What happened on this day, July 19 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1952
Alberto Ascari dominated the 1952 and 1953 seasons, and the 1952 British Grand Prix was no exception. Ascari, driving a Ferrari, led almost the entire race. His teammate, Giuseppe Farina, also performed strongly for much of the race. However, Farina encountered spark-plug issues, causing him to finish in sixth place. Ascari’s commanding performance underscored his dominance during the early 1950s.
1958
Peter Collins‘ victory at Silverstone for the 1958 British Grand Prix unfolded amid internal turmoil at Ferrari. Just two weeks earlier, the irritable Enzo Ferrari had demoted Collins to the No. 2 team, only to reverse his decision after Mike Hawthorn stood up for his teammate. Collins had a brilliant start, moving into the lead from sixth on the grid within a lap. When Stirling Moss‘ Vanwall blew its engine, Collins’ path to victory was all but assured.
1969
The 1969 British Grand Prix featured an epic battle between Jackie Stewart and Jochen Rindt. The highlight of the race was settled when Rindt was forced to pit twice for repairs, allowing Stewart to secure victory by more than a lap. Stewart’s win was particularly remarkable as he had crashed at Woodcote the day before and had to commandeer Jean-Pierre Beltoise’s car for the race.
1975
The 1975 British Grand Prix concluded in dramatic fashion as Emerson Fittipaldi was declared the winner while he was in the pits when the red flag was waved. Meanwhile, the next four drivers were busy removing themselves from crashed cars around Silverstone.
A sudden downpour on lap 55 transformed the track into an ice rink, leading to numerous cars ending up in catch fences within a single lap. Out of the 26 starters, only six cars were still running at the premature end of the race. Fittipaldi had pitted to change tyres and was subsequently announced as the winner.
Thankfully, there were no serious injuries. The record crowd of 77,000 spectators—reduced pre-race due to gridlock for miles around—left in a state of bewilderment. The race had already been given an extra layer of interest when Jacky Ickx left Lotus with mutual consent days before the event, frustrated by delays in receiving a promised new car. Despite this, Colin Chapman entered three cars, as did March, while Frank Williams Racing only managed a single entry due to a shortage of engines.
F1 Driver Birthday’s 19 July
| Birth Date | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 19 July 1902 | Chester Clarence “Chet” Miller |
| 19 July 1940 | Brian Raubenheimer |
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