What happened on this day, November 30 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1932
Alex Blignaut, born on this day, was a South African racing driver and team owner. Blignaut competed locally for many years and participated twice in the Formula One Rand Grand Prix in 1963 and 1964 under the “Team Valencia” banner, finishing 12th in both non-championship races. In 1965, he entered the South African Grand Prix, a World Championship event, but withdrew before the race.
1935
Born on this day, John Blokdyk was a South African motorcycle speedway rider and Formula One driver. Blokdyk participated in two World Championship Grands Prix, though he only qualified for one. In 1963, he competed in his sole World Championship race at East London, the 1963 South African Grand Prix, driving a three-year-old Cooper–Maserati prepared by Scuderia Lupini, where he finished 12th.
1966
Mika Salo, born in Finland on this day, had a 111-race Formula 1 career with two podium finishes. His early career took a setback due to a drink-driving conviction, but he returned to F1, competing with eight teams between 1994 and 2002. His podiums both came as a Ferrari stand-in during 1999, though a later promising stint with Toyota fell short, leading to his contract’s early termination and a move to sports-car racing.
2004
Kimi Raikkonen made a less-than-sincere apology after photos surfaced of him partying with a singer and later collapsing on top of an inflatable dolphin outside a nightclub in Gran Canaria. When news of the seven-hour escapade hit the press, he remarked, “I’m sorry. I had a few drinks and danced, why not?” This was just one of several headline-making incidents in Raikkonen’s colourful career.
2006
Former double world champion Mika Hakkinen briefly returned to the cockpit, aiding McLaren in winter testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. He completed 77 laps, finishing over three seconds off the pace. “It was great fun, but I also had to do some serious work for the team,” he reflected.
F1 Driver Birthdays 30 November
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 30 November 1932 | Alex Blignaut (d. 2001) |
| 30 November 1935 | Trevor Blokdyk (d. 1995) |
| 30 November 1966 | Mika Salo |
| 30 November 1994 | Roy Nissany |
F1 Driver Deaths 30 November
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 30 November | None |
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