What happened on this day, June 27 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1965
Jim Clark secured victory at the 1965 French Grand Prix, leading a trio of British drivers on the challenging Clermont Ferrand track. Clark showcased his usual dominance in the Lotus, while a young Jackie Stewart clinched second, his third podium finish in his rookie season, ahead of John Surtees in the Ferrari in third. The race was Clark’s third win of the ’65 season, where he would claim four more wins and ultimately the 1965 drivers’ championship.
1985
Nico Rosberg was born on this day, June 27, 1985, in Wiesbaden, Germany, to Keke Rosberg, the 1982 Formula One World Champion. Raised in Monaco, Rosberg became proficient in German, English, Italian, Spanish, and French, although he only learned a few words of Finnish, his father’s native language. Early in his career, he competed under both German and Finnish nationalities but was officially recognised as German in Formula One due to the nationality listed on his passport. Rosberg was a teammate of Lewis Hamilton during their karting days and advanced through the racing ranks more swiftly, making his Formula 1 debut in 2006, a year before Hamilton. In 2005, he contemplated pursuing a degree in aeronautical engineering at Imperial College London but chose to race in the GP2 Series instead. Upon joining Williams, he achieved the highest score ever on the team’s engineering aptitude test, which all drivers are required to take.
His career spanned from 2006 to 2016, culminating in the 2016 World Drivers’ Championship while racing with Mercedes. That win made Nico and his father Keke the second father-son duo to win the World Drivers’ Championships, following Graham and Damon Hill. He entered 206 Grand Prix races, achieved 23 wins, 57 podiums, 30 pole positions, and amassed 1594.5 points.
1999
In 1999, the Jordan team capitalised on rainy conditions and a safety car period to secure a surprising victory for Heinz-Harald Frentzen at the 1999 French Grand Prix. Rubens Barrichello, driving for Stewart, had unexpectedly secured pole position but was immediately challenged by David Coulthard. Coulthard overtook Barrichello quickly but retired a few laps later due to electrical issues. Michael Schumacher then took the lead but also faced electrical problems, losing significant time. Mika Hakkinen was next to overtake Barrichello and momentarily led the race until he had to make a late pit stop. This allowed Frentzen, who had filled his tank during a single pit stop and conserved fuel under the safety car’s cover, to take the lead and secure the win. Frentzen claimed one more Grand Prix win that season and finished third in the 1999 drivers’ championship.
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