What happened on this day, December 22 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1905
Pierre Levegh, a French racing driver, was born in Paris. In addition to competing in six Formula 1 races in 1950 and 1951, Levegh was a world-class ice hockey and tennis player. Tragically, his death overshadowed his life. Levegh was killed in the 1955 Le Mans disaster when his Mercedes 300SLR struck a bank, sending burning engine parts into the crowd. Levegh was thrown from the car, sustaining a fatal skull injury. The disaster, the worst in motorsport history, claimed Levegh’s life, along with 80 spectators, and injured another 300.
1989
Ruth Buscombe was born on this day. A British motorsport engineer and presenter for F1 TV, she graduated with first-class honours from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering; she began her Formula One career in 2012 as a race strategist for Scuderia Ferrari at their headquarters. In November 2015, she joined the Haas F1 Team as a strategy engineer and moved to Sauber in September 2016 after leaving Haas earlier that year. At Sauber, she played a key role in helping the team finish ahead of Manor Racing in the 2016 Constructors’ Championship. In mid-2024, Buscombe moved to TV presenting, leaving her role as a strategy engineer with the Stake F1 Team (formerly Sauber).
1997
David Coulthard was left annoyed when a new £55 Nintendo F1 game incorrectly listed him as English. The game grouped him with Damon Hill and Martin Brundle as one of England’s drivers. A spokesman for Coulthard said: “He has a saltire on his car and helmet. If they can’t notice that, what hope is there? David will be furious. He’s proud to be Scottish and will find this infuriating.”
2003
Zsolt Baumgartner became the first Hungarian driver to compete in an official F1 race, securing his seat with Minardi through £2.7 million in government backing. He had previously made his debut at the 2002 Hungarian Grand Prix as a stand-in for Ralph Firman. After a season with Minardi that included only one top-ten finish, Baumgartner was released. Ironically, he had replaced Justin Wilson, who had also earned his drive by securing £2 million in sponsorship.
2005
Super Aguri received the green light to join Formula 1, spearheaded by former F1 driver Aguri Suzuki. Despite submitting a late application, they had to wait for approval from the other teams. “I would like to thank all of the teams for approving our late entry,” Suzuki stated. “I assure them that the Super Aguri F1 team will cooperate and strive to meet their expectations.” However, Super Aguri struggled on the track, withdrawing from the championship four races into their third season after scoring just four points in total.
F1 Driver Birthdays 22 December
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 22 December 1905 | Pierre Levegh |
| Birthday | F1 Mentions |
|---|---|
| 22 December 1989 | Ruth Buscombe Former Head of Race Strategy at Stake F1 Kick Sauber Formula One Team and F1 TV pundit. |
F1 Driver Deaths 22 December
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 22 December | None |
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