Tragically since the inauguration of the world championship in 1950, forty five drivers have died during, or as a result of injuries sustained from accidents at FIA World Championship race weekend or elsewhere while driving a Formula 1 car. This does not include drivers such as Jim Clark or Bruce McLaren who died driving different formula cars when still active with F1. Further, it does not include track marshals and other race attendees, or F1 races held before the inauguration of the World Championships.

Of the forty-five drivers that have died, 24 were during a World Championship GP race weekend, 8 during Indianapolis 500 races when it was part of the F1 World Championship, 9 during a test session and 4 during a non-championship Formula 1 event.

Fifteen drivers died in the 1950s; twelve in the 1960s; ten in the 1970s; four in the 1980s and two in the 1990s. No driver has suffered a fatal accident since 1994, making this the longest period in F1 history without a driver fatality. Drivers from the United States of America have had the most fatal accidents with ten drivers from that country having died, although seven of these were while participating in the Indy 500 during the 1950s when it was part of the FIA World Drivers' Championship.

At the age of 20 years, 8 months and 18 days, Ricardo Rodríguez is the youngest person to have suffered a fatal accident in Formula One.

After his death, Jochen Rindt was declared champion after his rivals failed to overhaul his points tally four Grands Prix later.