What happened on this day, May 7 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1967
During the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix, Lorenzo Bandini’s Ferrari was involved in a tragic accident. While battling for second place, his car crashed at the chicane, trapping him beneath the fiery wreckage. Despite his previous successful finishes at Monaco in 1965 and 1966, it took inadequately equipped marshals several minutes to pull him from his car. He succumbed to his injuries three days later, having once philosophically noted about fate and danger in racing. Amidst the tragedy, Denny Hulme‘s first Formula 1 victory went largely unnoticed. Graham Hill finished second for the Lotus team and Ferrari driver Chris Amon came in third.
1967 Monaco Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Denny Hulme | Brabham Repco | 100 | 2:34:34.300 | 9 |
| 2 | 14 | Graham Hill | Lotus BRM | 99 | +1 lap | 6 |
| 3 | 20 | Chris Amon | Ferrari | 98 | +2 laps | 4 |
| 4 | 16 | Bruce McLaren | McLaren BRM | 97 | +3 laps | 3 |
| 5 | 11 | Pedro Rodriguez | Cooper Maserati | 96 | +4 laps | 2 |
| 6 | 5 | Mike Spence | BRM | 96 | +4 laps | 1 |
| NC | 18 | Lorenzo Bandini | Ferrari | 81 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 6 | Piers Courage | BRM | 64 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 12 | Jim Clark | Lotus Climax | 42 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 7 | John Surtees | Honda | 32 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 17 | Jo Siffert | Cooper Maserati | 31 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 10 | Jochen Rindt | Cooper Maserati | 14 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 4 | Jackie Stewart | BRM | 14 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Dan Gurney | Eagle Weslake | 4 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 2 | Johnny Servoz-Gavin | Matra Ford | 4 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 8 | Jack Brabham | Brabham Repco | 0 | DNF | 0 |
1968
The motorsport community mourned the loss of Mike Spence, a Lotus and BRM F1 driver who died on this day following a crash during a practice session at Indianapolis. A misjudgment caused his car to collide with a concrete wall, leading to fatal injuries when a dislodged wheel struck him. His death occurred shortly after the accident in the hospital.
1978
Tyrrell driver Patrick Depallier earned his first Formula 1 victory at the 1978 Monaco Grand Prix after numerous second-place finishes. Leading the Brabham of Niki Lauda by 22 seconds, his win was a significant career milestone. The race also saw Lauda overcoming an early setback with a puncture, and James Hunt crashing out fueled rumours about his career’s end, which persisted for another year. Jody Scheckter finished third in a Wolf Ford.
1978 Monaco Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell Ford | 75 | 1:55:14.660 | 9 |
| 2 | 1 | Niki Lauda | Brabham Alfa Romeo | 75 | +22.450s | 6 |
| 3 | 20 | Jody Scheckter | Wolf Ford | 75 | +32.290s | 4 |
| 4 | 2 | John Watson | Brabham Alfa Romeo | 75 | +33.530s | 3 |
| 5 | 3 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell Ford | 75 | +68.060s | 2 |
| 6 | 35 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows Ford | 75 | +68.770s | 1 |
| 7 | 8 | Patrick Tambay | McLaren Ford | 74 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 8 | 11 | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 74 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 9 | 14 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi Ford | 74 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 10 | 15 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | 71 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 11 | 5 | Mario Andretti | Lotus Ford | 69 | +6 laps | 0 |
| NC | 12 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 62 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 6 | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus Ford | 56 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 7 | James Hunt | McLaren Ford | 43 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 36 | Rolf Stommelen | Arrows Ford | 38 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 27 | Alan Jones | Williams Ford | 29 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 22 | Jacky Ickx | Ensign Ford | 27 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 16 | Hans-Joachim Stuck | Shadow Ford | 24 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier Matra | 13 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 18 | Rupert Keegan | Surtees Ford | 8 | DNF | 0 |
1989
The McLaren team and Alain Prost were left frustrated after the 1989 Monaco Grand Prix due to former Renault teammate and now Ligier driver Rene Arnoux‘s controversial tactics that hindered Prost during the race. Arnoux ignored both his mirrors and the blue flags prompting BBC commentator James Hunt to describe Arnoux’s explanation of why he was so slow as “Bullshit” on live television. Despite mechanical issues, Ayrton Senna won the race from pole, cleverly hiding his difficulties to prevent Prost from overtaking. His tactical drive underlining his driving skills under pressure. Prost eventually finished second, and Stefano Modena third in a Brabham-Judd.
1989 Monaco Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren Honda | 77 | 1:53:33.251 | 9 |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren Honda | 77 | +52.529s | 6 |
| 3 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham Judd | 76 | +1 lap | 4 |
| 4 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara Ford | 75 | +2 laps | 3 |
| 5 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell Ford | 75 | +2 laps | 2 |
| 6 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham Judd | 75 | +2 laps | 1 |
| 7 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows Ford | 75 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 8 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton Ford | 74 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 9 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell Ford | 74 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 10 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams Renault | 74 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 11 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March Judd | 73 | DNF | 0 |
| 12 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier Ford | 73 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 13 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara Ford | 73 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 14 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton Ford | 73 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 15 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams Renault | 73 | +4 laps | 0 |
| NC | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi Ford | 48 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS Ford | 46 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni Ford | 44 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola Lamborghini | 38 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March Judd | 36 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus Judd | 32 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 30 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 32 | Pierre Henri Raphanel | Coloni Ford | 19 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier Ford | 4 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi Ford | 3 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows Ford | 2 | DNF | 0 |
2000
At the 2000 Spanish Grand Prix, Mika Hakkinen clinched the win, yet the spotlight was on David Coulthard, who secured second place despite recently suffering from cracked ribs due to a plane crash that killed two people. An emotional Coulthard, enduring pain, captured attention, especially during the post-race activities. McLaren‘s Ron Dennis pointed out Coulthard’s resilience and pain management throughout the race, which was evident even when he lost time due to a pit-stop error.
2000 Spanish Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Mika Hakkinen | McLaren Mercedes | 65 | 1:33:55.390 | 10 |
| 2 | 2 | David Coulthard | McLaren Mercedes | 65 | +16.066s | 6 |
| 3 | 4 | Rubens Barrichello | Ferrari | 65 | +29.112s | 4 |
| 4 | 9 | Ralf Schumacher | Williams BMW | 65 | +37.311s | 3 |
| 5 | 3 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 65 | +47.983s | 2 |
| 6 | 5 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | Jordan Mugen Honda | 65 | +81.925s | 1 |
| 7 | 17 | Mika Salo | Sauber Petronas | 64 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 8 | 23 | Ricardo Zonta | BAR Honda | 64 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 9 | 11 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Benetton Playlife | 64 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 10 | 12 | Alexander Wurz | Benetton Playlife | 64 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 11 | 7 | Eddie Irvine | Jaguar Cosworth | 64 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 12 | 6 | Jarno Trulli | Jordan Mugen Honda | 64 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 13 | 8 | Johnny Herbert | Jaguar Cosworth | 64 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 14 | 20 | Marc Gene | Minardi Fondmetal | 63 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 15 | 21 | Gaston Mazzacane | Minardi Fondmetal | 63 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 16 | 15 | Nick Heidfeld | Prost Peugeot | 62 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 17 | 10 | Jenson Button | Williams BMW | 61 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 19 | Jos Verstappen | Arrows Supertec | 25 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 22 | Jacques Villeneuve | BAR Honda | 21 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 14 | Jean Alesi | Prost Peugeot | 1 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 18 | Pedro de la Rosa | Arrows Supertec | 1 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 16 | Pedro Diniz | Sauber Petronas | 0 | DNF |
2006
Michael Schumacher celebrated his 86th career victory at the 2006 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, giving new energy to the championship battle. However, the event was also characterised by Fernando Alonso‘s frustration at finishing second after starting from pole, as well as Bernie Ecclestone’s critical remarks about his championship performance. The second Ferrari of Felipe Massa earned his first podium finish of the season with third place.
The weekend also hinted at Lewis Hamilton‘s future prospects in Formula 1, following his success in the GP2 series. While Franck Montagny made his Formula One debut, becoming the first French F1 driver since Olivier Panis at the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix.
2006 European Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 60 | 1:35:58.765 | 10 |
| 2 | 1 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 60 | +3.751s | 8 |
| 3 | 6 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 60 | +4.447s | 6 |
| 4 | 3 | Kimi Räikkönen | McLaren Mercedes | 60 | +4.879s | 5 |
| 5 | 11 | Rubens Barrichello | Honda | 60 | +72.586s | 4 |
| 6 | 2 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Renault | 60 | +74.116s | 3 |
| 7 | 10 | Nico Rosberg | Williams Cosworth | 60 | +74.565s | 2 |
| 8 | 17 | Jacques Villeneuve | Sauber BMW | 60 | +89.364s | 1 |
| 9 | 8 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 59 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 10 | 16 | Nick Heidfeld | Sauber BMW | 59 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 11 | 21 | Scott Speed | STR Cosworth | 59 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 12 | 18 | Tiago Monteiro | MF1 Toyota | 59 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 13 | 19 | Christijan Albers | MF1 Toyota | 59 | +1 lap | 0 |
| NC | 7 | Ralf Schumacher | Toyota | 52 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 4 | Juan Pablo Montoya | McLaren Mercedes | 52 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 22 | Takuma Sato | Super Aguri Honda | 45 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Franck Montagny | Super Aguri Honda | 29 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 12 | Jenson Button | Honda | 28 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 15 | Christian Klien | RBR Ferrari | 28 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 9 | Mark Webber | Williams Cosworth | 12 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 14 | David Coulthard | RBR Ferrari | 2 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 20 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | STR Cosworth | 0 | DNF | 0 |
2023
Although Sergio Perez secured pole for the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, it was his Red Bull Racing teammate, Max Verstappen, who claimed victory after starting from ninth on the grid. Pérez finished second, with Fernando Alonso completing the podium in the number 14 Aston Martin.
Verstappen swiftly carved his way through the field, beginning with Valtteri Bottas‘ Alfa Romeo. He then overtook Charles Leclerc and Kevin Magnussen to move into sixth. Continuing his charge, he passed George Russell, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, and Alonso. As the race progressed, Verstappen closed in on Pérez, ultimately overtaking his teammate in the final stages to secure the win.
2023 Miami Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 57 | 1:27:38.241 | 26 |
| 2 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 57 | +5.384s | 18 |
| 3 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 57 | +26.305s | 15 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 57 | +33.229s | 12 |
| 5 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 57 | +42.511s | 10 |
| 6 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 57 | +51.249s | 8 |
| 7 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 57 | +52.988s | 6 |
| 8 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 57 | +55.670s | 4 |
| 9 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault | 57 | +58.123s | 2 |
| 10 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 57 | +62.945s | 1 |
| 11 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri Honda RBPT | 57 | +64.309s | 0 |
| 12 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 57 | +64.754s | 0 |
| 13 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo Ferrari | 57 | +71.637s | 0 |
| 14 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 57 | +72.861s | 0 |
| 15 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 57 | +74.950s | 0 |
| 16 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo Ferrari | 57 | +78.440s | 0 |
| 17 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 57 | +87.717s | 0 |
| 18 | 21 | Nyck De Vries | AlphaTauri Honda RBPT | 57 | +88.949s | 0 |
| 19 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 20 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams Mercedes | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| Note – Verstappen scored an additional point for setting the fastest lap of the race. Sainz received a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane. | ||||||
F1 Driver Birthdays 7 May
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 7 May 1914 | Bud Rose (d. 1991) |
| 7 May 1991 | Daniel Juncadella |
| Birthday | F1 Mentions |
|---|---|
| 7 May 1967 | Jonathan Wheatley Sporting director of Red Bull (2022–2023) and Team Principal of Sauber / Audi. |
F1 Driver Deaths 7 May
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 7 May 1968 | Mike Spence (b. 1936) |
| 7 May 1993 | Hap Sharp (b. 1928) |
| 7 May 2009 | Tony Marsh (b. 1931) |
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