What Happened On This Day November 10 In F1 History?

What happened on this day, November 10 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1855

Alexandre Darracq, born in Bordeaux, became a significant figure in the early automotive industry. He initially made sewing machines and later bicycles, selling his company in 1896 and using the proceeds to venture into car manufacturing. Interestingly, he had no personal interest in driving. By 1904, his company produced 10% of all cars sold in France and played a role in the first grand prix races. Through licensing his designs across Europe, Darracq amassed a fortune, eventually selling the business in 1912. He went on to operate a casino before retiring to the French Riviera, where he managed the iconic Hotel Negresco in Nice. He passed away in 1931.

1934

Lucien Bianchi, born in Milan, initially built his career in sports cars and rallying before transitioning to single-seaters in 1959. His first Formula One qualification came at the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix, where he drove his Cooper to a sixth-place finish, earning points. Despite his success, he returned to sports cars, only rejoining Formula One in 1968 with a modestly competitive BRM-powered Cooper. That year, he won the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours race, a career highlight that drew him back to sports cars in 1969. Sadly, it was also at Le Mans that he lost his life later that year.

1965

Eddie Irvine, one of modern Formula One’s more colourful and controversial figures, was born in Newtownards, Northern Ireland. His career showed great promise, nearly capturing the world title in 1999 with Ferrari, though he ultimately fell two points short. Irvine’s F1 journey began with a memorable incident in which he received a punch from Ayrton Senna for upsetting him during his debut. Early the following season, he faced a race ban after a crash, which was later extended to three races due to his conduct at the hearing. Things began to improve when he joined Ferrari in 1997. By 1998, Irvine had proven himself a reliable No. 2 driver, becoming a race winner in 1999. When teammate Michael Schumacher was sidelined with a broken leg, Irvine took on the role of team leader, capturing three more wins and contending for the championship until the final round, ultimately losing to Mika Hakkinen. He moved to Jaguar in 2000, eager to lead the team from the start of its Formula One journey. Despite a difficult season, he achieved a fourth-place finish at Monaco, which he later improved with a surprising third at the same circuit in 2001. His final podium came with a third-place finish at Monza in 2002, marking his last F1 triumph. Known for his outspoken nature, Irvine once remarked, “It goes without saying that there are some real arseholes in Formula One. In addition, some have serious psychological problems.” Outside of racing, he built a substantial fortune through savvy property investments.

1989

Born on this day in Palmerston North, New Zealand, Brendon Hartley entered Formula One after a successful career in endurance racing and as a test driver for Red Bull. Hartley was called up by Toro Rosso in 2017 after Daniil Kvyat‘s departure, marking his F1 debut in the 2017 United States Grand Prix. Over two seasons, Hartley competed in 25 Grand Prix but only scored 4 points, leading to his release by Toro Rosso at the end of 2018. After leaving F1, he returned to endurance racing, where he had previously achieved significant success, including winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship.

F1 Driver Birthdays 10 November

Find a complete list here of the birthdays of current and past F1 Drivers’ birthdays, death’s and when a Drivers’ or Constructors’ Championship was won.

F1 Driver Deaths 10 November