What Happened On This Day December 27 In F1 History?

What happened on this day, December 27 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1900

Hans Stuck, a prolific pre-war racing driver, was born in Warsaw, Poland. Known for his successes with Auto Union, he gained legendary status as a hill climb specialist, earning the nickname “Berghonig” or “King of the Mountains.” Among his many feats, he once won a race driving in reverse by flipping the gearbox in his car. In 1926, legend has it that Austrian playboy Count Szichy challenged Stuck to a race, claiming his Bugatti could outpace Stuck’s Austro-Daimler. Stuck agreed to the bet, with the Count’s wife as the prize. After winning the wager, Stuck and the Countess stayed together until her passing in 1931. He entered five Championship races, finishing once, in 14th, at the 1953 Italian Grand Prix.

1969

Jean-Christophe Boullion was born in Saint-Brieuc, France. Initially signed as a test driver for Williams in 1995, he was loaned to Sauber to replace Karl Wendlinger for most of the season. Although Boullion managed to score three championship points, he struggled to match the performance of his teammate, Heinz-Harald Frentzen. The following year he returned to his testing role at Williams, and he later tested for Jordan and Tyrrell.

1993

Andre Pilette passed away in Belgium at the age of 75. Pilette participated in 14 Grands Prix between 1951 and 1964, although he failed to qualify for four races and shared a drive in another. His career was marked by persistence in a challenging era of motorsport. His son Teddy Pilette also became a racing driver, although his F1 career in the mid-1970s was much briefer.

2001

In a time of soaring salaries in Formula One, 34-year-old German driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen made headlines by accepting a significant pay cut to sign a one-year deal with Arrows, reportedly worth around £500,000. Frentzen had been sacked by Jordan midway through the previous season following a disappointing performance at the 2000 British Grand Prix. “No matter. I want to race,” he said, expressing his love for the sport. Unfortunately, the Arrows team folded before the season concluded, cutting short his return.

F1 Driver Birthdays 27 December

F1 Driver Deaths 27 December