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 extract 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.
1968
The motorsport community mourned the loss of Mike Spence, a Lotus and BRM F1 driver who died 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
Patrick Depallier achieved his first Formula 1 victory at Monaco after numerous second-place finishes. Leading 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‘s crash fueled rumours about his career’s end, which persisted for another year.
1989
The Renault team was likely frustrated after the 1989 Monaco Grand Prix due to René Arnoux‘s controversial tactics that hindered Alain Prost during the race. Despite mechanical issues, Ayrton Senna won the race, cleverly concealing his difficulties to discourage Prost from overtaking. His tactical racecraft underscored his driving skills under pressure.
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.
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 marked 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 weekend also hinted at Lewis Hamilton‘s future prospects in Formula 1, following his success in the GP2 series.
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