What Happened On This Day August 17 In F1 History?

From the birth of three-time F1 World Champion Nelson Piquet in 1952 to Jenson Button's move to Benetton in 2000.

Lee Parker

By Lee Parker
Updated on June 18, 2025

1952 Dutch Grand Prix Zandvoort
Ferrari took a 1-2-3 at the 1952 Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort // Image: Uncredited

What happened on this day, August 17 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1952

Ferrari dominated the 1952 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, securing a 1-2-3 finish with Alberto Ascari leading Giuseppe Farina and Luigi Villoresi. Cooper driver Mike Hawthorn, who qualified third, moved up to second in the early stages but eventually finished fourth. Ascari overtook Juan Manuel Fangio‘s record, at the time, for the most race wins, scoring his seventh at this race.

Full Race Report

1952 Dutch Grand Prix Race Results

PosNoDriverCarLapsTime/retiredPts
12Alberto AscariFerrari902:53:28.5009
24Nino FarinaFerrari90+40.100s6
36Luigi  VilloresiFerrari90+94.400s4
432Mike HawthornCooper Bristol88+2 laps3
510Robert  ManzonGordini87+3 laps2
612Maurice  TrintignantGordini87+3 laps0
728Duncan  HamiltonHWM Alta85+5 laps0
826Lance MacklinHWM Alta84+6 laps0
916Chico LandiMaseratiSHC0
916Jan FlintermanMaserati83+7 laps0
NC34Ken  WhartonFrazer Nash76DNF0
NC36Stirling MossERA Bristol73DNF0
NC30Dries van der LofHWM Alta70DNC0
NC22Ken  DowningConnaught Lea Francis27DNF0
NC24Charles de TornacoFerrari19DNF0
NC14Paul FrereSimca-Gordini15DNF0
NC8Jean BehraGordini10DNF0
NC20Jan FlintermanMaserati7DNF0
NC18Gino BiancoMaserati4DNF0

1952

Nelson Piquet, a three-time Formula One World Champion, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Although he won his last title with Williams in 1987, he is best remembered for his championships with Brabham in 1981 and 1983. Interestingly, Piquet is a pseudonym he adopted his mother’s maiden name to hide his racing activities from his family; his birth name is Nelson Soutomaior. He also manages his sons, Nelson Piquet Jr. and Pedro Piquet, who are also professional racing drivers.

1975

Italian driver Vittorio Brambilla achieved his first Grand Prix victory at the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix, defeating British drivers James Hunt in a Hesketh and Tom Pryce in a Shadow, who earned his first podium finish.

Starting from eighth on the grid, Brambilla drove his March through the field and overtook Hunt on lap 19 to take the lead. As conditions worsened, the race organisers were petitioned to stop the race.

When the checkered flag was shown, an elated Brambilla lost control of his car and crashed. He managed to rejoin and completed his victory lap with the front end of his car significantly damaged.

1975 Austrian Grand Prix Race Results

PosNoDriverCarLapsTime/retiredPts
19Vittorio BrambillaMarch Ford2957:56.6904.5
224James HuntHesketh Ford29+27.030s3
316Tom PryceShadow Ford29+34.850s2
42Jochen MassMcLaren Ford29+72.660s1.5
55Ronnie PetersonLotus Ford29+83.330s1
612Niki LaudaFerrari29+90.280s0.5
711Clay RegazzoniFerrari29+99.070s0
83Jody ScheckterTyrrell Ford28+1 lap0
91Emerson FittipaldiMcLaren Ford28+1 lap0
1018John WatsonSurtees Ford28+1 lap0
114Patrick DepaillerTyrrell Ford28+1 lap0
1231Chris AmonEnsign Ford28+1 lap0
1325Brett LungerHesketh Ford28+1 lap0
147Carlos ReutemannBrabham Ford28+1 lap0
1523Tony BriseHill Ford28+1 lap0
1622Rolf StommelenHill Ford27+2 laps0
1729Lella LombardiMarch Ford26+3 laps0
NC33Roelof  WunderinkEnsign Ford25+4 laps0
NC32Harald ErtlHesketh Ford23DNF0
NC21Jacques LaffiteFrank Williams Racing Cars/Williams21DNF0
NC8Carlos PaceBrabham Ford17DNF0
NC20Jo  VonlanthenFrank Williams Racing Cars/Williams14DNF0
NC10Hans-Joachim StuckMarch Ford10DNF0
NC17Jean-Pierre JarierShadow Matra10DNF0
NC14Bob EvansBRM2DNF0
NC27Mario AndrettiParnelli Ford1DNF0

1980

Jean-Pierre Jabouille secured victory at the 1980 Austrian Grand Prix for Renault, with the Williams duo of Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann finishing second and third. Jones initially led the race but was soon overtaken by the Renaults. A clutch problem caused Rene Arnoux to fall back, and Jabouille narrowly held off Jones, who was struggling with fading tyres.

1980 Austrian Grand Prix Race Results

PosNoDriverCarLapsTime/retiredPts
115Jean-Pierre JabouilleRenault541:26:15.7309
227Alan  JonesWilliams Ford54+0.820s6
328Carlos ReutemannWilliams Ford54+19.360s4
426Jacques LaffiteLigier Ford54+42.020s3
55Nelson PiquetBrabham Ford54+62.810s2
612Elio de AngelisLotus Ford54+74.970s1
78Alain ProstMcLaren Ford54+93.410s0
82Gilles VilleneuveFerrari53+1 lap0
916Rene ArnouxRenault53+1 lap0
106Hector RebaqueBrabham Ford53+1 lap0
1120Emerson FittipaldiFittipaldi Ford53+1 lap0
129Marc SurerATS Ford53+1 lap0
131Jody ScheckterFerrari53+1 lap0
1429Riccardo PatreseArrows Ford53+1 lap0
1550Rupert KeeganWilliams Ford52+2 laps0
1621Keke RosbergFittipaldi Ford52+2 laps0
NC43Nigel MansellLotus Ford40DNF0
NC7John WatsonMcLaren Ford34DNF0
NC23Bruno GiacomelliAlfa Romeo28DNF0
NC3Jean-Pierre JarierTyrrell Ford25DNF0
NC25Didier PironiLigier Ford25DNF0
NC31Eddie  CheeverOsella Ford23DNF0
NC4Derek DalyTyrrell Ford12DNF0
NC11Mario AndrettiLotus Ford6DNF0

1986

McLaren driver Alain Prost won the 1986 Austrian Grand Prix at the Osterreichring, just a week after Formula One’s inaugural visit to Hungary.

The Benetton-BMWs of Teo Fabi and Gerhard Berger initially led the race but retired due to mechanical issues. Following the retirements of Williams drivers Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet, Prost led the Ferraris of Michele Alboreto (P2) and Stefan Johansson (P3) to the finish line.

1986 Austrian Grand Prix Race Results

PosNoDriverCarLapsTime/retiredPts
11Alain ProstMcLaren TAG521:21:22.5319
227Michele AlboretoFerrari51+1 lap6
328Stefan JohanssonFerrari50+2 laps4
415Alan  JonesLola Ford50+2 laps3
516Patrick TambayLola Ford50+2 laps2
617Christian DannerArrows BMW49+3 laps1
720Gerhard BergerBenetton BMW49+3 laps0
829Huub RothengatterZakspeed48DNF0
92Keke RosbergMcLaren TAG47DNF0
1025Rene ArnouxLigier Renault47+5 laps0
1121Piercarlo GhinzaniOsella Alfa Romeo46+6 laps0
NC5Nigel MansellWilliams Honda32DNF0
NC6Nelson PiquetWilliams Honda29DNF0
NC18Thierry BoutsenArrows BMW25DNF0
NC19Teo FabiBenetton BMW17DNF0
NC26Philippe AlliotLigier Renault16DNF0
NC24Alessandro NanniniMinardi Motori Moderni13DNF0
NC23Andrea de CesarisMinardi Motori Moderni13DNF0
NC12Ayrton SennaLotus Renault13DNF0
NC3Martin BrundleTyrrell Renault12DNF0
NC4Philippe StreiffTyrrell Renault10DNF0
NC11Johnny DumfriesLotus Renault9DNF0
NC14Jonathan  PalmerZakspeed8DNF0
NC22Allen BergOsella Alfa Romeo6DNF0
NC7Riccardo PatreseBrabham BMW2DNF0

2000

Jenson Button‘s career made headlines when it was announced that Frank Williams would loan him to the Benetton team for two seasons, making room for Colombian IndyCar star Juan Pablo Montoya. Button expressed his gratitude, saying, “I will always be eternally grateful to Frank Williams and Patrick Head for giving me my great opportunity in Formula One. I have some unfinished business at Williams.”

2020

Mario de Araujo Cabral was born in Cedofeita, Portugal. He raced sporadically in F1 during the late 1950s and early 1960s, finishing just one race. He was the first Portuguese driver to start an F1 race, with his best result, a tenth place at his home race, the 1959 Portugal Grand Prix, driving a non-works Cooper T51 for Scuderia Centro Sud.

In 2009, at the age of 75, Cabral came out as bisexual, becoming one of the few gay F1 drivers; sadly, he passed away 11 years later at the age of 86.

Formula One History Recommends

F1 Driver Birthdays 17 August

BirthdayF1 Driver
17 August 1913Oscar Galvez (d. 1989)
17 August 1952Nelson Piquet

F1 Driver Deaths 17 August

DeathF1 Driver
17 August 1966Ken Miles (b. 1918)
17 August 2020Mario de Araujo Cabral (d. 2020)

Seen in:

About The Author

Staff Writer

Lee Parker
Lee Parker

Lee is our staff writer specialising in anything technical within Formula 1 from aerodynamics to engines. Lee writes most of our F1 guides for beginners and experienced fans as well as our F1 on this day posts having followed the sport since 1991, researching and understanding how teams build the ultimate machines. Like everyone else on the team he listens to podcasts about F1 and enjoys reading biographies of former drivers.

Latest Reads