What happened on this day, April 27 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1943
Helmut Marko was born on this day in Graz, Austria. A close friend of Jochen Rindt, he competed in nine Formula One Grands Prix for BRM between 1971 and 1972 before his racing career was cut short by an eye injury caused by a flying stone during the 1972 French Grand Prix.
Marko found greater success in sports car racing, notably winning the 1971 Le Mans 24 Hours alongside Gijs van Lennep in a Porsche 917. The duo set an overall distance record of 3,315.210 miles (5,335.313 km) at an average speed of 138 mph (222 km/h).
He also holds one of the fastest lap records at the legendary Targa Florio road race in Sicily, setting a blistering time of 33:41 in an Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 in 1972.
Following his driving career, Marko became a key figure in Formula One, working as a consultant for Red Bull Racing and playing a crucial role in the team’s driver development program, maintaining close ties with Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz.
1975
The 1975 Spanish Grand Prix at Montjuïc Park ended in tragedy when Rolf Stommelen’s Embassy Hill suffered a rear wing failure, causing him to crash over the barriers, killing give people. Fireman Joaquín Benaches Morera, spectator Andrés Ruiz Villanova, and two photo-journalists, Mario de Roia and Antonio Font Bayarri.
Amid the chaos, race organisers took four laps to officially stop the race, during which time German and McLaren driver Jochen Mass overtook Jacky Ickx in a Lotus to claim his first and only Formula One victory. The event had already been highly attritional, with 18 cars crashing out in just 25 laps, including four race leaders.
Montjuïc Park was regarded as one of the most exciting circuits on the calendar, but its poorly maintained crash barriers had sparked safety concerns among the drivers before the race. A strike was threatened, and Emerson Fittipaldi ultimately refused to race, going home before the start. Though last-minute fixes were made to the barriers, the race proceeded under a shadow of uncertainty.
Due to the race’s early stoppage, half points were awarded to the top six finishers, including Lella Lombardi, who became the first and only female driver to score a point in Formula One history—albeit half a point.
Argentine racer Carlos Reutemann was declared third for Brabham, a lap behind the race leaders after a penalty was given to Jean-Pierre Jarier. This was the last win by a German driver until Michael Schumacher won the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix. The race was also future world champion Alan Jones‘ first Grand Prix start.
1975 Spanish Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Jochen Mass | McLaren Ford | 29 | 42:53.700 | 4.5 |
| 2 | 6 | Jacky Ickx | Lotus Ford | 29 | +1.100s | 3 |
| 3 | 7 | Carlos Reutemann | Brabham Ford | 28 | +1 lap | 2 |
| 4 | 17 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Shadow Ford | 28 | +1 lap | 1.5 |
| 5 | 9 | Vittorio Brambilla | March Ford | 28 | +1 lap | 1 |
| 6 | 10 | Lella Lombardi | March Ford | 27 | +2 laps | 0.5 |
| 7 | 21 | Tony Brise | Frank Williams Racing Cars/Williams | 27 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 8 | 18 | John Watson | Surtees Ford | 26 | +3 laps | 0 |
| NC | 22 | Rolf Stommelen | Hill Ford | 25 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 8 | Carlos Pace | Brabham Ford | 25 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 11 | Clay Regazzoni | Ferrari | 25 | +4 laps | 0 |
| NC | 5 | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus Ford | 23 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 16 | Tom Pryce | Shadow Ford | 23 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 31 | Roelof Wunderink | Ensign Ford | 20 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Francois Migault | Hill Ford | 18 | +11 laps | 0 |
| NC | 27 | Mario Andretti | Parnelli Ford | 16 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 14 | Bob Evans | BRM | 7 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 24 | James Hunt | Hesketh Ford | 6 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 3 | Jody Scheckter | Tyrrell Ford | 3 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 28 | Mark Donohue | Penske Ford | 3 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 25 | Alan Jones | Hesketh Ford | 3 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 4 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell Ford | 1 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 20 | Arturo Merzario | Frank Williams Racing Cars/Williams | 1 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 30 | Wilson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi Ford | 1 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 12 | Niki Lauda | Ferrari | 0 | DNF | 0 |
1986
The 1986 San Marino Grand Prix became a battle of fuel management, as five drivers ran out before reaching the finish line. Even Alain Prost, a master of fuel and tyre saving, came dangerously close to running dry on his way to victory.
Keke Rosberg, Riccardo Patrese, Thierry Boutsen, Marc Surer, and Piercarlo Ghinzani all ran out of fuel before seeing the chequered flag. With just three corners to go, Prost began weaving frantically, trying to sloshe the last remnants of fuel toward the engine. His McLaren spluttered across the finish line, securing a crucial early-season victory before finally grinding to a halt just meters after the checkered flag.
The win would prove vital in Prost’s 1986 championship-winning campaign, as he went on to defend his title in dramatic fashion.
Nelson Piquet brought his Williams home in second place only 7.645 seconds behind Prost, while Austrian Gerhard Berger finished third to score his and the Benetton team’s first Formula One podium finish.
1986 San Marino Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren TAG | 60 | 1:32:28.408 | 9 |
| 2 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams Honda | 60 | +7.645s | 6 |
| 3 | 20 | Gerhard Berger | Benetton BMW | 59 | +1 lap | 4 |
| 4 | 28 | Stefan Johansson | Ferrari | 59 | +1 lap | 3 |
| 5 | 2 | Keke Rosberg | McLaren TAG | 58 | DNF | 2 |
| 6 | 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham BMW | 58 | DNF | 1 |
| 7 | 18 | Thierry Boutsen | Arrows BMW | 58 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 8 | 3 | Martin Brundle | Tyrrell Renault | 58 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 9 | 17 | Marc Surer | Arrows BMW | 57 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 56 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 21 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella Alfa Romeo | 52 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier Renault | 46 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell Renault | 41 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton BMW | 39 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 14 | Jonathan Palmer | Zakspeed | 38 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 22 | Christian Danner | Osella Alfa Romeo | 31 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 15 | Alan Jones | Lola Ford | 28 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Andrea de Cesaris | Minardi Motori Moderni | 20 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 8 | Elio de Angelis | Brabham BMW | 19 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier Renault | 14 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus Renault | 11 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams Honda | 8 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 11 | Johnny Dumfries | Lotus Renault | 8 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 29 | Huub Rothengatter | Zakspeed | 7 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 16 | Patrick Tambay | Lola Hart | 5 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi Motori Moderni | DNS | 0 |
1997
Heinz-Harald Frentzen secured his maiden Formula One victory at Imola, fending off Michael Schumacher to claim victory on Ferrari’s home soil.
Frentzen’s Williams teammate, Jacques Villeneuve, had initially led the race but was forced to retire due to a gear-selection issue, leaving the battle for victory between the two German drivers. It became a strategic duel, with Frentzen holding his nerve to cross the finish line 1.237 seconds ahead of Schumacher, marking the first-ever, championship race, German one-two finish in Formula One history. Schumacher’s teammate, Eddie Irvine, took third.
Gerhard Berger started his 200th Grand Prix, however it ended in disappointment when he spun off early on.
1997 San Marino Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | Williams Renault | 62 | 1:31:00.673 | 10 |
| 2 | 5 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 62 | +1.237s | 6 |
| 3 | 6 | Eddie Irvine | Ferrari | 62 | +78.343s | 4 |
| 4 | 12 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Jordan Peugeot | 62 | +83.388s | 3 |
| 5 | 7 | Jean Alesi | Benetton Renault | 61 | +1 lap | 2 |
| 6 | 9 | Mika Hakkinen | McLaren Mercedes | 61 | +1 lap | 1 |
| 7 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Sauber Petronas | 61 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 8 | 14 | Olivier Panis | Prost Mugen Honda | 61 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 9 | 19 | Mika Salo | Tyrrell Ford | 60 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 10 | 18 | Jos Verstappen | Tyrrell Ford | 60 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 11 | 20 | Ukyo Katayama | Minardi Hart | 59 | +3 laps | 0 |
| NC | 2 | Pedro Diniz | Arrows Yamaha | 53 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 3 | Jacques Villeneuve | Williams Renault | 40 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 10 | David Coulthard | McLaren Mercedes | 38 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 22 | Rubens Barrichello | Stewart Ford | 32 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 16 | Johnny Herbert | Sauber Petronas | 18 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 11 | Ralf Schumacher | Jordan Peugeot | 17 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 15 | Shinji Nakano | Prost Mugen Honda | 11 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 1 | Damon Hill | Arrows Yamaha | 11 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 8 | Gerhard Berger | Benetton Renault | 4 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Jan Magnussen | Stewart Ford | 2 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 21 | Jarno Trulli | Minardi Hart | 0 | DNF | 0 |
2008
Defending champion Kimi Raikkonen extended his championship lead with a dominant victory at the 2008 Spanish Grand Prix, leading a Ferrari 1-2 ahead of Felipe Massa. However, this would prove to be Räikkönen’s final win of the season, as he struggled to adapt to the new Bridgestone tyres and eventually fell 23 points short of 2008 title winner Lewis Hamilton, who came third in the race.
The race itself was largely processional, with few overtaking opportunities. However, it was punctuated by a frightening crash when Heikki Kovalainen lost control of his McLaren and slammed deep into the tyre barrier at high speed. The rescue operation took several minutes, but Kovalainen fortunately emerged unscathed.
2008 Spanish Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 66 | 1:38:19.051 | 10 |
| 2 | 2 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 66 | +3.228s | 8 |
| 3 | 22 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren Mercedes | 66 | +4.187s | 6 |
| 4 | 4 | Robert Kubica | Sauber BMW | 66 | +5.694s | 5 |
| 5 | 10 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Renault | 66 | +35.938s | 4 |
| 6 | 16 | Jenson Button | Honda | 66 | +53.010s | 3 |
| 7 | 8 | Kazuki Nakajima | Williams Toyota | 66 | +58.244s | 2 |
| 8 | 11 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 66 | +59.435s | 1 |
| 9 | 3 | Nick Heidfeld | Sauber BMW | 66 | +63.073s | 0 |
| 10 | 21 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Force India Ferrari | 65 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 11 | 12 | Timo Glock | Toyota | 65 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 12 | 9 | David Coulthard | Red Bull Renault | 65 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 13 | 18 | Takuma Sato | Super Aguri Honda | 65 | +1 lap | 0 |
| NC | 7 | Nico Rosberg | Williams Toyota | 41 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 5 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 34 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 17 | Rubens Barrichello | Honda | 34 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Heikki Kovalainen | McLaren Mercedes | 21 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 19 | Anthony Davidson | Super Aguri Honda | 8 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 14 | Sebastien Bourdais | STR Ferrari | 7 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Renault | 6 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 15 | Sebastian Vettel | STR Ferrari | 0 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 20 | Adrian Sutil | Force India Ferrari | 0 | DNF | 0 |
F1 Driver Birthdays 27 April
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 27 April 1902 | Rudolf Schoeller (d. 1978) |
| 27 April 1914 | Russ Klar (d. 2005) |
| 27 April 1933 | Bob Bondurant (d. 2021) |
| 27 April 1943 | Helmut Marko |
F1 Driver Deaths 27 April
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 27 April 1973 | Carlos Menditeguy (b. 1914) |
| 27 April 2002 | Arthur Owen (b. 1915) |
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