What happened on this day, February 7 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1960
Bruce McLaren secured his second Formula 1 victory at the 1960 Argentine Grand Prix, driving a Cooper Climax, opening the season with a stroke of luck as mechanical issues forced Innes Ireland and Jo Bonnier out of the lead.
Despite not winning any further races that year, McLaren’s steady performances earned him second place in the 1960 Drivers’ Championship.
Cliff Allison, driving for Ferrari, finished second, while Maurice Trintignant’s Cooper Climax finished third.
1960 Argentine Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Bruce McLaren | Cooper Climax | 80 | 2:17:49.500 | 8 |
| 2 | 24 | Cliff Allison | Ferrari | 80 | +26.300s | 6 |
| 3 | 38 | Maurice Trintignant | Cooper Climax | SHC | 0 | |
| 3 | 38 | Stirling Moss | Cooper Climax | 80 | +36.900s | 0 |
| 4 | 6 | Carlos Menditeguy | Cooper Maserati | 80 | +53.300s | 3 |
| 5 | 30 | Wolfgang von Trips | Ferrari | 79 | +1 lap | 2 |
| 6 | 20 | Innes Ireland | Lotus Climax | 79 | +1 lap | 1 |
| 7 | 40 | Jo Bonnier | BRM | 79 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 8 | 26 | Phil Hill | Ferrari | 77 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 9 | 46 | Alberto Rodriguez Larreta | Lotus Climax | 77 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 10 | 32 | Jose Froilan Gonzalez | Ferrari | 77 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 11 | 4 | Roberto Bonomi | Cooper Maserati | 76 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 12 | 2 | Masten Gregory | Behra-Porsche | 76 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 13 | 14 | Gino Munaron | Maserati | 72 | +8 laps | 0 |
| 14 | 10 | Nasif Estefano | Maserati | 70 | +10 laps | 0 |
| NC | 34 | Harry Schell | Cooper Climax | 63 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 18 | Jack Brabham | Cooper Climax | 42 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 36 | Stirling Moss | Cooper Climax | 40 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 42 | Graham Hill | BRM | 37 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 22 | Alan Stacey | Lotus Climax | 24 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 44 | Ettore Chimeri | Maserati | 23 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 12 | Antonio Creus | Maserati | 16 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 8 | Giorgio Scarlatti | Maserati | 10 | DNF | 0 |
1981
Originally scheduled as the first race of the 1981 FIA Formula One World Championship, the 1981 South African Grand Prix was overshadowed by the ongoing feud between the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) and the Formula One Constructors’ Association (FOCA). FISA’s insistence on a date change clashed with the organisers’ plans, leading to the race proceeding on its scheduled date as a Formula Libre event instead of a Formula One World Championship round. This decision received support from FOCA-affiliated teams but not from manufacturer teams such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Ligier, Osella, and Renault, which sided with FISA.
Toleman, grappling with its overweight car, would delay its debut until the 1981 San Marino Grand Prix. The eleven participating teams competed with cars equipped with sliding side skirts—banned under the 1981 Formula One regulations but permitted under Formula Libre rules. Consequently, all 19 cars in the race ran Ford Cosworth engines due to the absence of the manufacturer teams, with the teams using Goodyear tyres left over from the 1980 British Aurora series.
Carlos Reutemann triumphed in the race, driving for Williams, followed by Nelson Piquet in a Brabham and Elio de Angelis in a Lotus, securing the podium spots.
1981 South African Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos. | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Qual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams – Ford | 77 | 1.44:54.03 | 2 |
| 2 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham – Ford | 77 | + 20.14 | 1 |
| 3 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus – Ford | 77 | + 1:06.24 | 5 |
| 4 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi – Ford | 76 | + 1 Lap | 4 |
| 5 | John Watson | McLaren – Ford | 76 | + 1 Lap | 15 |
| 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows – Ford | 76 | + 1 Lap | 6 |
| 7 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell – Ford | 76 | + 1 Lap | 12 |
| 8 | Ricardo Zunino | Brabham – Ford | 75 | + 2 Laps | 7 |
| 9 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi – Ford | 75 | + 2 Laps | 13 |
| 10 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus – Ford | 74 | + 3 Laps | 8 |
| 11 | Derek Daly | March – Ford | 74 | + 3 Laps | 17 |
| Ret | Alan Jones | Williams – Ford | 62 | Skirt | 3 |
| Ret | Marc Surer | Ensign – Ford | 58 | Battery | 14 |
| Ret | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren – Ford | 54 | Accident | 9 |
| Ret | Desiré Wilson | Tyrrell – Ford | 51 | Accident | 16 |
| Ret | Eliseo Salazar | March – Ford | 32 | Gearbox | 19 |
| Ret | Jan Lammers | ATS – Ford | 16 | Brakes | 10 |
| Ret | Siegfried Stohr | Arrows – Ford | 12 | Engine | 11 |
| Ret | Geoff Lees | Theodore – Ford | 11 | Accident | 18 |
1996
French and F1 driver Pierre Gasly was born on this day in 1996. His journey to F1 included clinching the 2016 GP2 Series championship and finishing runner-up in both the 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 Series and the 2017 Super Formula Championship.
Pierre Gasly
F1 Debut 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix
Current/Last Team Alpine
Gasly made his Formula One debut with Toro Rosso at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix, stepping in to replace Daniil Kvyat for the remainder of the season. His performances were strong enough to earn him a full-time seat with Toro Rosso in 2018.
The highlight of his career undoubtedly came at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, where he took his maiden Formula 1 win in a stunning race at Monza.
1999
Remembering Umberto Maglioli, who passed away on this day in 1999. He was one of Italy’s most versatile drivers of the post-war era, equally adept in Grand Prix machinery and punishing road races.
Between 1953 and 1957, Maglioli appeared in ten Formula One Grand Prix, driving for Ferrari, Maserati, and Porsche. While his F1 career was relatively brief, he secured two podium finishes. But it was in endurance and road racing that Maglioli truly left his mark. A master of long, demanding events, he competed in the legendary Targa Florio no fewer than nineteen times, claiming victory on three occasions. He was also a frequent contender in the Mille Miglia, starting the race ten times, with his best overall finish, a second place in 1951 at the wheel of a Lancia Aurelia B20 GT.
2000
Ferrari introduced its 2000-season car, beginning the team’s most successful era since Jody Scheckter‘s 1979 championship with the 312 T4. Michael Schumacher captured his third world championship by the season’s end, taking nine victories and starting five years of Ferrari dominance.
2007
David Coulthard received a $650 fine for a road accident in Monaco that slightly injured a female passenger during a high-speed tour of the circuit, crashing in the notable tunnel. The complaint was withdrawn in 2002, coinciding with his victory at the same event, but Monaco authorities proceeded with charges of dangerous driving against Coulthard.
2008
Force India launched its inaugural car, the VJM01, in Mumbai under Vijay Mallya’s ownership. Despite high hopes, the car did not earn any points throughout the season, coming closest when Adrian Sutil nearly secured a points place at the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix before being hit by Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari.
F1 Driver Birthdays 7 February
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 7 February 1983 | Christian Klien |
| 7 February 1996 | Pierre Gasly |
| Birthday | F1 Mentions |
|---|---|
| 7 February 1964 | Ron Meadows Known for being the Sporting Director at Mercedes. |
F1 Driver Deaths 7 February
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 7 February 1999 | Umberto Maglioli (b. 1928) |
| 7 February 2002 | Jack Fairman (b. 1913) |
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