What happened on this day, November 1 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1936
Born in Stroud, Gloucestershire, Jackie Lewis made his mark racing privately-owned Coopers and ultimately won the 1960 Formula 2 title. He entered Formula One as a privateer in 1961, achieving a notable fourth place at Monza amid a tragic race in which Wolfgang von Trips and 15 spectators lost their lives. This success led to a 1962 drive with Ecurie Galloise, but after struggling that season, Lewis retired, choosing instead a peaceful life as a sheep farmer and never returning to racing.
1972
Ricardo Rodriguez, a talented 20-year-old, tragically lost his life during qualifying for the 1962 Mexican Grand Prix. Eager to impress his home crowd and prove himself to Ferrari—who had opted out of the non-championship race—Rodriguez borrowed Rob Walker’s Lotus. He misjudged the Peraltada corner, entering too fast, and struck a barrier, dying instantly. His brother, Pedro, also a racer, considered quitting but continued, only to meet a similar fate on the track nine years later.
1987
Ferrari enjoyed a better outing at the 1987 Japanese Grand Prix as Gerhard Berger claimed victory, a win simplified by Nigel Mansell’s absence due to a crash during qualifying. With Mansell out, his teammate and bitter rival, Nelson Piquet secured his third World Championship title regardless of the race outcome. “With Nigel out, Nelson probably didn’t push as hard as he would have,” Berger noted. Piquet still chased Ayrton Senna (who finished second) hard until his engine gave out—gifting third place to Stefan Johansson in the McLaren.
The race marked Japan’s return to the Formula 1 calendar, the first race there since James Hunt’s victory in his McLaren at Fuji in 1977. This time, the event took place at the Honda-owned Suzuka Circuit, originally developed as a testing ground for Honda’s motorcycles and cars.
1998
Mika Hakkinen clinched his first World Championship title with a commanding flag-to-flag victory at the 1998 Japanese Grand Prix, marking a triumphant season for McLaren as they also secured their first Constructors’ Championship since 1991. Michael Schumacher, expected to be Hakkinen’s main challenger, faced a difficult race with Ferrari. Starting from the back of the grid, Schumacher’s hopes faded further after a 165 mph tyre blowout from debris on the track, forcing him to expertly bring his Ferrari to a halt. “I don’t know how to start explaining my feelings,” Hakkinen remarked. “I felt the pressure lifting.” Ferrari’s team principal, Jean Todt, expressed frustration, stating, “We’ve proven we can win grands prix, but someday we must show we can win a world championship.” That day would indeed come.
Eddie Irvine with Ferrari finished second while Hakkinen’s teammate David Coulthard finished in third. It was also the last race for the Tyrrell racing team, as the team was rebranded as British American Racing for the 1999 season.
2002
Eddie Irvine’s career with Jaguar ended abruptly when team boss Niki Lauda dismissed him over the phone. Following a turbulent and often outspoken tenure, Irvine’s departure was met with mixed reactions. “I’m not really bothered if Eddie gets a drive,” Jenson Button commented, acknowledging Irvine’s vocal presence in the sport. “He’s getting older, and there are quick, younger drivers who deserve a chance.”
2009
The 2009 season concluded under the lights of the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a relatively quiet race compared to earlier events. Red Bull dominated with a 1-2 finish by Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, setting up an ominous tone of dominance for the following 2010 season. Newly crowned Brawn GP champion Jenson Button took third, delivering an aggressive performance that kept Webber under pressure until the finish line.
2020
The 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix marked the return of Formula One to the Imola circuit for the first time since the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix, making it the 28th F1 race held at the track. Kimi Raikkonen was the only driver on the grid with prior F1 experience at Imola, having competed there from 2001 to 2006. This Grand Prix weekend was condensed into two days, with only a single 90-minute practice session on Saturday morning before qualifying.
The 63-lap race saw Lewis Hamilton take victory for Mercedes, with his teammate Valtteri Bottas in second, and the Renault of Daniel Ricciardo completing the podium in third. Mercedes clinched the 2020 Constructors’ Championship with this 1-2 finish, setting a new record for consecutive titles with seven. Initially, the race was set to welcome 13,000 fans, but due to a rise in COVID-19 cases, it was ultimately held behind closed doors.
F1 Driver Birthdays 1 November
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 November 1898 | Arthur Legat |
| 1 November 1918 | Ken Miles |
| 1 November 1926 | Bob Veith |
| 1 November 1928 | Ted Whiteaway |
| 1 November 1936 | Jackie Lewis |
| 1 November 1996 | Sean Gelael |
F1 Driver Deaths 1 November
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 November 1962 | Ricardo Rodriguez |
| 1 November 2017 | Ernie Pieterse |
F1 Champion 1 November
| Date | Team/Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 November 1987 | Nelson Piquet |
| 1 November 1998 | Mika Hakkinen |
| 1 November 1998 | McLaren |
| 1 November 2020 | Mercedes |
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