Drivers to span three decades in F1?

[James1978]

I was hoping to get an exhaustive list of all the drivers who have spanned three decades in F1, for completeness sake. Here are the ones I can think of off the top of my head:

50s/60s/70s: Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Jo Bonnier, Dan Gurney

60s/70s/80s: Can only think of Mario Andretti

70s/80s/90s: Nelson Piquet, Riccardo Patrese, Jan Lammers, Bruno Giacomelli

80s/90s/00s: Can only think of Jean Alesi and Johnny Herbert

90s/00s/10s: Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, Jarno Trulli, Pedro De La Rosa

Anyone think of any others to add to the lists?

[East Londoner]

I can only think of a few cases where drivers came close...

Jacky Ickx came so close to joining this group, racing in F1 between 1966 and 1979.

If Emerson Fittipaldi had debuted just one year earlier, he would also have spanned 3 decades (1970-1980)

One wonders if the 'free agent' that is Nigel Mansell would have done so, had he somehow got the Jordan drive, or had got a drive in 1979. He still hasn't officially retired from F1, has he?

[James1978]

If Schumacher had started a couple of seasons earlier he could have spanned FOUR decades!!!

[DanielPT]

Dan Gurney came back for 3 races in 1970 having started his F1 career in 1959.

[DOSBoot]

Andrea de Cesaris came very close to doing it. (1980-1994) If Luca Bador's comeback had started a year later, he would have been one of those as well.

[Travis Daye]

Jan Lammers! I suppose the only reject to have been active in three decades.

Also, do we count Bruno Giacomelli, despite the fact that he never (pre-)qualified during his time at Life?

[James1978]

Jan Lammers! I suppose the only reject to have been active in three decades.

Also, do we count Bruno Giacomelli, despite the fact that he never (pre-)qualified during his time at Life?

Completely forgotten Lammers and Giacomelli, and indeed Dan Gurney!!!

[midgrid]

Jo Bonnier (1956-1971)

[James1978]

Original post edited to add in drivers from replies.

[f1-gast]

Wasn''t Patrese close to do a 4 decades span in the formula 1 ?
Something reminds me he tested in 96 and he was quicker than most of the guys.
And back in 2000 or 2001 he was supposed to make an comeback just for once, but could be i have some one else in my mind about this.

[Myrvold]

Andrea de Cesaris came very close to doing it. (1980-1994) If Luca Bador's comeback had started a year later, he would have been one of those as well.

But in a very unique way. As he didn't race in the 00's!

[Wizzie]

Alain Prost did it on a technicality as a driver/team owner (1980-1993 and 1997-2001)

[Bleu]

Alain Prost did it on a technicality as a driver/team owner (1980-1993 and 1997-2001)

He too.

[Ferrim]

Alain Prost did it on a technicality as a driver/team owner (1980-1993 and 1997-2001)

And I think he would have been faster than Gastón Mazzacane in the 2001 car.

[DOSBoot]

Pete Lovely did it as well. (1959-1971)

[AdrianSutil]

Giancarlo Fisichella was a year out (1996-2009) as was Jenson Button (2000 - present).

[DOSBoot]

Alain Prost did it on a technicality as a driver/team owner (1980-1993 and 1997-2001)

In that case, Jackie Stewart would be a four decade man. Almost a five decade man if his team lasted longer. (1965-1973, and 1997-1999)

[dr-baker]

Alain Prost did it on a technicality as a driver/team owner (1980-1993 and 1997-2001)

In that case, Jackie Stewart would be a four decade man. Almost a five decade man if his team lasted longer. (1965-1973, and 1997-1999)

Although technically Jackie Stewart did not compete in either form in the 1980s, so still really a three-non-consectutive-decade man - '60s, '70s, '90s.

[FullMetalJack]

Eddie Cheever was very close, 1978 to 1989. He was only 31 as well during his last GP. Could have easily been part of this group.

I bet a few teams would have had him for 1990 if he wanted to drive for them, as he was a very competent driver.

[MansellsEyebrows]

if we count open wheel racing as a whole, the best example of a multi-decade (not to mention glorious) career would be Mario Andretti.

Driving Midgets and Sprint Cars in the early 1960s, making his Indy Car debut in 1964, and his F1 debut in 1968. Whilst retiring from f1 at the end of 1982, (well, 1981 full time) he continued in CART to 1994. When you consider he actually started racing in 1959, his career managed to span 5 decades. Not to mention the test he did for his son Michael's team in 2003. It might not be entirely in F1, but essentially he was in premier open wheel racing for 26 years!