What happened on this day, November 3 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1968
Lotus driver Graham Hill claimed his second World Championship with a decisive victory at the 1968 Mexican Grand Prix, narrowly defeating rival Jackie Stewart. Heading into the weekend, Hill held a slim three-point lead over Stewart, and the two drivers went wheel-to-wheel for the first third of the race. Stewart briefly took the lead on the third lap, only to fall back to seventh with engine troubles by the seventh lap. “I had a lovely time,” Hill remarked after his win. “The car went beautifully. I am very pleased to have won.” Denny Hulme had a fortunate escape after his McLaren’s suspension failed, sending him crashing into a wall. Joining Hill on the podium were Hulme’s teamate, Bruce McLaren and the Lotus of Jackie Oliver. The Lotus team’s result was enough to clinch the 1968 Constructors’ Championship title.
1985
Keke Rosberg closed his Williams career with a memorable victory in the inaugural 1985 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide. Under scorching 30°C heat and in front of a crowd of 110,000, Rosberg managed to overcome a collision with the Lotus of Ayrton Senna midway through the race. Senna rammed into the rear of Rosberg’s car, damaging his front wing. Although Senna returned to the track after repairs and briefly retook the lead, his race ended with an engine failure. Rosberg remained diplomatic about the incident, but teammate Nigel Mansell was blunt, calling Senna “a total idiot.” Niki Lauda, making his final F1 appearance, also had an eventful race, crashing his McLaren into a wall and later quipping, “Now it’s time to grow up and start some sensible work.”
Late-race drama unfolded when Ligier teammates Jacques Laffite and Philippe Streiff collided on the penultimate lap while chasing Rosberg. Misinterpreting his pit signals, Streiff believed he was under attack from another car and attempted to overtake Laffite, only to collide with him. Laffite still managed to finish in second, while Streiff limped across the line in third place.
Despite Lauda’s crash, McLaren won the 1985 Constructors’ Championship title.
1991
The 1991 Australian Grand Prix once held the record for being the shortest Formula One World Championship race until the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, lasting just 14 laps before torrential rain and frustrated drivers forced officials to suspend and ultimately abandon the race. The decision to start in such extreme conditions was heavily criticised, with many accusing organisers of prioritising profit over driver safety. Visibility was limited to mere yards, creating treacherous conditions from the outset. Nigel Mansell, who was running in second for Williams behind the McLaren of Ayrton Senna, admitted he was struggling to keep up, relying only on the glow of Senna’s brake lights. Mansell eventually lost control, aquaplaning on a deep puddle and crashing into a concrete wall. Shortly afterwards, the race was red-flagged, and Mansell was ultimately awarded second place.
Senna, who had already secured the World Championship, his third and final, condemned the organisers’ decision to proceed with the race, stating, “The event should never have been allowed to start. I only elected to take part out of loyalty to my team and our interest in the Constructors’ Championship. It was understood that I would stop if I felt the conditions were impossible. But it was not a race—just a dangerous procession.” Mansell echoed Senna’s sentiment, adding, “It’s a wonder nobody was killed.”
Gerhard Berger finished third for McLaren, enough to secure the team the 1991 Constructors’ Championship title.
Formula One History Recommends
2013
Sebastian Vettel claimed victory for Red Bull at the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, finishing 30.8 seconds ahead of teammate Mark Webber, who took second place. Nico Rosberg, driving for Mercedes, completed the podium in third. Vettel’s win marked his seventh consecutive victory, tying the record for the most consecutive wins in an F1 season held by Alberto Ascari and Michael Schumacher. The race also marked Red Bull’s 100th podium finish. In celebration of Red Bull’s milestone, Vettel and Webber performed celebratory doughnuts during the cool-down lap. Vettel had performed similar doughnuts after the previous race in India, this time he did so without incurring any penalties from the stewards.
Both Force India drivers Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta scored their final F1 World Championship points at this race.
2019
At the 2019 United States Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas claimed victory from pole position in his Mercedes, but it would be teammate Lewis Hamilton‘s day coming home in second. Hamilton’s second-place finish secured him his sixth World Drivers’ Championship, making him the second most accomplished Formula One driver in history, surpassing Juan Manuel Fangio and trailing only Michael Schumacher. The result also marked Hamilton’s 150th career podium finish—Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, completed the podium in third.
2024
The 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix (officially the Formula 1 Lenovo Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024) will be the twenty-first race of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship, held at Autódromo José Carlos Pace on the weekend of November 1 to November 3, 2024.
F1 Driver Birthdays 3 November
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 3 November 1948 | Helmuth Koinigg |
F1 Driver Deaths 3 November
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 3 November | None |
F1 Champion 3 November
| Date | Team/Driver |
|---|---|
| 3 November 1968 | Graham Hill |
| 3 November 2019 | Lewis Hamilton |
| 3 November 1968 | Team Lotus |
| 3 November 1985 | McLaren |
| 3 November 1991 | McLaren |
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