What Happened On This Day March 31 In F1 History?

What happened on this day, March 31 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1956

American driver Kevin Cogan was born on this day, 1956, in Culver City, California. Despite attempts, he failed to qualify for the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix with RAM or the 1981 United States Grand Prix West with Tyrrell. He then moved over to Indy cars in 1982, but his career was cut short by a series of accidents.

1996

Williams driver Damon Hill earned his 15th F1 victory at the 1996 Brazilian Grand Prix, topping his father’s (Graham Hill) record of F1 wins. Starting from pole was advantageous as a heavy rainstorm began just before the race, allowing him to avoid the visibility issues that plagued other drivers down the field. Hill recalled a dramatic moment when lightning struck the track right before him; “When I first went out a bolt of lightning hit the track in front of me,” Hill said. Jean Alesi was second in a Benetton-Renault, and Michael Schumacher was third in a Ferrari.

Two local drivers, Tarso Marques (in his debut race) and Pedro Diniz, had their qualifying times disallowed for, respectively, a push-start and missing a weight check. However, they were allowed to start from the back of the grid.

1996 Brazilian Grand Prix Race Results

2002

During the Brazilian Grand Prix, a public relations opportunity arose when Pelé was invited to wave the checkered flag. The legendary footballer was attending one of Brazil’s premier sports events. The task seemed simple, with minimal complexity involved. However, due to a lack of detailed explanation about Formula One’s specifics, Pelé missed the moment when Michael Schumacher crossed the finish line, busy conversing with officials instead. When he realized his mistake, he waved the flag for the next driver, Takuma Sato, who was two laps behind Schumacher. Ironically, this technically indicated Sato as the winner. Schumacher remarked, “Pele is very little,” noted Schumacher. “I didn’t see the flag though, that’s the only thing I noticed.”

2002 Brazilian Grand Prix Race Results

2019

Before the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix, an extra DRS zone was introduced between turns 3 and 4 to encourage more overtaking opportunities. The race saw Lewis Hamilton secure the win, closely followed by his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas. Charles Leclerc achieved his first Formula 1 podium by finishing third, the first World Championship podium for a Monegasque driver since Louis Chiron in 1950. Leclerc also took the fastest lap of the race.

2019 Bahrain Grand Prix Race Results

F1 Driver Birthdays 31 March

F1 Driver Deaths 31 March