What happened on this day, August 30 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1937
Bruce McLaren was born on this day, 30 August 1937, and was a renowned New Zealand racing car designer, driver, engineer, and inventor. He founded the McLaren team, which remains one of the most successful in Formula 1 history, having since secured 8 Constructors’ Championships and 12 Drivers’ Championships. Outside of F1, McLaren cars were also dominant in CanAm sports car racing, achieving 56 wins—many with McLaren himself driving—between 1967 and 1972, and winning five constructors’ championships. Additionally, McLaren cars have triumphed in three Indianapolis 500 races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Tragically, on 2 June 1970, while testing the team’s powerful new Can-Am car just two weeks before the opening race of the series, he lost control when the rear bodywork came loose. The car crashed into a marshal’s post, and Bruce was killed instantly.
He raced for Cooper, McLaren and Eagle in F1 between 1958 and 1970, securing 4 wins, 27 podiums, 188.5 (196.5) career points and 3 fastest laps.
1981
Alain Prost won the 1981 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, starting from pole position and driving a Renault. Nelson Piquet secured second place in a Brabham, while Alan Jones finished third in a Williams. Carlos Reutemann, in the sister Williams, failed to finish after a collision with Jacques Laffite‘s Ligier. As a result, Piquet moved into the lead of the 1981 Drivers’ Championship, tied on points with Reutemann but holding the advantage with more wins.
1992
Benetton driver Michael Schumacher won the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix, making this the first Grand Prix victory for a German driver since Jochen Mass triumphed at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix. It was the first of Schumacher’s eventual 91 Grand Prix wins—a record later surpassed by Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
Newly crowned World Champion Nigel Mansell finished second in his Williams, with teammate Riccardo Patrese securing third, thereby clinching the 1992 Constructors’ Championship for Williams. Schumacher’s victory was also notable as the last time a Formula One car won a Grand Prix with an H-pattern manual gearbox.
This race also marked Ferrari’s 500th start in a World Championship event as a team and the last race for the Andrea Moda team.
1998
Damon Hill claimed victory at an eventful 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, much to the delight of the Jordan team, with his teammate Ralf Schumacher finishing in second place. It was the first-ever Formula 1 victory for the Jordan team (the second for Mugen Motorsports engines) after 126 race starts, marking his 22nd career win. This triumph was also Hill’s first victory in two years since departing from Williams and would ultimately be his final F1 career win, as well as his 42nd and last podium finish. Jean Alesi took third for the Sauber team, marking his 32nd and final podium finish in his Formula One career.
The race also had an eventful start. Held under extremely wet conditions throughout, on the first lap, David Coulthard lost control of his McLaren, triggering a massive collision involving thirteen drivers, which led to the race being temporarily stopped. The race resumed more than an hour later once the track had been cleared of debris and cars, with the restart missing four of the drivers involved in the incident. At the restart, championship leader and polesitter Mika Hakkinen spun his McLaren at the first corner, where he was struck by Johnny Herbert‘s Sauber, resulting in both drivers retiring from the race.
2009
Kimi Raikkonen secured victory for Ferrari at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix after starting from sixth on the grid. Giancarlo Fisichella finished second for Force India, having started from the team’s first and only pole position. Sebastian Vettel took third place for Red Bull after beginning the race from eighth on the grid. It was Raikkonen’s first win since the 2008 Spanish Grand Prix and Ferrari’s only victory of the 2009 season.
2020
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix leading every lap from start to finish, with teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen maintaining their positions in second and third throughout the entire race. Daniel Ricciardo set the fastest lap on the final lap with a time of 1:47.483, earning an additional championship point.
A minute of silence was observed before the race to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Anthoine Hubert’s passing. Pierre Gasly, one of Hubert’s closest friends, honoured him by wearing a tribute helmet, while all teams and drivers displayed a star sticker on their chassis and helmets in memory of Hubert.
F1 Driver Birthdays 30 August
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 30 August 1923 | Neal Carter |
| 30 August 1928 | Lucky Casner |
| 30 August 1935 | Gerhard Mitter |
| 30 August 1937 | Bruce McLaren |
| 30 August 1941 | Ignazio Giunti |
F1 Driver Deaths 30 August
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 30 August 1959 | Ed Elisian |
F1 Champion 30 August
| Date | Team/Driver |
|---|---|
| 30 August 1992 | Williams |
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