What happened on this day, September 30 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1941
Reine Wisell, born this day, was a Swedish driver known for his smooth driving style, a stark contrast to his more aggressive contemporary, Ronnie Peterson. Wisell got his break in Formula 1 with Lotus for the final two races of 1970, immediately making headlines with a third-place finish at his debut in Watkins Glen. This secured him a contract for 1971, but despite winning the non-championship Pau Grand Prix, Lotus struggled throughout the season, and his F1 career slowly faded after a series of forgettable performances.
1946
Jochen Mass, born this day in Cologne, won once in 102 Formula 1 starts between 1973 and 1982. He made his F1 debut with Surtees and later moved to McLaren in 1975, where he played the role of an excellent No. 2 to Emerson Fittipaldi, winning the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix. However, his prominence declined when James Hunt joined McLaren in 1976, as he could not match Hunt’s pace. After stints with ATS and Arrows and a year off in 1981, Mass returned for an uncompetitive season with March in 1982. He then focused on sports cars, winning Le Mans in 1989. Mass later mentored young talents, including Michael Schumacher, before retiring in 1991.
1951
Eric van de Poele, born this day in Verviers, Belgium, entered 29 Grand Prix but started only five, mostly due to being associated with underfunded teams and outdated cars. He made a promising debut with a ninth-place finish for Modena at the 1991 San Marino Grand Prix but only managed to qualify for one of the next 22 races. His final appearances came with three outings for Fondmetal before the team’s financial struggles led to its collapse.
1979
Alan Jones secured his fourth win in five races at the 1979 Canadian Grand Prix, driving for Williams. He faced a tough challenge from Gilles Villeneuve in a Ferrari but outbraked him at the hairpin on lap 44 and never looked back. Jones later explained his strategy was to let Villeneuve set the pace and attack when his car felt right. Only ten of the 24 starters finished the race, which also saw the unexpected debut of Argentine Ricardo Zunino after Niki Lauda abruptly retired on the Friday. Jones’s teammate Clay Regazzoni finished in third place, and as of 2024, Regazzoni’s podium remains the last for a Swiss driver in F1.
1990
Ayrton Senna suffered his first of three consecutive retirements in the 1990 season, allowing Alain Prost to win the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix, with Nigel Mansell making it a Ferrari one-two. Senna’s McLaren was forced to retire when debris from a backmarker punctured its radiator. He had started on pole, the 50th of his career. Prost’s victory reduced Senna’s championship lead to nine points with two races to go. The weekend was marred by a serious accident involving the Lotus of Martin Donnelly, who suffered life-threatening injuries in a practice crash that ended his career. Alessandro Nannini in a Benetton finished in third.
This race would also be the last Formula 1 race and podium for Alessandro Nannini, who severed his right arm in a helicopter crash the following week. However, he later returned to racing in touring cars. Additionally, it marked the final race for the struggling EuroBrun and Life teams, which both exited the sport after the weekend.
2001
McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen claimed his final F1 victory at the 2001 US Grand Prix in front of a 170,000-strong crowd. Despite being demoted from second to fourth on the grid for a pit-lane violation, a slick pit-stop strategy allowed him to take the win after early domination by the Ferraris. Hakkinen described it as a special win, saying, “This was one grand prix I wanted in my record book.” The race, held three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, was emotional, with Michael Schumacher racing with a Stars and Stripes emblem on his helmet as he contemplated retiring from F1. He would finish in second ahead of Hakkinen’s teammate David Coulthard.
The final result meant Schumacher broke the all-time record for most points scored in a season at the time, which he shared with Nigel Mansell. It was also the legendary Murray Walker’s final full-time F1 race he commentated on. He was awarded an original brick from “The Brickyard” by track president Tony George.
2007
McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton demonstrated his wet-weather prowess with a stunning victory at the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix, where he’d also taken pole and the fastest lap of the race, while his teammate Fernando Alonso spun off after 42 laps. Hamilton later revealed that the team told him to slow down in the final laps, but he was already driving as cautiously as he could. Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo was not pleased, accusing McLaren of benefiting from Ferrari’s technology due to the Spygate scandal. However, Hamilton’s campaign faltered in the final races, allowing Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen to win the last two Grands Prix and claim the 2007 Drivers’ Championship. The Renault of Heikki Kovalainen claimed second, the teams’ only podium of the season, while Raikkonen took third.
2018
The 2018 Russian Grand Prix was won by Lewis Hamilton, followed by his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in second, and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in third. The key talking point of the race was Mercedes’ use of team orders, instructing Bottas, who had started from pole position and led much of the race, to allow Hamilton to pass and secure the win, boosting his chances in the 2018 Drivers’ Championship. Bottas complied, helping Hamilton extend his lead over Vettel. The move was controversial but strategic, as it played a crucial role in Hamilton’s quest for the season’s title. It sparked discussion regarding the future of team orders, with some calling for an outright ban on the practice.
F1 Driver Birthdays 30 September
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 30 September 1919 | Cecil Green |
| 30 September 1919 | Roberto Bonomi |
| 30 September 1937 | Gary Hocking |
| 30 September 1941 | Reine Wisell |
| 30 September 1946 | Jochen Mass |
| 30 September 1961 | Eric van de Poele |
| 30 September 1997 | Max Verstappen |
F1 Driver Deaths 30 September
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 30 September 1979 | Ewald Boisitz |
| 30 September 2019 | Ben Pon |
Seen in:
