What happened on this day, November 29 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1975
Double world champion Graham Hill tragically died when the light aircraft he was piloting crashed in dense fog at Elstree Aerodrome, Hertfordshire. Five members of his Embassy Hill racing team, including promising young driver Tony Brise, also perished in the crash. The fog was so thick that, under current regulations, they would have been required to divert; however, these rules did not apply to amateur pilots at the time. The six men were returning from Marseilles, where they had been testing a car for the upcoming season. The Piper Aztec aircraft, purchased by Hill with his 1966 Indianapolis 500 prize money, crashed into a nearby golf course, bursting into flames as it struck trees. Adding to the Hill family’s tragedy, it later surfaced that the plane was not adequately insured, leading relatives of the victims to successfully sue Hill’s estate for compensation.
His passengers were team manager Ray Brimble, team driver Tony Brise, designer Andy Smallman and mechanics Terry Richards and Tony Alcock.
1975
Remembering the highly promising Tony Brise, who tragically lost his life (aged 23) in the plane crash that claimed the lives of Graham Hill and four other Embassy Hill team members on this day in 1975.
Brise took part in 10 Grands Prix with Williams and Hill in 1975, finishing 6th at Anderstor.
2001
Internal tensions at Williams surfaced publicly when team principal Patrick Head openly criticised Ralf Schumacher’s approach to testing, noting the driver’s lack of patience with data analysis and his reluctance to discuss issues with engineers. In contrast, Head praised teammate Juan Pablo Montoya for his dedication to understanding the car’s performance. Schumacher had previously commented on the close relationship between Montoya and team founder Frank Williams, stating, “Frank loves Juan.” Schumacher went on to finish fourth in both the 2001 and 2002 Drivers’ Championships, remaining with Williams until 2004.
2002
Ferrari’s Luca di Montezemolo publicly criticised the management of Formula One, calling for the teams to take a greater role in the sport’s operations, rather than leaving it solely under Bernie Ecclestone’s control. “There should be one Formula One owner, but that owner should have a strong management representing all teams,” di Montezemolo argued. He expressed dissatisfaction with the teams’ share of television revenue, which he stated was only 47%. Di Montezemolo clarified he didn’t want Ferrari or Mercedes to run Formula One directly but wanted a management structure that included all teams, ideally with Ecclestone involved, if he remained capable. The ownership structure later evolved, but Ecclestone retained a firm grip on Formula One.
2009
Four months after a near-fatal accident at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, Felipe Massa made his return to the track, participating in a karting event in Brazil. He raced alongside Michael Schumacher, who attracted significant media attention amid growing rumours of a possible comeback.
2011
Kimi Raikkonen announced his return to Formula One for the 2012 season with Renault. The team, which became Lotus F1, announced that the 2007 world champion would join them for the season. Raikkonen, who had last raced in Formula 1 with Ferrari in 2009, signed a two-year deal. Raikkonen said: “I’m delighted to be coming back to Formula 1 after a two-year break, and I’m grateful to Lotus Renault GP for offering me this opportunity.
“My time in the World Rally Championship has been a useful stage in my career as a driver, but I can’t deny the fact that my hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming.
“It was an easy choice to return with Lotus Renault GP as I have been impressed by the scope of the team’s ambition. Now I’m looking forward to playing an important role in pushing the team to the very front of the grid.”
2015
The 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, held under the night lights of Yas Marina Circuit, served as the climactic final race of the season. Defending race winner Lewis Hamilton had already claimed his third Drivers’ Championship at the 2015 United States Grand Prix, while Mercedes had secured the 2015 Constructors’ Championship in Russia. Starting from his sixth consecutive pole position, Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg clinched the win ahead of Hamilton. Kimi Raikkonen completed the podium in third for Ferrari.
This race was Mercedes’ twelfth one-two finish of the season, a remarkable achievement in a record-breaking year. The team set a new benchmark with the highest-ever points total for a constructor at 703, along with the most front-row lockouts and one-two finishes in a single season
The race marked the final Formula One appearance for drivers Will Stevens, Roberto Merhi, and Pastor Maldonado, adding a touch of farewell to an already historic event.
2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 55 | 1:38:30.175 | 25 |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 55 | +8.271s | 18 |
| 3 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 55 | +19.430s | 15 |
| 4 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 55 | +43.735s | 12 |
| 5 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Force India Mercedes | 55 | +63.952s | 10 |
| 6 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull Racing Renault | 55 | +65.010s | 8 |
| 7 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India Mercedes | 55 | +93.618s | 6 |
| 8 | 19 | Felipe Massa | Williams Mercedes | 55 | +97.751s | 4 |
| 9 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Lotus Mercedes | 55 | +98.201s | 2 |
| 10 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | Red Bull Racing Renault | 55 | +102.371s | 1 |
| 11 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | STR Renault | 55 | +103.525s | 0 |
| 12 | 22 | Jenson Button | McLaren Honda | 54 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 13 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams Mercedes | 54 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 14 | 9 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber Ferrari | 54 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 15 | 12 | Felipe Nasr | Sauber Ferrari | 54 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 16 | 33 | Max Verstappen | STR Renault | 54 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 17 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren Honda | 53 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 18 | 28 | Will Stevens | Marussia Ferrari | 53 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 19 | 98 | Roberto Merhi | Marussia Ferrari | 52 | +3 laps | 0 |
| NC | 13 | Pastor Maldonado | Lotus Mercedes | 0 | DNF | 0 |
2020
The 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, initially scheduled for March but rescheduled to 29 November due to COVID-19, was the first of two consecutive races at the Bahrain International Circuit, with the second, the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, using a different layout the following weekend. The race, held behind closed doors with an exception for local health workers and their families, became unforgettable due to a harrowing accident involving Romain Grosjean. His Haas car split in two, wedging itself in the barrier, and caught fire, suspending the race for eighty minutes. Grosjean escaped with second-degree burns on his hands, but the incident led him to miss the season’s final races, making Bahrain as his last Formula One appearance before moving to the IndyCar Series in 2021.
Driving for Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton claimed victory from pole position, finishing ahead of Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon. This win was Mercedes’ final victory of the 2020 season, as the remaining races at Sakhir and Abu Dhabi were won by Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, respectively.
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 57 | 2:59:47.515 | 25 |
| 2 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda | 57 | +1.254s | 19 |
| 3 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Red Bull Racing Honda | 57 | +8.005s | 15 |
| 4 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Renault | 57 | +11.337s | 12 |
| 5 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | McLaren Renault | 57 | +11.787s | 10 |
| 6 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri Honda | 57 | +11.942s | 8 |
| 7 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Renault | 57 | +19.368s | 6 |
| 8 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 57 | +19.680s | 4 |
| 9 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Renault | 57 | +22.803s | 2 |
| 10 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 56 | +1 lap | 1 |
| 11 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | AlphaTauri Honda | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 12 | 63 | George Russell | Williams Mercedes | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 13 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 14 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams Mercedes | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 15 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 16 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 17 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 18 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Racing Point BWT Mercedes | 53 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 18 | Lance Stroll | Racing Point BWT Mercedes | 2 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Haas Ferrari | 0 | DNF | 0 |
F1 Driver Birthdays 29 November
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 29 November 1915 | Helmut Niedermayr |
| 29 November 1923 | Chuck Daigh |
F1 Driver Deaths 29 November
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 29 November 1963 | Lee Wallard |
| 29 November 1975 | Graham Hill |
| 29 November 1975 | Tony Brise |
| 29 November 2013 | Ken Gregory |
Seen in:
