What happened on this day, February 1 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1953
Nino Farina narrowly defeated fellow Italian Luigi Villoresi by 0.1 seconds in the thrilling non-championship 1953 Buenos Aires Grand Prix, securing a 1-2-3 finish for Ferrari 500s. The victory provided some solace for Farina after a tragic incident three weeks prior, when he swerved to avoid a spectator at the 1953 Argentine Grand Prix and tragically killed seven fans.
Non-Championship 1953 Buenos Aires Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nino Farina | Ferrari 500 | 40 | 1:36’52.9″ |
| 2 | Luigi Villoresi | Ferrari 500 | 40 | 1:36’53.0″ |
| 3 | Mike Hawthorn | Ferrari 500 | 40 | 1:38’18.0″ |
| 4 | José Froilán González | Maserati A6GCM | 40 | 1:38’45.6″ |
| 5 | Robert Manzon | Gordini T16 | 39 | 1:37’28.2″ |
| 6 | Óscar Alfredo Gálvez | Maserati A6GCM | 39 | 1:37’46.2″ |
| 7 | Felice Bonetto | Maserati A6GCM | 39 | 1:38’13.0″ |
| 8 | Maurice Trintignant | Gordini T16 | 38 | 1:37’25.8″ |
| 9 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati A6GCM | 38 | 1:38’22.0″ |
| 10 | Onofre Marimón | Ferrari 166 FL | 35 | 1:28’14.3″ |
| 11 | Alberto Crespo | Alfa Romeo 8C-2900A | 35 | 1:37’12.4″ |
| 12 | ohn David Barber | Cooper T23 Bristol | 35 | 1:37’54.0″ |
| 13 | Clemar Bucci | Alfa Romeo 12C-37 | 34 | 1:23’04.0″ |
| 14 | Roberto Miéres | Alfa Romeo 308 | 33 | 1:23’51.2″ |
| Ret | José Félix Lopes | Ferrari 166 FL | DNF | |
| Ret | Jean Behra | Gordini T16 | DNF | |
| Ret | Carlos Menditeguy | Gordini T16 | DNF | |
| Ret | Carlos Fortunatti Firpo | Maserati 4CLT | DNF | |
| Ret | Alan Brown | Cooper T20 Bristol | DNF | |
| Ret | Remo Gamalero | Maserati 4CLT | DNF | |
| Ret | Pablo Birger | Simca-Gordini T15 | DNF | |
| Ret | Adolfo Schwelm Cruz | Cooper T20 Bristol | DNF | |
| Ret | José Ciscar | Talbot T26C | DNF | |
| Ret | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari 375 | DNF |
1998
Martin Brundle faced a tough day, being rushed to a Miami hospital after crashing his IndyCar into a wall during a practice session at the Homestead Motorsports Complex. Thankfully, Brundle sustained fewer injuries than his car did.
2000
FIA president Max Mosley criticised the EU’s investigation into the sport’s handling of TV rights, accusing a top official of misconduct. “[The EU’s] services have made a hopeless muddle of the facts and are completely confused about the regulation and general functioning of motorsport,” he stated.
2001
Conservative MP and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Ken Clarke was appointed non-executive chairman of BAR. Clarke, who was also deputy chairman of British American Tobacco, hoped to turn the team’s fortunes around but was unsuccessful in bringing about significant change.
2004
BAR officially launched its new Formula One car, the BAR 006, at the Circuit de Catalunya. Drivers Jenson Button and Takuma Sato were optimistic that the BAR 006’s advancements would lead to strong performances on the track for the 2004 season.
2005
Narain Karthikeyan signed with Jordan, becoming the first Indian driver in Formula One. He joined the team just after its acquisition by the Midland Group, bringing with him the high hopes of a nation. Dubbed “the fastest Indian in the world,” Karthikeyan said, “I’ve got the hopes of a nation behind me, so I have no choice but to succeed.” Early in the season, he outperformed his teammate Tiago Monteiro but narrowly missed a podium at the controversial six-car Indianapolis race, finishing fourth. He was dropped at season’s end but surprisingly rejoined F1 with HRT for the 2011 season.
2005
Renault unveiled its championship-winning R25 car in Monaco. At the event, president Patrick Faure cautioned the team about the need for strong results to stay competitive. The team responded by winning eight races and securing both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships that year.
2006
Valentino Rossi completed his first full day of F1 testing with Ferrari, setting the ninth-fastest time of the day. Impressively, he outpaced established F1 drivers like David Coulthard, Mark Webber, and Jarno Trulli, finishing just a second behind Michael Schumacher’s time—though they drove different cars. A Ferrari spokesperson remarked, “It was a very good performance; we cannot deny it.” Despite two further tests in 2008 and 2010, Rossi never pursued a move to F1.
F1 Driver Birthdays 1 February
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 February | None |
F1 Driver Deaths 1 February
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 February 1986 | Potsy Goacher |
| 1 February 1995 | Harry Merkel |
| 1 February 1996 | Ray Crawford |
| 1 February 2000 | Dick Rathmann |
| 1 February 2009 | Jim McWithey |
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