What happened on this day, November 28 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1966
The 1964 world champion, John Surtees, signed a one-year contract to race for Honda. He had won his championship with Ferrari but departed from the team midway through 1966 due to a dispute, then joined Cooper and won the 1966 Mexican Grand Prix in the season’s final race. Surtees played an influential role in helping Honda develop its F1 team, a collaboration that spanned two years and brought them one win at the 1967 Italian Grand Prix.
1973
Rob Smedley is best known as an F1 engineer who now works with his own company, Total Karting, which runs a low-cost racing series using electric karts aimed at making motorsport more accessible to beginners. He also worked within the Formula One Group, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the sport’s technical standards and regulations. Before joining the Formula One Group, Smedley worked with top teams, including Williams, Ferrari, and Jordan, where he specialised in race engineering, car performance, and team strategy.
Smedley is perhaps best known for his time at Ferrari as Felipe Massa’s race engineer, where his calm, strategic communication and technical expertise were instrumental during some of Massa’s most successful seasons. His iconic phrase, “OK, Felipe, baby, stay cool,” became a memorable moment in F1 broadcasting.
Smedley took on a more senior role at Williams, leading the team’s car performance division at a critical time, as the team saw a brief resurgence during the mid-2010s, achieving multiple podium finishes.
1990
John Watson put the new Jordan 191 (then dubbed 911) through its paces for the first time at Silverstone, as Eddie Jordan’s fledgling team geared up for its Formula 1 debut. The former Grand Prix winner logged 20 laps in Gary Anderson’s unpainted black prototype—an outing memorable for a spin that unfolded right in front of the assembled British motorsport press. Jordan Grand Prix would remain on the F1 grid until Eddie sold the outfit to the Midland Group in 2005, during which time it collected four race victories.
Fun fact, Eddie Jordan received an 18-month loan of a Porsche 911 as compensation after being forced to rename his team’s debut F1 car from “Jordan 911” to “Jordan 191” because Porsche objected to the use of the name. The “deal” was a negotiation where Jordan agreed to the name change in exchange for the loan of the Porsche. As ever, Eddie proved himself a shrewd negotiator.
2006
Lewis Hamilton‘s Formula 1 journey began on the test track in Barcelona, but his McLaren broke down after only two laps. Testing alongside David Coulthard and Anthony Davidson, Hamilton received cautionary advice from Coulthard, who suggested he needed a season of testing before stepping into F1. Hamilton responded respectfully, acknowledging Coulthard’s experience: “I value David’s opinion and have always looked up to him. He might be right, but I’ve done what’s needed to reach F1. I have plenty of time for pre-season testing, and we’ll see how it goes. I’m young, fresh, and determined to succeed. I want to win.” True to his words, Hamilton came within a single race of winning the title in his rookie season of 2007.
2021
Sir Frank Williams was a pioneering British businessman, former racing car driver, and the legendary founder of the Williams F1 team. Known simply as “Frank” within the motorsport world, he dedicated over four decades to building and leading one of the most successful teams in Formula One history. From its foundation in 1977 until his retirement in 2020, he served as the team principal, overseeing Williams Racing through its many victories, challenges, and transformations. The team was formed after Frank Williams’ previous teams, Frank Williams Racing Cars and later Wolf–Williams Racing.
Under his leadership, the Williams team achieved remarkable success, capturing nine Constructors’ Championships and seven Drivers’ Championships, placing it among the most successful teams in the sport. Known for his tenacity, Sir Frank overcame significant adversity, including a life-altering car accident in 1986 that left him quadriplegic. Undeterred, he continued to lead the team from a wheelchair.
Williams’ team was known for its commitment to engineering excellence and innovation. It also secured the talents of notable drivers such as Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, and Damon Hill, as well as engineers and designers who went on to shape the future of Formula One. The team’s ethos under Sir Frank was one of grit, independence, and competitiveness, often challenging larger, manufacturer-backed teams on the grid.
In recognition of his contributions to motorsport, Sir Frank was awarded a CBE and was later knighted in 1999. His passing in 2021 marked the end of an era, but his influence remains embedded in the DNA of the team he helped to shape.
2025
Adrian Sutil was reportedly arrested as part of an “international raid” in connection with suspected fraud and embezzlement, according to German outlet BILD. The details of the case at the time were still being confirmed by authorities, and Sutil had not issued any public response to the claims.
Adrian Sutil
F1 Debut 2007 Australian Grand Prix
Current/Last Team Sauber
Sutil competed in Formula 1 between 2007 and 2014, driving for Spyker, Force India and later Sauber. Across his seven seasons he achieved multiple points finishes and narrowly missed out on several podiums, including a notable fourth place at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix.
It was not the first time the former F1 driver had faced legal issues. In 2011, he was involved in a high-profile incident at a Shanghai nightclub in which Lotus executive Eric Lux was injured by a broken champagne glass. Sutil was subsequently convicted of grievous bodily harm, receiving an 18-month suspended sentence and a fine. The fallout from that case kept him out of F1 for a year before he returned to Force India in 2013.
F1 Driver Birthdays 28 November
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 28 November | None |
| Birthday | F1 Mentions |
|---|---|
| 28 November 1973 | Rob Smedley Served as an Engineer at various levels with Williams, Jordan Grand Prix and Ferrari |
F1 Driver Deaths 28 November
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 28 November 1990 | Francisco Godia-Sales |
| 28 November 1992 | Frank Armi |
| 28 November 1992 | Earl Motter |
| 28 November 1993 | Joe Kelly |
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