What happened on this day, October 22 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1938
The 1938 Donington Grand Prix, delayed for three weeks due to the Munich Crisis, drew a massive crowd. The race was dominated by the powerful Silver Arrows from Auto Union and Mercedes, with Tazio Nuvolari winning despite a scare in practice when he collided with a stag. Hermann Lang finished a distant second and collapsed after the race due to circulation problems caused by exposure to the extreme cold. This would be the last Grand Prix at Donington for 55 years.
1967
Brabham driver Denny Hulme clinched the 1967 Drivers’ Championship with a third-place finish at the 1967 Mexican Grand Prix. Hulme only needed to finish fourth or better, regardless of his rival and teammate Jack Brabham‘s result. Jim Clark won the race for Lotus, with Jack finishing second, but Hulme’s composed drive, as he prioritised smoother and consistent laps, secured the title. He became the first and only New Zealander as of 2024 to win the title.
1972
Jean-Pierre Beltoise won the 1972 World Championship Victory Race at Brands Hatch, a non-Championship event featuring both Formula 1 and Formula 5000 cars. Beltoise’s BRM was fitted with intermediate tyres, giving him an advantage as most other drivers opted for full-wet tyres. He managed to fend off Carlos Pace’s Surtees to win by 6.6 seconds.
1989
Alain Prost secured the 1989 Drivers’ Championship on this day, but the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix became one of the sport’s most controversial moments. Prost arrived in Japan with a 16-point lead, not needing a win to claim his third world championship. However, his McLaren teammate, Ayrton Senna, needed victory to keep his hopes alive. Senna dominated qualifying, securing pole position by 1.7 seconds. During the race, both drivers distanced themselves from the pack. On lap 47 of 53, Senna attempted a bold move at the chicane, diving inside Prost. Prost refused to yield, and the two collided. Prost retired, while Senna was pushed back on track and pitted for a new nose, managing to finish first. However, Senna was disqualified for getting a push start from the marshals to rejoin the circuit, and the Benetton of Alessandro Nannini was awarded the win. Prost retained the title after an appeal upheld the disqualification five days later.
1993
Innes Ireland, one of motor racing’s great personalities, passed away at age 63 in Reading, Berkshire, after a battle with cancer. Ireland’s racing career began in earnest at the age of 27 in 1957. Over the course of his F1 career, he competed in 53 Grand Prix between 1959 and 1966, achieving his most notable success in 1961 when he gave Team Lotus its first F1 Constuctors’ victory at Watkins Glen, starting from eighth on the grid. After retiring, he worked as sports editor for Autocar and competed in the London-Sydney Rally. At the time of his death, he was President of the British Racing Drivers’ Club.
1995
Benetton driver Michael Schumacher claimed his second World Championship with a victory at Japan’s 1995 Pacific Grand Prix. However, the race was overshadowed by a heated dispute with Williams driver Damon Hill, triggered by Schumacher’s criticism of Hill’s driving. Hill, incensed by the remarks, interrupted the post-race press conference, challenging Schumacher to repeat what he had said in private. Schumacher remained calm, stating that the issue was between the two of them and would be discussed later. The tension followed a season of bitter rivalry between the two drivers. Hill had finished the race in third place, with his teammate, David Coulthard, finishing second.
This was also the last race for Sauber driver Jean-Christophe Boullion. It was his only season in F1.
2000
Michael Schumacher helped win the first of five consecutive Constructors’ Championships for Ferrari by winning at the 2000 Malaysian Grand Prix, his record-equalling ninth win of the season. McLaren driver David Coulthard, who finished second and had challenged Schumacher throughout the year, apologised after the race for their public disputes, praising Schumacher as a great champion. Schumacher’s teammate, Rubens Barrichello, finished third.
Meanwhile, Johnny Herbert’s Formula 1 career ended dramatically when his Jaguar suffered a suspension failure, causing a crash that he walked away from, wryly commenting, “There’s nothing like ending your career with a bang.”
2006
It appeared to be the end of an era when Michael Schumacher finished fourth at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix, his final race for Ferrari after an iconic career. Schumacher needed to win and for Fernando Alonso to score no points to secure an eighth world title, but his hopes were dashed when he suffered a puncture following contact with Giancarlo Fisichella in the Renault. Though Schumacher fought his way back from 20th to finish fourth, Alonso cruised to second, securing his second consecutive championship and helping Renault secure the Constructors’ title.
Seeming to be his last-ever F1 race, tributes to Schumacher poured in, with Mika Hakkinen predicting that Schumacher would eventually return to racing, as he could never stay away for long.
2017
The 2017 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, saw Lewis Hamilton claim victory for Mercedes, and extending his championship lead. Starting from pole, Hamilton controlled much of the race, securing his ninth win of the season. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel finished second after initially overtaking Hamilton on the first lap, but Hamilton quickly regained the lead and never looked back. Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, crossed the line in third after a spectacular charge from 16th on the grid, but he was controversially handed a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage by cutting the track during an overtake on Kimi Raikkonen, dropping him to fourth. Raikkonen, also driving for Ferrari, inherited the final podium spot.
After Hamilton’s win and Valtteri Bottas finishing in 5th place, it was enough for Mercedes to clinch its fourth successive Constructors’ Championship.
2023
The 2023 United States Grand Prix, also held at the Circuit of the Americas, saw a familiar name atop the podium as Max Verstappen claimed victory for Red Bull. Verstappen’s win, his 50th in Formula 1, was hard-fought as he battled brake issues throughout the race, but he managed to fend off challenges from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who finished second, and McLaren‘s Lando Norris, who took third. The race had plenty of excitement, with Norris initially leading after a strong start but unable to hold off the charging Verstappen. Post-race, Hamilton’s second-place result was short-lived as both he and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc were disqualified for excessive wear on the floor of their cars, promoting Norris to second and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to third.
Williams and American driver Logan Sargeant also benefited after being promoted to tenth place, earning his first career point. This marked the only time Sargeant scored points in his Formula 1 career, as he was dropped by Williams midway through the 2024 season.
F1 Driver Birthdays 22 October
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 22 October 1918 | Johnnie Tolan |
F1 Driver Deaths 22 October
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 22 October 1993 | Innes Ireland |
| 22 October 2005 | Dave Clapham |
F1 Champion 22 October
| Date | Team/Driver |
|---|---|
| 22 October 1967 | Denny Hulme |
| 22 October 1989 | Alain Prost |
| 22 October 1995 | Michael Schumacher |
| 22 October 2006 | Fernando Alonso |
| 22 October 2000 | Ferrari |
| 22 October 2006 | Renault |
| 22 October 2017 | Mercedes |
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