What happened on this day, January 4 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1971
The Mexican Grand Prix was dropped from the world championship calendar due to the chaos at the previous year’s event. FIA President Henri Treu condemned the “scandalous events” that created “an extremely dangerous situation for the drivers, who had to race at full speed between two rows of spectators.”
The 1970 race, initially set to begin at 2:30 PM, faced significant delays due to an unruly crowd of 200,000 spectators. Packed tightly against the guardrails, sitting dangerously close to the track, and even running across it, their behaviour nearly led to the event’s cancellation. Despite repeated appeals from Jackie Stewart and local favourite Pedro Rodríguez, the situation remained chaotic. As a result, the start was postponed until 4:00 PM.
It returned to the Formula One calendar fifteen years later, in 1986.
2001
Ever creative in promoting his team, Eddie Jordan announced Jordan’s entry into the Honda Formula 4-stroke powerboat racing series. “This is a fantastic opportunity to work with Honda beyond Formula One,” he said, “and it gives us a fast, fun, and exciting way to promote the Jordan brand.” The team’s boat was piloted by different journalists at each event, leading to some tense moments, particularly involving TV presenters Mike Brewer and Jamie Theakston.
2008
Yu Zhifei, the driving force behind bringing Formula One to China, faced the end of his dream when he was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a corruption scandal in Shanghai.
2008
Former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt revealed that Michael Schumacher declined an offer to become Ferrari’s team manager. “He was the best candidate for the role, but he didn’t want it,” Todt said. Schumacher later explained, “When I saw the passion and dedication Jean put into the job—he was at Maranello every day, even weekends—I asked myself, ‘Do I need this?’ The answer was no.”
F1 Driver Birthdays 4 January
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 4 January 1922 | Luigi de Filippis |
| 4 January 1930 | Mennato Boffa |
F1 Driver Deaths 4 January
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 4 January | None |
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