What happened on this day, September 6 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1928
Sid Watkins was a British neurosurgeon born on this day, 6 September 1928. He became well-known in Formula One for his role as the sport’s chief medical officer, a position he held from 1978 to 2004. Watkins was instrumental in improving safety standards in F1, advocating for better medical facilities and rapid response teams, and introducing safety measures that have significantly reduced fatalities and serious injuries in the sport. He was highly respected for his quick response and expertise during numerous on-track incidents, saving the lives of several drivers, namely Martin Donnelly, Rubens Barrichello, Mika Hakkinen and Karl Wendlinger. Sid Watkins passed away on 12 September 2012 at the age of 84.
1964
John Surtees won the 1964 Italian Grand Prix for Ferrari, much to the delight of the Tifosi. This victory was instrumental in his journey to becoming the only person to win World Championships on both two and four wheels. Bruce McLaren finished second for the Cooper team, and Surtees teammate Lorenzo Bandini came in third. The race also marked the final Grand Prix for Maurice Trintignant, the first French driver to win a Grand Prix and a two-time winner at Monaco, who retired at the age of 47.
1970
Ferrari driver Clay Regazzoni secured his first Formula One victory at the 1970 Italian Grand Prix in just his fifth race, finishing ahead of Jackie Stewart in a March and Jean-Pierre Beltoise in a Matra. However, the celebrations were subdued due to the tragic death of Jochen Rindt during practice the previous day.
This was the final race at Monza to be contested over 68 laps; starting in 1971, the race distance was reduced to 55 laps. It also marked the last victory in Formula 1 for a driver wearing an open-face helmet.
1987
Nelson Piquet won the 1987 Italian Grand Prix with Williams, enhancing his chances of securing the 1987 Championship title. Ayrton Senna in a Lotus–Honda briefly led the race following mid-race pit stops and seemed poised to finish without stopping, but he went wide across a sand trap, allowing Piquet to pass. Nigel Mansell in the sister Williams finished third. The event also marked Michele Alboreto‘s 100th Grand Prix start.
2015
At the 2015 Italian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton achieved the second grand slam of his career by winning the race, taking pole position, setting the fastest lap, and leading every lap. He finished 25 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who came in second, while Felipe Massa secured third place for Williams.
This race marked the 41st and final podium finish for Felipe Massa, the 2008 World Championship runner-up, and, as of 2024, remains the most recent podium for a Brazilian driver in Formula One.
2020
At the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly, driving for AlphaTauri, claimed his first Formula One victory, becoming the first French driver to win a race since Olivier Panis at the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix. This win also marked the 80th Formula One World Championship race win for a French driver. Additionally, it made Honda the first engine manufacturer to win with two different teams in the V6 turbo-hybrid era. McLaren driver Carlos Sainz finished second, while the Racing Point of Lance Stroll took third place.
The race was also the last for both Claire Williams and Frank Williams, as they stepped down from their positions at Williams Racing and the first time that Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull all failed to score a podium finish since the 2012 Hungarian Grand Prix.
F1 Driver Birthdays 6 September
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 6 September | n/a |
F1 Driver Deaths 6 September
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 6 September | n/a |
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