What Happened On This Day June 28 In F1 History?

What happened on this day, June 28 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1964

Dan Gurney clinched Brabham’s first Formula 1 victory at the 1964 French Grand Prix in Rouen. Team owner Jack Brabham also competed and finished third behind Graham Hill in a BRM. The race featured an intense fight for the lead between Jim Clark and Gurney, which concluded on lap 31 when Clark’s engine failed, paving the way for Gurney’s relatively unchallenged finish. Hill showed promise in the early laps before a spin set him back, yet he managed to recover and secure second place. Meanwhile, Mike Hailwood ended up in eighth place. This was noteworthy, considering he had won the Dutch TT motorcycle race at Assen just the day before and had driven back to Rouen for the Grand Prix due to an airline strike.

1998

The 1998 French Grand Prix marked a pivotal moment in the season, with Ferrari, led by Michael Schumacher, beginning to mount their challenge against McLaren and Mika Hakkinen. Despite McLaren’s dominance in winning five of the season’s first seven races, Ferrari made significant strides with their car during a three-week break and two test sessions. Hakkinen secured pole position at Magny Cours, but he was overtaken at the start by Schumacher and Eddie Irvine. Irvine effectively shielded Schumacher, allowing him to establish a lead, although Hakkinen eventually managed to pass him. Nonetheless, Hakkinen’s hold on second place was short-lived, as he soon spun out and fell to fourth place. David Coulthard remained a contender for McLaren but was sidelined by fuel hose issues during his pit stops. Schumacher secured three more victories that season, yet it was Hakkinen who clinched the championship with four more wins of his own.

2002

In a strategic financial move, the Italian banking behemoth Mediobank acquired a 34% stake in Ferrari from FIAT, which was experiencing financial difficulties at the time, for $768 million. Over the ensuing years, Mediobank gradually divested this stake to various other banks. By 2005, much of the 34% had changed hands, leaving FIAT with a 56% share and Piero Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari’s sole surviving son, with 10%. Initially, many analysts believed Mediobank had paid too much; however, as the shares were sold, Ferrari’s market valuation remained stable at approximately $2.25 billion. This value likely increased when Ferrari divested its Maserati brand to Alfa Romeo during the same period.

2005

One week after withdrawing its tyres due to safety concerns at the 2005 US Grand Prix, Michelin announced its decision to refund all spectators at Indianapolis and provide 20,000 complimentary tickets for the following year’s event. This gesture was made a day before the teams supplied by Michelin were to face charges in Paris for tarnishing the sport’s reputation. Michelin stated, “One week after the Indianapolis Grand Prix, Michelin wishes to make a sincere gesture of goodwill towards the people present at the GP, a group whose passion for F1 is encouraging in the development of this sport in the United States.”

2007

Robert Kubica, on this day, expressed scepticism regarding claims that his life had been miraculously saved by the late Pope John Paul II. Earlier in the year, Kubica had survived a severe crash at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, leading a Polish news agency to suggest that his survival contributed to the miracle evidence needed in the beatification process of John Paul II. Despite hailing from Krakow, the same city as the late pope, and often racing with the pontiff’s name on his helmet, Kubica was puzzled by the reports: “I know nothing about this. In Poland there are many things that are reported that are not true. I don’t know by whom I was saved, I don’t know if I was saved by someone. I’m here in one piece so I think that is very positive.” The original report originated from a Church source seeking to gather sufficient miracle evidence to saint John Paul II.

F1 Driver Birthday’s 28 June