What Happened On This Day March 13 In F1 History?

What happened on this day, March 13 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1913

Irish driver Joe Kelly was born. Competing in the 1950 British Grand Prix and again in 1951 with a privateer Alta, Kelly’s circuit racing career ended after a severe accident in 1955, though he later participated in hill climbs. Whilst he spent most of his life in Ireland, Kelly died in Neston, Cheshire, England, aged 80 on 28 November 1993.

1943

Mike Fisher, an American driver and Vietnam War veteran, was born. Fisher, who also served as the executive vice president of CART in 1997, competed in one F1 race, the 1967 Canadian Grand Prix in a non-works Lotus 33, and attempted to qualify for the 1967 Mexican Grand Prix later that year but failed.

1983

Williams driver Keke Rosberg experienced a frustrating repeat of history when he was disqualified from the 1983 Brazilian Grand Prix. He befell the same fate a year earlier. Previously, he had won the race only to be disqualified when his car was found underweight. This time, after starting in pole position and finishing second, he was disqualified for receiving a push start following a pit stop. Brabham driver Nelson Piquet won the race, with Niki Lauda second for McLaren. Despite the disqualification, the drivers finishing behind him were not promoted, so the six points for second place were officially not awarded.

Despite Rosberg’s woes, his pole position was the last for a car powered by the Cosworth DFV engine and the last for any naturally aspirated engine before the ban on turbocharged engines in 1989. This also marked Cosworth’s last pole position until 1993.

1983 Brazilian Grand Prix Race Results

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Laps	Time/retired	Pts
1	5	Nelson Piquet	Brabham BMW	63	1:48:27.731	9
2		Not awarded
3	8	Niki Lauda	McLaren Ford	63	+51.883s	4
4	2	Jacques Laffite	Williams Ford	63	+73.951s	3
5	27	Patrick Tambay	Ferrari	63	+78.117s	2
6	29	Marc Surer	Arrows Ford	63	+78.207s	1
7	15	Alain Prost	Renault	62	+1 lap	0
8	35	Derek Warwick	Toleman Hart	62	+1 lap	0
9	30	Chico Serra	Arrows Ford	62	+1 lap	0
10	28	Rene Arnoux	Ferrari	62	+1 lap	0
11	4	Danny Sullivan	Tyrrell Ford	62	+1 lap	0
12	12	Nigel Mansell	Lotus Ford	61	+2 laps	0
13	34	Johnny Cecotto	Theodore Ford	60	+3 laps	0
14	17	Eliseo Salazar	RAM Ford	59	+4 laps	0
15	9	Manfred Winkelhock	ATS BMW	59	+4 laps	0
NC	33	Roberto Guerrero	Theodore Ford	53	+10 laps	0
NC	16	Eddie  Cheever	Renault	41	DNF	0
NC	7	John Watson	McLaren Ford	34	DNF	0
NC	26	Raul Boesel	Ligier Ford	25	DNF	0
NC	23	Mauro Baldi	Alfa Romeo	23	DNF	0
NC	25	Jean-Pierre Jarier	Ligier Ford	22	DNF	0
NC	6	Riccardo Patrese	Brabham BMW	19	DNF	0
NC	31	Corrado Fabi	Osella Ford	17	DNF	0
NC	36	Bruno Giacomelli	Toleman Hart	16	DNF	0
NC	3	Michele Alboreto	Tyrrell Ford	7	DNF	0

1994

American driver Gene Hartley passed away on this day. He was the son of Ted Hartley, who raced into his 60s. Gene entered ten Indy 500s when they were part of the Championship racing in eight between 1950 and 1960. His best finish at Indy was tenth in 1957, although he finished eleventh three times. He later promoted racing at the Kitley Avenue Speedway in Indianapolis.

1999

British American Racing received a mild reprimand from the FIA after apologising for a dispute over car liveries. The team had presented cars in different colour schemes and branding, which the FIA disapproved of, emphasising the importance of uniformity in team vehicle appearance. One car painted in red, white and black and with a Lucky Strike logo, the other in blue and yellow and promoting the 555 cigarette brand. “It’s like having a football team with different shirts,” Max Mosley, FIA president, said. “It’s important that cars from the same team should be easily identified.” The team were facing a fine or a suspension.

2002

Phoenix Formula One, which had acquired assets from the defunct Prost team, was barred from competing in the 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix by the FIA, which stated that Phoenix’s entry was invalid due the all-important “right to compete”. The team intended to race with Prost’s previous season cars, the Prost AP04, but was ultimately prevented from participating. The team arrived in Kuala Lumpur with Gaston Mazzacane from Argentina announced as one driver, and Tarso Marques from Brazil to be the other.

2003

The future of Silverstone was thrown into uncertainty by Bernie Ecclestone’s comments on its financial viability. Martin Brundle, former F1 driver and chairman of the British Racing Drivers Club which owned the circuit, strongly opposed Ecclestone’s actions, accusing him of attempting to destabilise the British Grand Prix and Silverstone. Brundle said, “It is clear for anyone to see that Bernie seems to have been trying hard to destabilise the British Grand Prix, Silverstone and the BRDC,” The controversy continued for over six years until the circuit’s future was eventually secured.

2004

There was significant unrest at McLaren following a disappointing performance at the 2004 Australian Grand Prix. Reports suggested that Ron Dennis, the long-standing de facto leader of the team, was facing calls to resign. Insiders expressed concerns about Dennis’s focus, claiming he had neglected the core aspects of racing in favour of style and image. “There are a lot of disillusioned people in the camp, people who have stood by Ron Dennis for many years,” an insider told a UK newspaper. “Ron has got a real problem on his hands. They could see what was coming – they knew the car wasn’t good enough. They feel Ron has taken his eye off the ball, that he’s too concerned about style and image. He seems to have forgotten the fundamentals and lost sight of the fact that McLaren is supposed to be, first and foremost, a racing team.” Despite the turmoil, Dennis remained with the team.

2011

Initially scheduled for 13 March, the 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix was set to take place at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir but was postponed on 21 February due to civil unrest that erupted on 14 February, a day later dubbed the Day of Rage. This unrest was part of broader protests across North Africa and the Middle East. The disruption also led to the cancellation of the Bahrain GP2 Asia Series race that weekend, as medical staff slated for the event were urgently needed in hospitals around Manama. On 3 June, it was announced that the Grand Prix might be rescheduled for 30 October, potentially as the 17th round of the season. However, following controversy and ongoing instability, the race organisers eventually withdrew their bid to host the 2011 race.

2021

Murray Walker, the legendary voice of Formula 1, died on this day, leaving behind a rich legacy in motorsport broadcasting. Renowned for his passionate, energetic commentary, Walker’s career spanned over five decades. His unmistakable, enthusiastic style made him a beloved figure among motorsport fans, bringing F1 to life with his famous “Murrayisms.” Walker’s deep knowledge and love of the sport, combined with his exuberant delivery, made each race an immersive experience. Though often remembered for his on-air gaffes, his professionalism and boundless enthusiasm for motorsport cemented him as one of the sport’s most iconic voices.

Before his broadcasting career, Walker had a varied life. He served in the British Army during World War II, rising to the rank of captain in the Royal Scots Greys, and after the war, worked in advertising, where he helped craft memorable campaigns. Walker was also an avid motorcycle racer before he transitioned to commentating. Despite retiring from full-time commentary in 2001, his influence on motorsport remains strong, with many considering him the gold standard of sports commentary. His voice continues to be synonymous with the golden era of Formula 1, and he remains a treasured figure in the world of motorsport even after his death.

F1 Driver Birthdays 13 March

Birthday	F1 Driver
13 March 1913	Joe Kelly (d. 1993)
13 March 1928	Marvin Pifer (d. 1974)
13 March 1943	Mike Fisher
13 March 1989	Robert Wickens

F1 Driver Deaths 13 March

Death	F1 Mentions
13 March 2021	Murray Walker (b. 1923)

Death	F1 Driver
13 March 1993	Gene Hartley (b. 1926)
13 March 2002	Bayliss Levrett (b. 1914)
13 March 2022	Vic Elford (b. 1935)