What Happened On This Day September 21 In F1 History?

What happened on this day, September 21 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1920

Ken McAlpine was born on this day in Chobham, Surrey, into a wealthy building family. He discovered a passion for racing cars in his late twenties. He used his family fortune to compete in seven Grand Prix between 1952 and 1955, racing exclusively with the Connaught team, where he became a significant financial backer and enjoyed several successes as a team owner, including Tony Brooks’ notable Formula 1 victory at the 1955 Syracuse Grand Prix. However, the team was disbanded in 1957, and the cars were sold off after McAlpine stopped receiving tax concessions. His first and last Formula One races were both held on British circuits.

1947

In the chaotic post-war period, resuming racing was challenging, with pre-war cars and spare parts in use. The first French Grand Prix after the war took place in Lyons and was won by Monaco-born Louis Chiron driving a Talbot-Lago. On the same day, in Argentina, Oscar Alfredo Galvez won the Mar del Plata Grand Prix at El Torreon. Gálvez would later finish fifth in his one World Championship race at the 1953 Argentine Grand Prix.

1986

At the 1986 Portuguese Grand Prix, Williams driver Nigel Mansell achieved what The Guardian described as “possibly the most important win of his career,” setting him up for a potential championship victory in the penultimate race in Mexico. While he ultimately fell short, Mansell’s “flawless performance” built momentum for the finale. Ayrton Senna, who had started from pole for Lotus, was on course for second place until he ran out of fuel on the last lap due to a malfunctioning computer that incorrectly indicated he had enough fuel. This enabled the McLaren of Alain Prost to take second and Mansell’s teammate, Nelson Piquet, third.

With Mansell’s win and Piquet’s third, it was enough to clinch Williams’s 1986 Constructor’s Championship—their third title.

1997

Jacques Villeneuve claimed his tenth career victory at the 1997 Austrian Grand Prix, starting from pole for Williams. However, the standout of the weekend was Jarno Trulli, who, in just his 14th grand prix, qualified third for the struggling Prost team. Trulli took the lead on the first lap and built a significant advantage before heartbreak struck on lap 59 when his engine blew, forcing his retirement. Michael Schumacher also drew attention, receiving a ten-second penalty for overtaking under yellow flags, which relegated him to sixth place. David Coulthard claimed second for McLaren, while Villeneuve’s teammate, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, finished in third.

2014

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton claimed victory at the 2014 Singapore Grand Prix from pole position, with Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel finishing second and his teammate Daniel Ricciardo taking third. This marked Hamilton’s seventh win of the season and the 29th of his career. The victory also propelled Hamilton back to the top of the World Drivers’ Championship standings with 241 points, putting him three points ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg, who retired after 14 laps.

F1 Driver Birthdays 21 September

F1 Driver Deaths 21 September

F1 Champion 21 September