What happened on this day, January 5 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1920
French driver André Simon was born in Paris, the son of a garage owner. From 1951 to 1957, Simon raced for prestigious teams such as Ferrari and Gordini in 11 races from 12 entries. He shared drives with both Giuseppe Farina
and Ottorino Volonterio. In 1966, shortly after retiring from competitive racing, he survived a serious car accident that left him in a two-week coma.
1938
Keith Greene, an English racing driver, was born in London. Between 1959 and 1962, Greene competed in Formula 1, entering six races and racing in three for Gilby Engineering. His first appearance was the 1959 British Grand Prix, and his final was the 1962 Italian Grand Prix; in both those races, he failed to qualify. His best result was 15th at the 1961 British Grand Prix. After retiring as a driver, he became a team manager for various teams in junior racing categories, continuing until the mid-1990s.
1978
Franck Montagny was born in Feurs, France. Montagny tested in Formula 1 with Renault and Jordan before racing for Super Aguri in 2006 for seven races. While unable to secure a full-time F1 seat, he went on to compete in IndyCar in the United States and the A1 Grand Prix series.
2008
Lewis Hamilton signed a five-year contract reportedly worth £70 million to stay with McLaren. The deal paid off as Hamilton went on to win that season’s 2008 Drivers’ Championship.
2008
Former Formula 1 driver Jonathan Palmer purchased Brands Hatch and three other circuits, ensuring their future as motorsport venues and averting the threat of redevelopment by property developers.
2014
Brian Hart, who died on this day, was a British racing driver and engineer best known as the creator of Hart engines, which powered teams such as Lola, Minardi, and Jordan in motorsport. Hart competed in a single Formula 1 Grand Prix, the 1967 German Grand Prix, driving a Formula 2 Protos-Ford.
F1 Driver Birthdays 5 January
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 5 January 1920 | Andre Simon |
| 5 January 1938 | Keith Greene |
| 5 January 1978 | Franck Montagny |
F1 Driver Deaths 5 January
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 5 January 2000 | Ottis Stine |
| 5 January 2014 | Brian Hart |
| 5 January 2015 | Jean-Pierre Beltoise |
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