What happened on this day, February 27 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1927
In an unusual spectacle, a race took place inside a six-story building in Paris to mark the opening of a new garage and sports club for the city’s elite. Renowned racer Robert Benoist orchestrated the event, inviting 15 drivers to climb to the rooftop via ramps in a non-timed ‘hill-climb’ to avoid overly competitive racing that could lead to accidents. The event successfully spotlighted the new building and drew significant attention.
1939
Born in New York, Peter Revson, nephew to Revlon founder Charles Revson, inherited a substantial fortune from his father, Martin. Known for his adventurous spirit, Revson began a motor racing career in 1963, competing in Formula One by 1964. After several races and a stint in Can-Am and the Indianapolis 500, he partnered with actor and racing enthusiast Steve McQueen in 1970 to place second at the Sebring 12 Hours. Winning the Can-Am championship in 1971 led to a full season with Yardley McLaren in 1972, where he secured victories at the 1973 British and Canadian Grands Prix. His promising career was tragically cut short in 1974 when he died in a crash during a test session on 22 March 1974, before the South African Grand Prix in Kyalami, during his third race with Shadow. Revson was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1996 in the sports car category.
2001
Former Formula One driver Martin Brundle was announced as part of Bentley’s team for their comeback at Le Mans. The team hoped to replicate Bentley’s historic successes from the late 1920s with two cars in the race. Despite a strong start in challenging conditions, one car was forced to retire due to a fire. Bentley eventually triumphed at the 2003 race.
2005
Mark Webber kicked off the racing season down under by piloting the 2004-spec Williams car across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, an event that required closing this vital route for two hours. Webber expressed his delight post-event, remarking on the thrill of powering the 900 bhp vehicle across this iconic bridge, “Thundering with 900 bhp over that time-honoured structure was an amazing feeling. The engine sound over the ocean was fantastic. I just can’t thank everybody enough in my home state New South Wales who made this show for the fans possible.”
F1 Driver Birthdays 27 February
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 27 February 1925 | Ebb Rose (d. 2007) |
| 27 February 1939 | Peter Revson (d. 1974) |
| 27 February 1965 | Pedro Chaves |
F1 Driver Deaths 27 February
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 27 February 1954 | Bobby Ball (b. 1925) |
| 27 February 1960 | Ettore Chimeri (b. 1924) |
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