What Happened On This Day January 10 In F1 History?

What happened on this day, January 10 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1918

German driver Harry Merkel was born in Leipzig. He drove a BMW in the 1952 German Grand Prix but failed to qualify. It was his only race with the car, and he declined an offer to purchase it afterwards. The individual who eventually bought the car crashed it on its first outing. Outside of motorsport, Merkel was also a champion shot putter.

1921

American driver Rodger Ward was born in Beloit, Kansas. Ward raced in Formula 1 from 1951 to 1963, taking part in 12 World Championship races, all held in the United States. He claimed victory at the 1959 Indianapolis 500, starting from sixth on the grid in a Watson. He repeated this three years later in 1962, though by then, the race no longer counted toward the FIA World Championship. Over his career, Ward secured 26 wins in 150 starts between 1950 and 1964, finishing in the top ten more than half the time.

1958

Eddie Cheever was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Cheever competed in Formula 1 from 1978 to 1989, driving for nine teams and participating in 132 Grands Prix races—more than any other American driver. Despite a solid F1 career, he is best remembered for his success in the Indy Racing League (IRL). In 1997, he established his own IRL team and achieved a memorable victory in the 1998 Indianapolis 500 as an owner and driver.

1971

Italian driver Ignazio Giunti tragically lost his life during the Buenos Aires 1000km race. Giunti’s Ferrari collided with the Matra of Jean-Pierre Beltoise, who was attempting to push his car back to the pits after it had stalled. The incident happened because Giunti’s view was obstructed by another car. Following the collision, Giunti’s Ferrari was launched into the air, landed approximately 200 yards down the track, and erupted into flames. His teammate, Arturo Merzario, heroically sprinted 500 yards from the pits to pull him from the fiery wreckage—mirroring a similar act of bravery at the Nürburgring in 1976. Tragically, Giunti was already dead, though some reports suggest he may have succumbed to his injuries shortly after being pulled from the car. Remarkably, Beltoise escaped injury as the impact struck the opposite side of his stationary car. Later that year, the practice of pushing cars on track was officially banned.

In Formula 1, Giunti raced in 4 Grands Prix for Ferrari in 1970. His best result was fourth place at the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix, his debut race.

F1 Driver Birthdays 10 January

F1 Driver Deaths 10 January