What happened on this day, September 16 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1951
Ferrari driver Alberto Ascari won the 1951 Italian Grand Prix, beating championship contender and Alfa Romeo driver Juan Manuel Fangio, who retired on lap 39 due to engine issues. This victory cut Fangio’s lead in the 1951 Drivers’ Championship to two points. Ascari faced a setback when his car caught fire during a pit stop, but the fire was quickly extinguished, allowing him to continue. Fangio eventually secured the first of his five world titles at the season finale in Spain. Ascari’s teammate Jose Froilan Gonzalez finished second, while Alfa Romeo driven by both Felice Bonetto and Nino Farina secured third.
1962
Graham Hill won the 1962 Italian Grand Prix, marking his third victory of the season for the BRM team. This win contributed to his eventual World Championship title, which he secured later in the year at the 1962 South African Grand Prix. His teammate Richie Ginther finished second and Cooper driver Bruce McLaren came in third.
2001
The 2001 Italian Grand Prix was held under the shadow of the terrorist attacks in the USA, which occurred just five days prior. There were serious discussions about cancelling the race, but it ultimately proceeded in a sombre atmosphere. The Ferraris ran with black nose cones as a mark of respect. Michael Schumacher tried to organise a pact with the other drivers not to overtake at the first two corners, but BAR driver Jacques Villeneuve refused to comply. Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya went on to claim his first Formula One victory, while Schumacher finished fourth for Ferrari, his teammate Rubens Barrichello finished in second, and his brother, Ralf Schumacher finished in third.
2007
The 2007 Belgian Grand Prix was a milestone for Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber, as they each started their 100th Grand Prix. Alonso finished on the podium in third place for McLaren, while Webber achieved his second-best result of the season by finishing seventh with Red Bull Racing. Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa finished in first and second, respectively, clinching the 2007 World Constructors Championship for the team.
The race was overshadowed by the death of former World Rally Champion Colin McRae in a helicopter crash during Saturday’s qualifying.
2009
Flavio Briatore resigned as boss of Renault amid the infamous Crashgate scandal, which had spiralled out of control. The team’s director of engineering, Pat Symonds, also stepped down. After initially denying allegations that Nelson Piquet Jr. had been instructed to crash during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Briatore shocked everyone by suddenly quitting. Long-time friend Bernie Ecclestone commented, “Well, I feel sorry for him actually. He told me recently he didn’t want to finish up like me, playing with racing cars at my age. So at least he’s been saved that embarrassment.” The scandal would continue for months and eventually land in a Paris court the following year.
2018
Lewis Hamilton secured victory at the 2018 Singapore Grand Prix, extending his lead in the 2018 Drivers’ Championship as Sebastian Vettel finished third for Ferrari, losing more ground to Hamilton. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen claimed second place. The race saw early drama on the first lap when the two Force India cars collided, with Esteban Ocon crashing into the wall after making contact with his teammate, Sergio Perez, which brought out the Safety Car.
F1 Driver Birthdays 16 September
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 16 September 1910 | Karl Kling |
| 16 September 1914 | Josef Peters |
| 16 September 1999 | Robert Shwartzman |
F1 Driver Deaths 16 September
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 16 September 1967 (b. 1919) | Erik Lundgren |
| 16 September 1979 (b. 1929) | Rob Slotemaker |
| 16 September 2005 (b. 1925) | Jean Kerguen (F2 Driver to Increase F1 Grid) |
F1 Champion 16 September
| Date | Team/Driver |
|---|---|
| 16 September 2007 | Ferrari |
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