What happened on this day, June 16 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1923
Ron Flockhart, born on 16 June 1923 in Edinburgh, raced in 14 F1 championship events from 1954 to 1960, peaking with a third-place finish at Monza in 1956. He also achieved consecutive victories at the Le Mans 24-Hour in 1956 and 1957. An avid aviator, Flockhart attempted to set a flight record from Sydney to London in 1961 but was unsuccessful. Tragically, he died in a plane crash in April 1962 while preparing for another attempt at the record, piloting a Mustang fighter.
1930
Innes Ireland, a notable driver in Formula 1, was born June 16, 1930. Starting with Lotus in 1959, he finished fourth and fifth in his first races and was fourth in the 1960 drivers’ championship, buoyed by strong finishes at the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix and 1960 British Grand Prix. A severe accident in 1961 during Monaco’s practice session saw him break multiple bones, narrowly escaping a fatal allergic reaction to morphine thanks to Stirling Moss‘s intervention. He recovered to win the 1961 USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, marking Lotus’s first victory, though he was unexpectedly let go afterwards. Post-retirement, Ireland ventured into various businesses before focusing on writing and eventually became the president of the British Racing Drivers Club until his death in 1993.
1985
Michele Alboreto dominated the 1985 Canadian Grand Prix, leading a Ferrari one-two finish with Stefan Johansson. In a McLaren, Alain Prost narrowly missed splitting the duo, trailing by just two seconds. Post-race, Alboreto described the Grand Prix as easy, experiencing no significant challenges after overtaking the championship leader, Elio de Angelis, in a Lotus.
1991
In a mesmerising drive, Nigel Mansell shattered multiple lap records in a spirited chase that narrowly missed beating his Williams teammate, Riccardo Patrese, who won the 1991 Mexican Grand Prix by a mere 1.3 seconds. Even the formidable Ayrton Senna, in the McLaren, had to abandon his pursuit due to an overheating engine. The race’s beginning was comically troubled, marked by multiple false starts due to stalled cars and further delays caused by issues with the scheduled TV satellite links. After a protracted wait and slow parade laps, the race finally began nearly 30 minutes behind schedule.
1996
Damon Hill emerged victorious at the 1996 Canadian Grand Prix, which proved disastrous for Ferrari. After stalling during the parade lap and starting from the back of the grid, Michael Schumacher retired on lap 43 due to a broken driveshaft. At the same time, Eddie Irvine‘s race was cut short on the second lap when his suspension failed. Hill’s teammate, Jacques Villeneuve, finished a poignant second on the track that memorializes his father, Gilles Villeneuve.
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