What Happened On This Day July 11 In F1 History?

What happened on this day, July 11 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1943

Rolf Stommelen, born in Cologne on this day, entered F1 with Brabham in 1970, showing promise with four top-six finishes. However, stints with Surtees and Eifelland March nearly derailed his career. A sporadic return with Brabham in 1974 offered a lifeline, leading to a drive with the Hill team in 1975. His career suffered a major setback after a crash at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, where his car flew into the crowd, killing four spectators. After returning later that year, Stommelen struggled with form and spent most of his time away from F1, except for a brief period with Arrows in 1978. He later returned to sports cars and was killed in a crash at Riverside, California, in 1983. In 53 F1 starts, he achieved one podium finish.

1964

Jim Clark triumphed in the first British Grand Prix held at Brands Hatch after the Aintree course was sold. This marked his third consecutive win at the event. Clark took the lead from Dan Gurney on the second lap and maintained it, despite a prolonged challenge from Graham Hill.

1971

Pedro Rodríguez, known for his eccentricities such as his deerstalker hat and Tabasco sauce, died on this day in Germany. Rodríguez had become a notable F1 and sports car driver. In 1971, he accepted an offer to race in an insignificant Interseries event in Germany. While contending for the lead, he was edged into a wall by a slower car, causing his Ferrari to burst into flames. He succumbed to his injuries shortly after being removed from the wreckage.

1993

Alain Prost claimed his 50th Grand Prix victory at the 1993 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, capitalising on the misfortunes of early leader Damon Hill, whose engine failed, and Ayrton Senna, whose McLaren broke down on the last lap. Hill had appeared set for victory despite Prost closing in, but a safety car brought out after Luca Badoer’s crash erased his lead. On the restart, Prost was right behind Hill and took the lead when Hill’s car failed.

1999

Michael Schumacher‘s quest for the F1 title ended abruptly at the 1999 British Grand Prix due to a rare Ferrari failure. Attempting to overtake Eddie Irvine at Stowe, Schumacher’s brakes failed, causing him to crash nose-first into a wall, resulting in a broken leg. Mika Hakkinen also faced misfortune as his race ended when he lost a wheel shortly after a pit stop, paving the way for David Coulthard to secure his first win of the year. Meanwhile, Damon Hill announced his intention to retire after the race, although he decided to complete the season after finishing fifth, with Jos Verstappen on standby for Jordan.

2004

Michael Schumacher’s tenth win in 11 races at the 2004 British Grand Prix was a display of sporting excellence but left fans bored, as critics described it as little more than a procession. Schumacher’s narrow two-second victory over Kimi Raikkonen was more a result of the safety car intervention than a thrilling race.

F1 Driver Birthday’s 11 July