What Happened On This Day February 17 In F1 History?

What happened on this day, February 17 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1901

The first event named “Grand Prix” took place in Pau, France. The term was not used again until 1906 and gradually became more common. The race was won by Maurice Farman, who completed it in 4 hours 10 minutes 53 seconds, nearly an hour ahead of his elder brother Henri. Shortly after, Maurice shifted his focus to aviation.

In 1901, the race had individual prizes for the four separate classes of entrants:

• The Grand Prix de Pau (cars 650 kg or over) was awarded to Maurice Farman (Panhard 24 hp).
• The Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver (400–650 kg ‘Light car’ class) was awarded to Henri Farman (Darracq).
• The second Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver (under 400 kg Voiturettes) as awarded to Louis Renault (Renault).
• The Prix du Béarn was awarded to Osmont in a ‘De Dion’ tricycle.

1959

Mike Coughlan, a British motor racing engineer and designer, was born on 17 February 1959. He served as the Chief Designer for the McLaren team from 2002 to 2007. During his tenure, he became involved in the ‘Spygate’ controversy between McLaren and Ferrari, which led to his suspension and eventual dismissal. Following this, Coughlan joined Williams, where he held the position of Chief Technical Officer from June 2011 until his sudden resignation in July 2013.

2000

At 15, Lewis Hamilton expressed his ambition to compete in Formula One. Inspired by Jenson Button securing a seat at Williams, Hamilton told the Daily Express, “If you are good enough, you are old enough. I want to just make sure that it’s the right time when I move up. But I would like to beat Jenson and become the youngest-ever F1 driver.” Hamilton joined McLaren in 2007 at 22 and achieved his goal by becoming the youngest F1 champion in 2008.

2001

Michael Schumacher faced possible legal issues after deciding to switch from Bell to Schuberth helmets, drawn by their bullet-proof design. Despite Schumacher’s claim of increased safety, a Belgian court sided with Bell, finding their helmets safe and ordering Schumacher to pay US$115,300 in damages each time he wore the competitor’s helmet. Undeterred, Schumacher used the Schuberth helmet for the entire season.

2003

BAR team principal David Richards downplayed the escalating verbal conflict between drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button. Villeneuve insisted Button needed to earn his respect and demonstrate mental toughness, while Button dismissed the need for Villeneuve’s approval. Despite their quarreling, Richards saw potential benefits, noting, “If managed properly, it can be seen as healthy competition.” He believed that while Villeneuve’s outspoken nature contributed to the tension, it was manageable and could ultimately benefit the team.

2006

Bernie Ecclestone proposed hosting a US Grand Prix in Las Vegas in 2007 after the 2005 race at Indianapolis, featuring only six cars due to safety concerns with Michelin tyres. Tensions were high between Ecclestone and Indianapolis circuit boss Tony George following the incident, prompting Ecclestone to explore alternative locations. The first Formula One race in Las Vegas took place in 1981 with the 1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix and followed again in 1982. Ultimately, Indianapolis hosted the Grand Prix for one final season in 2007 before the event was removed from the US calendar in 2008. Las Vegas became a feature on the F1 calendar again in 2023 with the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

F1 Driver Birthdays 17 February

F1 Driver Deaths 17 February