Martin Donnelly is a former F1 racer whose real-life car crash inspired the backstory of Sonny Hayes in “F1 The Movie”, find out more about it below
F1: The Movie is a new and upcoming documentary-style movie that features Brad Pitt as the main star.
The film uses one harrowing piece of real-world Formula 1 footage to frame Hayes’ backstory, Martin Donnelly’s horrific crash at the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix, which left the Ulsterman lying on the track, having been thrown from the car. The accident has been retconned to 1993, with Donnelly replaced by Pitt’s character and is framed as the one that ended his promising career and led to decades in the racing wilderness.
That explains some of Hayes’ quirks including a prerace ritual he does before stepping into the car.
Who is Martin Donnelly, on whose real life crash accident and injuries Sonny Hayes’ story is based on in F1 The Movie
The film includes Easter eggs for F1 fans, referencing historic events and figures such as Ayrton Senna and the 1990 Martin Donnelly crash, enhancing its authenticity. pic.twitter.com/KcwWW1sAlH
— Scoops and Films (@scoopsandfilms) June 26, 2025
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Martin Donnelly’s Lotus 102 speared off into the barrier at 140mph (225kmh) it exploded into pieces and the chassis tore in two and Martin Donnelly was thrown into the air and he sustained severe, life-threatening injuries in his 1990 Formula One crash at Jerez. He suffered brain and lung contusions, severe leg fractures that nearly required amputation, and nerve damage in his left toes and his condition was critical, requiring a medically induced coma for seven weeks and his heart stopped twice.
Despite the severity of his injuries, he survived the crash, though he still experiences some lasting effects.
Martin Donnelly biography
Martin Donnelly was a former F1 racer who was born on March 26, 1964, in Belfast. Donnelly initially rose through the junior ranks and after impressing in British F3 with four rookie wins in 1986, he jumped to Formula 3000. From there, he caught the attention of top-tier teams and landed a spot with Lotus in 1990. While the team was struggling, and their vehicle proved unreliable and dangerous, Donnelly held his own against veteran teammate Derek Warwick and nearly earned his first F1 points. However, his promising career came to a standstill following a tragic accident.
Age and height
Martin Donnelly is currently 60 years old and stands approximately 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall.
Nationality
Martin Donnelly is Northern Irish and raced under a British license during his motorsport career.
Career
Martin Donnelly started out his racing career with karting and moved swiftly up the motorsport ladder. He first made a name for himself in British F3 and Formula 3000, and finally made his Formula 1 debut back in 1989. Donnelly started out racing full-time for Lotus in 1990, and quickly showed strong qualifying pace and resilience. Unfortunately, his career came to an abrupt halt later that same year, following a catastrophic crash during qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The crash launched Donnelly from his car at over 220 km/h, following which his Lotus disintegrated upon impact with the barriers. Donnelly suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries as a result of the crash and he was placed in an induced coma for recovery. Despite never racing in F1 again, he later ran his own racing team and competed in lower categories.
Wife and children
While Donnelly is married and has children, the exact details about his family remain largely private and undisclosed.
I’m just curious to see the F1 “movie” lore since the car that Brad Pitt’s character climbing in is the Camel Lotus from 1990.
That means in their timeline, he probably replaced Martin Donnelly after his awful crash in Jerez (instead of Johnny Herbert).
Just a morbid theory. pic.twitter.com/U8kpiXDvxa
— Danial Hasri (@Fl4ky) March 14, 2025
Net worth
Martin Donnelly has an estimated net worth of between $500,000 and $1 million, with most of his income primarily from his racing career.
The film includes Easter eggs for F1 fans, referencing historic events and figures such as Ayrton Senna and the 1990 Martin Donnelly crash, enhancing its authenticity. pic.twitter.com/KcwWW1sAlH
— Scoops and Films (@scoopsandfilms) June 26, 2025
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