What happened on this day, January 20 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1934
Giorgio Bassi, born in Milan, competed in the 1965 Italian Grand Prix for the Scuderia Centro Sud team. His brief Formula One career ended when his engine failed after eight laps. He also frequently competed in Italian Formula 3 and won class at the 1965 Targa Florio, driving a 1-litre ASA Prototype.
1975
Born in Arrecifes, Argentina, Norberto Fontana temporarily drove for Sauber in 1997 in place of the injured Gianni Morbidelli. During his four races with the team at the 1997 European Grand Prix, he drew attention for allegedly impeding Jacques Villeneuve, allowing Michael Schumacher to extend his lead over the Canadian racer. Fontana tried to secure a spot with the Tyrrell team in 1998, but was replaced by Brazilian driver Ricardo Rosset, and similarly, he sought a position with Minardi for the 2000 season but was not selected. Fontana later found success in the Argentinian touring car championship and participated in the Dakar rally.
1994
During a practice session in Portugal, Ayrton Senna‘s Williams spun out, but he avoided injury. Senna described the incident “The car spun round and I stopped against the wall of safety tyres. These things happen in Formula One. I wasn’t hurt at all.”
2003
Born on this day, Jack Doohan is an Australian racing driver who served as a reserve driver for the Alpine F1 Team during the 2022 and 2024 seasons before graduating to a full-time drive in 2025. A former Red Bull Junior Team member, Doohan was the 2021 FIA Formula 3 vice-champion and, in 2023, finished third in the Formula 2 Championship.
In a shock move, after the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, the Alpine team announced that Esteban Ocon would leave, with immediate effect, before the end of his final season with the team; his 2025 replacement, Doohan, would make an early start to his F1 career at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix racing in all sessions and the race.
Jack is the son of Mick Doohan, a multiple 500cc World Champion in Moto GP.
2005
After 26 years of serving as the FIA’s medical delegate, Professor Sid Watkins, a pivotal figure in enhancing medical treatment at race tracks worldwide, announced his retirement. His tenure saw significant advances in safety and trackside medical facilities, earning him widespread admiration in the paddock. Watkins, a close friend of Ayrton Senna, considered retiring following Senna’s tragic death at the 1994 Imola Grand Prix, which occurred a day after Roland Ratzenberger’s fatal crash during practice. Watkins recounted advising an emotional Senna to stop racing, to which Senna responded solemnly, ‘Sid, there are certain things over which we have no control. I cannot quit. I have to go on.’ Those were the last words he ever said to him. Watkins, who passed away in 2012, was commemorated by Jackie Stewart, who noted his significant contributions to motorsport safety at his memorial.
F1 Driver Birthdays 20 January
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 20 January 1934 | Giorgio Bassi |
| 20 January 1975 | Norberto Fontana |
| 20 January 1991 | Jolyon Palmer |
| 20 January 2003 | Jack Doohan |
| Birthday | F1 Mention |
|---|---|
| 20 January 1956 | Franz Tost Former racing driver and the former team principal of the AlphaTauri team, a role he departed from at the end of the 2023 Formula One season. |
F1 Driver Deaths 20 January
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 20 January 2004 | Alan Brown |
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