick Heidfeld (2011) • Bruno Senna (2011) • Heikki Kovalainen (2012) | ||
| Other pages Category | ||
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