What happened on this day, August 20 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1939
Before World War II, the last major Grand Prix was held at Bremgarten in Switzerland. To entice Italian racers and to challenge the dominant German teams, the 1939 Swiss Grand Prix was split into two heats—one for Voiturettes (Formula 2) and one for GP cars—with the best from each advancing to a combined final. On a slippery track, Mercedes dominated as Hermann Lang, the European champion that year, won the race three seconds ahead of Rudolf Caracciola. German entries secured the top six positions. Despite this, future F1 Champion, Nino Farina finished seventh place in his Alfa Romeo, ahead of several more powerful Mercedes and Auto Union cars, earning widespread admiration for his drive.
This was the last victory for a German driver driving a German car until Nico Rosberg won at the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix.
1999
After breaking his leg in a crash at Silverstone during the 1999 British Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher took significant steps in his recovery by making a return to driving his Ferrari on this day at Ferrari’s Mugello circuit. Schumacher joined Mika Salo and Eddie Irvine for testing. Although he limped slightly after his first lap, he resumed driving and completed four more laps, marking a milestone in his rehabilitation.
2003
On this day in 2003, Renault confirmed that its driver lineup of Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso would remain unchanged for the 2004 season. Team boss Flavio Briatore praised the duo, stating, “This driver lineup provides us with the perfect balance. Next year will be Jarno’s eighth season in Formula One, and everyone knows he is an extremely fast, competitive driver. Fernando has more than justified the faith we showed in him last year and is maturing with the team as he gains experience at the highest level.”
Following a series of races without points in the summer of 2004, Trulli parted ways with Renault in September and immediately joined Panasonic Toyota Racing for the remainder of 2004, continuing through 2005 and 2006. While Alonso went on to win consecutive Drivers’ Championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006.
2009
After a decade away from the Formula 1 grid, Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer was called up to race following Felipe Massa‘s serious injury at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. A neck injury thwarted a planned return by Michael Schumacher, leading Ferrari to announce Badoer as their driver for the 2009 European Grand Prix. Badoer’s previous record from 1993 to 1999 included 48 starts with no points, raising eyebrows about his selection. His performance in practice at Valencia confirmed doubts, as he was more than two seconds slower than teammate Kimi Räikkönen and received four fines for speeding in the pit lane. Badoer’s race results were disappointing, finishing 17th out of 18 in Valencia and 14th out of 14 in Belgium. Ferrari then replaced him with Giancarlo Fisichella for the 2009 Italian Grand Prix. Badoer blamed negative media coverage for his replacement, but his prolonged absence from racing was likely the main factor.
F1 Driver Birthdays 20 August
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 20 August 2003 | Theo Pourchaire |
F1 Driver Deaths 20 August
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 20 August 1989 | Syd van der Vyver |
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