Formula One History

“He never let up, as I expected. I tried to pull away, but he stayed right behind, even making a few inside moves on the corners.” Mansell’s former Williams teammate Riccardo Patrese finished in third.

2005 – #OnThisDay 13 November, eleven years after his final F1 win, Nigel Mansell claimed another victory, winning the 2005 Kyalami GP Masters ahead of Emerson Fittipaldi before a crowd of 70,000. “Starting on pole was critical today, given how hard Emerson pushed me,” Mansell said.

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This would also prove to be the last Grand Prix for Christian Fittipaldi, Franck Lagorce, Michele Alboreto, Hideki Noda, David Brabham, JJ Lehto, Paul Belmondo and the Larrousse team.

While Hill initially chose not to engage in the controversy, in later years, he openly accused Schumacher of intentionally colliding with him.

Though he claimed innocence, scepticism lingered. Hill’s teammate Nigel Mansell went on to win the race, his final Grand Prix victory. Gerhard Berger finished second with Ferrari, and the McLaren of Martin Brundle completed the podium in third.

Hill attempted an overtake, unaware of Schumacher’s damaged car, but Schumacher turned in on Hill’s Williams, breaking Hill’s front wishbone and forcing him to retire. Schumacher clinched his first title by a single point, but his triumph drew widespread criticism.

Schumacher’s Benetton sustained damage after hitting a wall, which Hill couldn’t see as he rounded the corner and found Schumacher running slightly off track.

Needing a victory to secure the championship, Damon Hill closely pursued Schumacher, ultimately pressuring him into a mistake.

1994 – Controversy in the final race of the season, and Mansell secures his final F1 win

#OnThisDay 13 November, the 1994 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide became a controversial chapter in Michael Schumacher‘s career.

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A very Happy Birthday to current Championship leader, Lando Norris, who was born #OnThisDay 13 November 1999.

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"A surfer I met before the race taught me the phrase ‘too easy, mate,’ and it really fit. I was saying it to myself in the car. It was odd; I was all set for a tough battle, but in a country known for flies, they all just dropped away like flies!" Gianni Morbidelli finished 3rd for the Footwork team

Hill’s dominance was helped by the retirements of his Williams teammate David Coulthard and a collision between Schumacher and the Ferrari of Jean Alesi. Reflecting on the race, Hill shared a light-hearted anecdote:

The first instance was Jackie Stewart’s win in the 1969 Spanish Grand Prix, where he also lapped most of the field.

#OnThisDay 12 November at the final Australian Grand Prix held in Adelaide, Hill finished a full two laps ahead of the Ligier of Olivier Panis in second place, only the second time in F1 history that such a margin had been achieved.

1995 – Williams driver Damon Hill secures his 14th Grand Prix win two laps ahead in Adelaide

While the victory had no impact on the championship—already clinched by his Benetton rival Michael Schumacher—the scale of Hill’s triumph was remarkable.

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A huge Happy Birthday to Gene Haas, founder and president of Haas Automation, including Haas F1. What a season they are having with Bearman in the car! Have a great day, sir.

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This incident cost Verstappen the win and fueled tensions post-race, leading to a confrontation in the FIA garage where Verstappen pushed Ocon several times in frustration. The altercation led to Verstappen receiving a penalty of two days of community service for unsportsmanlike behaviour.

With Hamilton’s win, Mercedes ultimately sealed the championship.

Drama unfolded when Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who had been leading and building a gap to Hamilton, collided with the Force India of Esteban Ocon on lap 44.

Ferrari’s Raikkonen crossed the line in P3, his 103rd and final career podium, as well as his last for Ferrari.

Although Hamilton had already secured the Drivers’ Championship going into the season’s penultimate race, the Constructors’ title was still in contention between Ferrari and Mercedes.

Starting from pole, Lewis Hamilton claimed victory, securing the race win and helping Mercedes clinch their fifth consecutive Constructors’ Championship, with teammate Valtteri Bottas finishing in fifth place.

2018 – The first race at Interlagos without a Brazilian driver

#OnThisDay 11 November, the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix marked a historic moment as the first race in Interlagos without a Brazilian driver, following Felipe Massa‘s retirement at the end of the 2017 season.
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Celebrating mid-race, he famously crashed off the circuit moments after crossing the finish line. He died at Lesmo, near Milan, of a heart attack at the age of 63 while gardening at his home.

His second season showed potential, highlighted by a pole position in Sweden, but was marred by frequent retirements until his memorable victory at the rain-soaked 1975 Austrian Grand Prix.

In 1974, he took Beta Tools to Formula One with March, securing his first point that same year.

Remembering Vittorio Brambilla, who was born #OnThisDay 11 November 1937.

Nicknamed “the Monza Gorilla,” Brambilla began racing on motorcycles, then karts, before joining his brother Tino Brambilla in Formula Three in 1968, eventually moving up to Formula Two.

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It wasn’t until 1979 that she returned to the motorsport world, joining the International Club of Former F1 Grand Prix Drivers, eventually becoming Vice-President in 1997.

De Filippis passed away in Scanzorosciate, Lombardy, on January 8 2016, leaving behind an inspiring legacy for women in racing.

Despite competing in a handful of other races, engine failures and discrimination tainted the remainder of her F1 career.

Following the tragic death of fellow driver Jean Behra in 1959, De Filippis retired from racing, stating she had lost too many friends in the sport.

Her time in the sport was met with resistance; she was infamously barred from racing in the French Grand Prix, with the race director reportedly telling her, “The only helmet a woman should wear is the one at the hairdresser’s.”

Her first Formula One entry was at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, though she failed to qualify. She made her official start later that year at the 1958 Belgian Grand Prix, where she finished in 10th place, cementing her legacy as a trailblazer in motorsport.

Remembering a very special female racer today, Maria Teresa de Filippis.

Born #OnThisDay 11 November 1926, de Filippis was an Italian racing driver who made F1 history as the first female F1 driver to compete in F1, breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport, debuting in 1958.

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