What happened on this day, October 2 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1921
Mike Nazaruk, a former US marine, was born on this day in Newark, New Jersey. He drove in three Indianapolis 500s when the race was part of the F1 World Championship, making the podium with a second-place finish in 1951. He was tragically killed while racing in 1955.
1925
Born on this day in West Virginia, Paul Goldsmith drove in three championship-ranking Indianapolis 500s, finishing fifth in 1959 and third in 1960. He preferred driving stock cars by his own admission but loved racing anything, including airplanes, motorbikes, and even horses.
1940
Bologna-born Nanni Galli was primarily a saloon and sports car racer who made a four-year foray into the world of F1 with various teams. In 20 races, his best result was ninth, with his biggest moment coming – and going – in a Ferrari at the 1972 French Grand Prix, where he finished 13th.
1948
The 1948 British Grand Prix held at Silverstone is widely regarded as the first of the modern era, conducted under the new Formula One regulations. It also marked the official opening of the circuit. A strange collection of new cars and privateers in pre-war vehicles competed, and predictably many of the private entries soon fell by the wayside. The two Maseratis, which had to start at the back of the 25-car field after missing qualifying, completed a 1-2 finish, with Luigi Villoresi winning by 14 seconds from Alberto Ascari.
1966
Jim Clark won the 1966 US Grand Prix in a Lotus with an engine borrowed from BRM rival Graham Hill after his had blown up during practice. Mechanics stayed up all night rebuilding Clark’s car, but the BRMs of Hill and Jackie Stewart both expired before the halfway mark. Clark dominated the race, lapping the entire field to secure his 20th World Championship victory by over a lap. The remaining podium spots were taken by the Cooper teammates, with Austrian driver Jochen Rindt finishing second and British driver John Surtees coming in third.
Although none of the Brabham cars finished, the engine failure of Lorenzo Bandini’s Ferrari ensured that the Anglo-Australian team secured the 1966 Constructors’ Championship with only the 1966 Mexican Grand Prix remaining. This achievement gave Jack Brabham a unique double, winning both the 1966 World Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships in a car of his own make. Remarkably, this race marked the only victory ever achieved by a 16-cylinder engine in a Formula One World Championship event.
On the same day, two future British F1 drivers, Chris Irwin and Piers Courage, scored a 1-2 finish at the British Formula Three Championship race at Brands Hatch.
1977
Fourth place at the 1977 US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen was enough to secure Ferrari driver Niki Lauda his second World Championship in three years. McLaren driver James Hunt, who had won the championship in the year between Lauda’s titles, won the wet race from Lotus driver Mario Andretti. Hunt built a 15-second lead until an oil leak two laps from the end allowed Andretti to cut the gap to three seconds by the finish. Lauda, meanwhile, stayed off the pace to secure the one point he needed for the title. His triumph was slightly overshadowed by Ferrari infighting, as Enzo Ferrari fired Lauda’s mechanic the day before, leaving him absent during the celebrations.
1988
Alain Prost secured a crucial victory at the 1988 Spanish Grand Prix, his second win in eight days, to gain a five-point lead over McLaren teammate and rival Ayrton Senna, who managed fourth after problems with his fuel consumption computer. Post-race, the March team lodged a complaint, alleging their driver Ivan Capelli had been blocked for 30 laps by Riccardo Patrese‘s Williams due to “adolescent driving tactics,” but the stewards dismissed the protest. Nigel Mansell finished second for Williams, and Alessandro Nannini finished third for Benetton.
2016
The 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix saw Daniel Ricciardo lead a Red Bull 1-2 to victory, with teammate Max Verstappen finishing in second place, while Nico Rosberg completed the podium in third for Mercedes. The race started with Lewis Hamilton leading comfortably until his engine failed spectacularly on lap 41, forcing him to retire and significantly affecting his championship battle with his teammate. The race also featured an early collision between Sebastian Vettel in a Ferrari and Nico Rosberg, which dropped Rosberg to the back before he fought his way back to third. The result put Ricciardo back on the top step of the podium for the first time since 2014.
2022
The 2022 Singapore Grand Prix was won by Sergio Perez for Red Bull Racing after a commanding drive in challenging wet-to-dry conditions. He held off Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, who finished second after pressuring Perez for much of the race but was unable to make a successful overtake. Carlos Sainz, Leclerc’s teammate, rounded out the podium in third. The race was marked by numerous incidents and retirements, including crashes involving the AlphaTauri of Yuki Tsunoda and the Williams of Nicholas Latifi, and multiple safety cars. Championship leader Max Verstappen struggled, finishing seventh after a poor start and a mistake while trying to overtake late in the race.
F1 Driver Birthdays 2 October
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 2 October 1919 | Jan Flinterman |
| 2 October 1921 | Mike Nazaruk |
| 2 October 1921 | Giorgio Scarlatti |
| 2 October 1925 | Paul Goldsmith |
| 2 October 1931 | Keith Campbell |
| 2 October 1940 | Nanni Galli |
| 2 October 1949 | Michael Bleekemolen |
F1 Driver Deaths 2 October
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 2 October 1998 | Olivier Gendebien |
F1 Champion 2 October
| Date | Team/Driver |
|---|---|
| 2 October 1977 | Niki Lauda |
| 2 October 1966 | Brabham |
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