What happened on this day, September 24 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1931
Michael Parkes was born on this day in Richmond, Surrey. He became an engineer at Ferrari and later transitioned into Formula One after gaining a reputation as a long-distance specialist. He secured second in the 1000km Nürburgring race in a Ferrari in May 1962. In 1966, after John Surtees unexpectedly left Ferrari mid-season, Parkes was promoted to driver by Enzo Ferrari. He finished second in his debut race in France and repeated the result at Monza later that year. However, his Formula 1 career was cut short in 1967 when he suffered severe leg injuries in a crash at the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix.
Parkes was killed in a road accident near Turin, Italy, on 28 August 1977.
1972
Tyrrell driver Jackie Stewart secured his second consecutive win at the 1972 Canadian Grand Prix, finishing 50 seconds ahead of Peter Revson in a McLaren, who had taken pole position the previous day. Revson’s teammate, Denny Hulme, finished third.
Stewart’s victory lifted him to second place in the World Championship standings, but Lotus driver Emerson Fittipaldi had already clinched the title.
1981
Ryan Briscoe was born on this day in Sydney. His impressive performances in the 2003 Formula Euroseries earned him a position as a test driver for the Toyota F1 team, but he never managed to secure a race seat. Briscoe eventually shifted to racing in IndyCar in the United States.
1989
The 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix saw Ferrari’s Nigel Mansell fined $50,000 and banned from the following race after he ignored a black flag. Leading by 20 seconds after 40 laps, Mansell overshot his pit box and reversed slightly, which led to his disqualification. Despite being shown the black flag three times, Mansell continued to race, colliding with the McLaren of Ayrton Senna and taking both out of the race. Mansell claimed he had not seen the flag. Although Ferrari appealed the ban, the FIA upheld it, forcing Mansell to miss the 1989 Spanish Grand Prix. Mansell briefly threatened retirement before ultimately continuing his career.
Mansell’s teammate Gerhard Berger finished first, followed by Senna’s teammate Alain Prost in second and the Oynx of Stefan Johansson in third.
1995
Williams driver Damon Hill admitted the championship was effectively Michael Schumacher‘s after finishing third at the 1995 Portuguese Grand Prix, where Hill’s teammate David Coulthard claimed his maiden victory. This was especially sweet for Coulthard, as he had retired while leading the previous two races. It was a timely win, as Williams had recently signed Jacques Villeneuve to replace Coulthard for the 1996 season. The race was initially stopped after a first-lap collision involving Ukyo Katayama and Luca Badoer. Katayama’s car flipped and smashed into barriers, while Badoer’s Minardi crashed into the pit wall at high speed. Katayama was extracted from his car unconscious.
Following several controversial incidents between Schumacher and Hill earlier in the 1995 season, including collisions at Silverstone, Spa, and Monza (where tensions flared with confrontations on the podium and trackside), the two drivers put their differences aside and shook hands during the podium presentation after the race.
2000
Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher won the 2000 US Grand Prix, the first race in the country in a decade, overcoming a late spin to claim his 42nd career victory. Schumacher’s championship rival, Mika Hakkinen, was forced to retire in the McLaren due to a fire, allowing Schumacher to take an eight-point lead and his teammate Rubens Barrichello to finish second. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, driving for Jordan at the time, finished in thrid.
Before the race, as rain fell, Ferrari’s Jean Todt successfully lobbied officials to move the entire grid back by one row, arguing Schumacher would have faced excessive wheelspin in the original grid position.
2023
Max Verstappen dominated the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, starting from pole position, setting the fastest lap, and taking the win for Red Bull Racing. This win clinched the Austrian team’s sixth Constructors’ Championship and their second consecutive title after 2022. The victory also effectively ensured the Drivers’ Championship for Verstappen, who secured the title during the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix sprint event. At that stage, only his teammate Sergio Perez remained in mathematical contention. McLaren’s Lando Norris (P2) and Oscar Piastri (P3) also finished on the podium, marking the team’s first double podium since the 2021 Italian Grand Prix and Piastri’s maiden career podium.
F1 Driver Birthdays 24 September
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 24 September 1931 | Mike Parkes |
| 24 September 1966 | Christophe Bouchet |
| 24 September 1981 | Ryan Briscoe |
F1 Driver Deaths 24 September
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 24 September 1960 | Johnny Thomsom |
| 24 September 2005 | Andre Testut |
F1 Champion 24 September
| Date | Team/Driver |
|---|---|
| 24 September 2023 | Red Bull Racing |
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