What happened on this day, October 27 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1913
Luigi Piotti, born in Milan, was a sports car specialist who raced in eight Grands Prix as a privateer driving a Maserati between 1956 and 1958. His most notable moment came in 1956 at Monza when he helped push Stirling Moss‘ Maserati 250F to the pits after it ran out of fuel. Moss narrowly avoided disqualification for outside assistance, as the stewards deemed Piotti an informal member of the Maserati team.
1936
Born in Yorkshire, Dave Charlton later relocated to South Africa, where he became a dominant figure in local motorsport, winning the South African Formula One Championship every year from 1970 to 1975. Over his career, he entered 13 Grand Prix, mostly on home soil, but finished only three races and never placed in the top ten. His brief European campaign in 1971 saw him driving a Lotus in the 1971 British Grand Prix, with similar results in three races the following year.
1963
Having already secured the 1963 Drivers’ Championship, Jim Clark triumphed in the inaugural (Championship) 1963 Mexican Grand Prix for Lotus, marking his sixth victory of the season, equalling Juan Manuel Fangio‘s record. He finished a staggering 1 minute and 41 seconds ahead of Brabham driver Jack Brabham. Richie Ginther finished in third for BRM, a further 14 seconds behind.
Meanwhile, Ferrari driver John Surtees, who had started from the front row alongside Clark, was disqualified for receiving a push during a pit stop. This race was also notable for the only appearance of car number 13 in a World Championship Grand Prix, driven by local talent Moises Solana in a BRM, until Pastor Maldonado selected the number as his permanent race number in 2014.
2001
On this day, Michael Schumacher encountered a young Lewis Hamilton in the final round of the Formula Super A Karting World Championship in Kerpen, Schumacher’s hometown. Praising the 16-year-old, Schumacher noted, “He’s a quality driver, very strong for his age. If he continues like this, he’ll reach F1.” Schumacher crashed out of the first race but managed to secure third place in the second, finishing four spots ahead of Hamilton.
2001
The Jordan team secured an additional £1 million in prize money after winning an appeal concerning the previous month’s 2001 US Grand Prix. Jarno Trulli had been stripped of fourth place at Indianapolis due to an allegedly illegal skid block. Eddie Jordan expressed satisfaction with the decision, which reinstated their fifth place in the constructors’ championship. The initial ruling was overturned after it was revealed that a steward had missed Jordan’s post-race appeal.
2004
Jurgen Klinsmann, Germany’s football coach, revealed plans to recruit Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher to aid the national team’s mental preparation for the 2006 World Cup. Oliver Bierhoff, the team’s sports manager, remarked, “We want Schumacher on board because he knows what it takes to be a world champion.” Despite the collaboration, Germany did not clinch the title.
2008
Ferrari’s ongoing conflict with the FIA intensified with the team’s threat to withdraw from Formula 1 over the proposal to standardise engines and transmissions from 2010. The standoff ultimately saw FIA president Max Mosley on the losing side.
2013
The 2013 Indian Grand Prix was the third—and to date, final—race held in India at the Buddh International Circuit. Driving for Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel dominated the race from pole position to claim victory. Nico Rosberg finished second in a Mercedes, with Romain Grosjean taking third for Lotus F1. Vettel’s win secured his fourth consecutive World Championship, as his closest rival, Fernando Alonso, was unable to catch him with only three races left. Red Bull also clinched their fourth straight Constructors’ Championship. It was also the final 1-2 finish featuring German drivers until the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix, where Vettel and Rosberg switched podium positions.
2019
The 2019 Mexican Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City was won by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who secured his 10th win of the season, giving the team their 100th Formula One victory. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel finished second, while Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas completed the podium in third place. Vettel’s second place was his last podium finish until the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix.
After the race, Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat received a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with the Renault of Nico Hulkenberg. On the final lap, Kvyat attempted to overtake Hulkenberg for 9th place at the last corner but clipped him, sending Hulkenberg spinning into the wall and damaging his rear wing. Despite the crash, Hulkenberg managed to cross the finish line but dropped a position to Pierre Gasly in the sister Toro Rosso, leaving him 11th and out of the points. Kvyat’s penalty relegated him to 11th place, while Gasly and Hulkenberg were promoted to 9th and 10th, respectively.
2024
Carlos Sainz delivered a commanding victory at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, claiming his fourth career win in Formula 1 for Ferrari. Initially overtaken by the Red Bull of Max Verstappen at the chaotic race start, Sainz regained control on Lap 9 and held his lead to the chequered flag. Verstappen’s early advantage was short-lived, as he soon found himself in a fierce battle with title rival and McLaren driver Lando Norris. Their heated exchange resulted in two separate 10-second penalties for Verstappen due to aggressive moves against the McLaren driver, allowing Charles Leclerc to slip into second place behind Sainz. From there, the Ferrari duo held firm at the front, largely unchallenged, until Norris closed in on Leclerc in the race’s final stages. A wide turn on the final corner from Leclerc allowed Norris to seize second place, though he couldn’t cut Sainz’s lead in time, finishing 4.7 seconds behind the Spaniard. Leclerc completed the podium, securing a double Ferrari finish, with the Mercedes pair of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell following in fourth and fifth. After a 20-second penalty, Verstappen managed a recovery drive to finish in sixth, capping off a challenging day for Red Bull. It also featured Fernando Alonso’s record 400th race weekend.
Full Race Report
F1 Driver Birthdays 27 October
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 27 October 1910 | Mark Light |
| 27 October 1913 | Luigi Piotti |
| 27 October 1936 | Dave Charlton |
F1 Driver Deaths 27 October
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 27 October | None |
F1 Champion 27 October
| Date | Team/Driver |
|---|---|
| 27 October 2013 | Sebastian Vettel |
| 27 October 2013 | Red Bull Racing |
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