What happened on this day, October 1 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1927
The second British Grand Prix (officially known as the Royal Automobile Club GP) at Brooklands was won by Robert Benoist. It was the fifth and final race in the 1927 AIACR World Manufacturers’ Championship season, and as Benoist had won four, his Delage team took the championship title.
1928
Born on this day in Momignies, Belgium, Willy Mairesse only started 12 Grand Prix over four seasons from 1960–1963 and 1965 (finishing three) but gained a reputation for accidents during that time. His F1 career ended when he crashed at the 1963 German Grand Prix. He drove for Ferrari, ENB, Lotus, and Scuderia Centro Sud and finished once on the podium in P3 at the 1960 Italian Grand Prix for Ferrari.
In 1968, he was thrown out in a crash at Le Mans and sustained severe head injuries. Although he recovered, he realised he could not race again and tragically committed suicide a year later.
1942
Born on this day in Paris, Jean-Pierre Jabouille secured his place in the history books when he scored the first win by a turbocharged car at the 1979 French Grand Prix. That it was in a Renault only served to cap a great day for France. It was the first of two F1 wins in 49 starts – those were to be his only podium finishes – but a broken leg in a crash at the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix all but ended his career.
Sadly, Jabouille died on 2 February 2023 at the age of 80.
1967
Lotus drivers Jim Clark and Graham Hill completed a British 1-2 at the 1967 US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, keeping the season alive until the final race. In the race, Brabham driver Denny Hulme finished third, which was enough to help him take the title at the following race in Mexico despite Clark winning there, too. Hill had led until he suffered gear problems, allowing Clark to overtake and then Chris Amon’s Ferrari to take second. Amon ran out of oil, restoring Hill to second, but by then, he was seemingly too far behind to challenge his teammate. Three laps from the finish, a support broke on the top of Clark’s right rear suspension, causing the wheel to sag inward and forcing him to slow in corners. Hill was in no position to capitalise fully, and both Lotuses limped over the line, with Hulme back in third after running out of fuel at the end.
1978
Carlos Reutemann won the 1978 US Grand Prix, the fourth and final win in his last season before leaving Ferrari. Championship winner Mario Andretti, who had secured the title in the previous race, driving for the Lotus team’s second car after an accident in practice, retired when his engine blew.
Williams driver Alan Jones finished second, with Jody Scheckter for Wolf in third.
1989
A flag-to-flag victory for Ayrton Senna in a McLaren at the 1989 Spanish Grand Prix only came after he held off a determined challenge from Gerhard Berger‘s Ferrari, who finished second. Senna’s teammate, Alain Prost, who finished third, still held a commanding lead in the 1989 Drivers’ Championship, but Senna’s victory kept him in the hunt. “It was Mission Impossible,” Prost said. “I just sat back and drove my taxi home for third place.”
1995
Williams driver Damon Hill conceded the title to Benetton driver Michael Schumacher after crashing out of the 1995 European Grand Prix on the ninth lap. He had a tight battle for third with Schumacher before clipping a curb, spinning, and crashing into a barrier. Schumacher went on to take the chequered flag with a brilliant drive, leaving him 27 points clear of Hill, with only 30 left up for grabs. Hill’s teammate David Coulthard took third place, with Jean Alesi‘s Ferrari claiming second.
2006
The 91st and last Formula One win for Michael Schumacher came at the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix, which drew him level in the drivers’ standings with Fernando Alonso, who came second in his Renault. Alonso had been leading by 19 seconds from his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella when he pitted on the 22nd lap, but a mistake with his tyres cost him dearly. “The decision to switch Fernando to new intermediate tyres at his first stop was taken jointly and obviously cost him time as he waited for them to scrub in,” said Michelin F1 director Nick Shorrock. “With the benefit of hindsight, that was a mistake, but in the heat of a race, split-second decisions have to be taken.” Schumacher passed Fisichella when the pair pitted and was never caught.
2017
Max Verstappen won the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix for Red Bull Racing, securing his second career victory after overtaking Mercedes‘ Lewis Hamilton on lap 4 and dominating the race from there. Hamilton finished second, extending his championship lead, while Daniel Ricciardo, Verstappen’s teammate, completed the podium in third. Notable highlights included Sebastian Vettel’s impressive recovery from last on the grid to finish fourth for Ferrari, claiming the fastest lap along the way, and a bizarre post-race collision between Vettel and Lance Stroll‘s Williams, which caused significant damage to Vettel’s car. Pascal Wehrlein gave him a ride back to the paddock on the sidepods of his Sauber.
F1 Driver Birthdays 1 October
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 October 1928 | Willy Mairesse |
| 1 October 1931 | Frank Gardner |
| 1 October 1942 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille |
| 1 October 1963 | Jean-Denis Deletraz |
F1 Driver Deaths 1 October
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 October 1960 | Jim Packard |
| 1 October 1985 | Ninian Sanderson |
| 1 October 1986 | Joe Giba |
| 1 October 2006 | Luki Botha |
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