What happened on this day, June 12 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1966
John Surtees won the 1966 Belgian Grand Prix, overtaking Jochen Rindt in the final laps amidst challenging weather conditions. The race was marred by Jackie Stewart‘s severe crash on the first lap, resulting in multiple injuries. Graham Hill heroically stopped to rescue Stewart, who was trapped in his overturned car, risking his own race in the process. Despite being physically able to continue, Hill retired from the race due to the time lost during the rescue.
1983
Rene Arnoux dominated the 1983 Canadian Grand Prix, leading from start to finish, 40 seconds ahead of Eddie Cheever. In a non-turbo Williams-Cosworth, Keke Rosberg managed a commendable fourth place, even while facing obstacles like being blocked by Andrea de Cesaris.
1988
The 1988 Canadian Grand Prix witnessed McLaren‘s continued dominence, with Ayrton Senna defeating teammate Alain Prost by a significant margin. Thierry Boutsen claimed third place in a fierce battle, while Derek Warwick finished the race in seventh place despite severe injuries from a crash the previous day.
1993
On the eve of the 1993 Canadian Grand Prix, tensions flared between the teams and FISA, which had issued a controversial document labelling many technological innovations as illegal, aiming to restrict them in the upcoming season. This move was met with stern opposition from team leaders, including Ron Dennis, who called for a more conciliatory approach amidst the conflict.
1994
At the 1994 Canadian Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher clinched his fifth victory in six races, extending his lead over Damon Hill by 28 points, a gap Hill never closed. Hill expressed frustration at being held up by David Coulthard, who eventually allowed him past following team orders, although Coulthard felt justified in his initial decision to race for position.
2005
In a thrilling 2005 Canadian Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen emerged victorious after both Renault drivers, Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso, retired with six laps of each other. Juan Pablo Montoya was disqualified after he prematurely exited the pit lane on a red light, leading to a double podium for Ferrari with Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello securing second and third places, respectively. Jenson Button, aiming for third, crashed after hitting the kerbs at the final chicane. He explained his mishap, noting the unexpected understeer due to debris on his tyres and his preference to risk crashing rather than yielding his position to Schumacher.
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