What happened on this day, August 2 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1959
The 1959 German Grand Prix was unique, as it was the only time the race was not held at the Nürburgring or Hockenheim circuits as part of the World Championship. Instead, it took place at the AVUS circuit in Berlin, which consisted of two stretches of dual carriageway connected by a hairpin at one end and steep banking at the north end. AVUS had previously held the original German Grand Prix in 1926 pre-championship.
Due to concerns about tyre durability, the race was divided into two heats. British driver Tony Brooks won the race, with Dan Gurney and Phil Hill completing an all-Ferrari podium. All three drove Ferrari Dino 246s.
Brooks’ victory brought him within four points of the championship leader, Australian and Cooper driver Jack Brabham. Brabham went on to win his first of three drivers’ championships that season.
1964
Dutch driver and nobleman Carel Godin de Beaufort died at the Nürburgring during practice for the 1964 German Grand Prix. He veered off at the sweeping Bergwerk corner at the northernmost part of the track, crashing into the trees and sustaining severe head injuries. He passed away the next day at a neurological centre in Cologne. Beaufort competed in Formula One from 1957 until his death. During his career, he started 31 races and achieved four points without any podium finishes.
On race day, Ferrari driver John Surtees won the 15-lap race, starting from pole position. Graham Hill finished second for the BRM team, while Surtees’s teammate, Lorenzo Bandini, secured third place.
1970
The 1970 German Grand Prix was relocated to Hockenheim from the Nürburgring at the last minute after drivers refused to race at the latter due to safety concerns. Jochen Rindt won the race with Lotus, extending his championship lead to 20 points. Tragically, Rindt later became Formula One’s only posthumous world champion after being killed during the 1970 Italian Grand Prix at Monza that same year; it was his final race win in F1. Jacky Ickx finished second for the Ferrari team, and McLaren driver Denny Hulme came in third.
1981
Alain Prost secured the first pole position of his career at the 1981 German Grand Prix in Hockenheim with Renault. Nelson Piquet, driving for Brabham, won the race, with Prost finishing second. His compatriot Jacques Laffite finished third in a Ligier–Matra. This victory, Piquet’s third of the season, brought him within eight points of the Drivers’ Championship leader, Argentine Carlos Reutemann, who retired due to an engine failure. Prost went on to achieve a total of 33 pole positions during his Formula One career.
2020
Lewis Hamilton won a last-gasp lap at the 2020 British Grand Prix after he suffered a puncture on the final lap. A fate his teammate Valtteri Bottas had suffered a few laps earlier. Race leader Hamilton was cautioned over the radio to conserve his tyres, but the warning came too late. On the final lap at turn eight, Hamilton experienced a front-left tyre failure, becoming the third driver to do so. Despite the issue, Hamilton had built a lead of over 30 seconds following a precautionary pit stop by Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. As Hamilton limped through the lap, this lead diminished rapidly.
Verstappen managed to close the gap to just six seconds by the finish line, but Hamilton crossed the chequered flag to secure his third consecutive victory of the season, his 87th career win, and his seventh at the British Grand Prix. Verstappen finished second and claimed the fastest lap, while Charles Leclerc completed the podium for Ferrari.
The race marked the first of two back-to-back Formula One events at Silverstone, with the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix scheduled for the following week.
2022
The infamous Oscar Piastri tweet from 2022 occurred on August 2nd, when Piastri publicly refuted Alpine team’s announcement that he would be driving for them in the 2023 Formula 1 season. In his tweet, Piastri stated that the announcement was made without his agreement and that he would not be driving for Alpine in 2023, creating a notable controversy in the F1 paddock and sending Twitter (X) into meltdown.
Oscar wrote: “I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
After the tweet, a contract dispute ensued between Alpine and McLaren, both claiming valid contracts with Piastri. The FIA’s Contract Recognition Board ruled in favour of McLaren, allowing Piastri to join them for the 2023 season and replace Daniel Ricciardo, who then left McLaren. Alpine subsequently signed Pierre Gasly from AlphaTauri to join Esteban Ocon.
F1 Driver Birthday’s 2 August
| Birth Date | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 2 August | n/a |
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