What happened on this day, December 4 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1944
Francois Migault, born in Le Mans, seemed destined for motorsport. Despite limited success in Formula 1—finishing only four of his 16 races between 1972 and 1975, often with under-resourced teams—he had a long career in endurance racing, competing in numerous 24 Hours of Le Mans events from 1971 to 2001.
1957
Raul Boesel, born in Curitiba, Brazil, made his mark in 30 Formula 1 races between 1982 and 1983, achieving his best result with a seventh-place finish at the 1983 United States Grand Prix West. He later moved to IndyCar and sports car racing, winning the World Sportscar Championship in 1987 and the Daytona 24-Hour race in 1988. After retiring from racing, he embarked on a career as a DJ.
1997
Nigel Mansell was pulled over by police in Somerset for driving 92 mph on a road with a 70 mph limit, shortly after receiving his new Bentley, a 170 mph car worth £233,000. His lawyer defended him in court, describing Mansell as a “highly experienced driver with an impeccable safety record” and claiming the car’s insulation muted road noise, causing him to unintentionally exceed the limit. The court remained unswayed, issuing a six-month driving ban and a £400 fine.
2005
Michael Schumacher presented Pope Benedict XVI with a steering wheel from one of his championship-winning cars. It bore a unique inscription: “The Formula 1 World Champion’s steering wheel to His Holiness Benedict XVI, Christianity’s driver.” Perhaps Schumacher was hoping for a bit of divine support in pursuit of his eighth world title.
2009
Kimi Raikkonen‘s anticipated switch to the World Rally Championship was officially confirmed. A potential move from Ferrari to McLaren fell through when the latter declined his salary terms, making his rally move almost certain. Raikkonen said, “I’ve always wanted to compete in rally, especially in the World Rally Championship.” With Red Bull’s support, he joined Citroen, driving a C4. He added “We will see how it goes for the future” when asked about a potential F1 return.
2022
Patrick Tambay and Gilles Villeneuve began their Formula 1 careers together at Silverstone in 1977. Five years later, Tambay claimed his first race victory, filling the seat at Ferrari left vacant by Villeneuve after his tragic accident at Zolder. He brought some positivity back to the team by winning at the Hockenheimring following another severe accident involving his teammate Didier Pironi. Despite joining the championship late, Tambay had the potential to be a title contender in the fast Ferrari but had to step back due to a back injury caused by the intense ground effect cars of that era.
In the following season, with ground effects banned, Tambay showed competitive form again. He secured a poignant victory at Imola, the very place that had witnessed the intense feud between Villeneuve and Pironi a year prior. Despite his successes, Tambay was unexpectedly replaced by Michele Alboreto at the end of the season where he moved to Renault in 1984, but the team struggled with development and exited the sport in 1985. Tambay then raced for Team Haas before it, too, withdrew from Formula 1 at the end of 1986 along with Tambay.
Patrick Tambay’s family announced his passing on this day, 4th December 2022, following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
F1 Driver Birthdays 4 December
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 4 December 1911 | Willi Krakau |
| 4 December 1944 | Francois Migault |
| 4 December 1957 | Raul Boesel |
F1 Driver Deaths 4 December
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 4 December 1988 | Alberto Uria |
| 4 December 2022 | Patrick Tambay |
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