What happened on this day, January 17 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1924
John Riseley-Prichard, a Lloyd’s insurance broker, was born in Hereford. His brief F1 career ended abruptly after crashing in the 1954 British Grand Prix. He left racing following the horrific 1955 Le Mans 24-hour race and later moved to Thailand after legal troubles, where he passed away in 1993 at the age of 69.
1954
Juan Manuel Fangio clinched victory on this day at the season-opening 1954 Argentine Grand Prix, driving a Maserati. Drivers faced a revised circuit, switched to anti-clockwise following an accident in 1953, which required relearning the track. The race, affected by rain, included Mike Hawthorn‘s disqualification for receiving a push start and Ferrari drivers easing off after their team protested that too many mechanics worked on Fangio’s car during a pit stop. The Ferrari team was confident that the protest would be upheld. Fangio caught and passed them both to win. The protest was rejected by the race organisers and later by the FIA as well. Nino Farina and Jose Froilan Gonzalez finished in second and third, respectively, for Ferrari.
1954 Argentine Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati | 87 | 3:00:55.800 | 8 |
| 2 | 10 | Nino Farina | Ferrari | 87 | +79.000s | 6 |
| 3 | 12 | Jose Froilan Gonzalez | Ferrari | 87 | +121.000s | 5 |
| 4 | 26 | Maurice Trintignant | Ferrari | 86 | +1 lap | 3 |
| 5 | 20 | Elie Bayol | Gordini | 85 | +2 laps | 2 |
| 6 | 28 | Harry Schell | Maserati | 84 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 7 | 8 | Prince Bira | Maserati | 83 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 8 | 30 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati | 83 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 9 | 16 | Umberto Maglioli | Ferrari | 82 | +5 laps | 0 |
| DQ | 14 | Mike Hawthorn | Ferrari | DSQ | 0 | |
| DQ | 18 | Jean Behra | Gordini | DSQ | 0 | |
| NC | 4 | Onofre Marimon | Maserati | 5 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 32 | Roberto Mieres | Maserati | DNF | 0 | |
| NC | 34 | Jorge Daponte | Maserati | DNF | 0 | |
| NC | 22 | Roger Loyer | Gordini | DNF | 0 | |
| NC | 24 | Louis Rosier | Ferrari | 2 | DNF | 0 |
1995
Lotus, a much-loved team in F1 since its 1958 debut, announced its withdrawal on this day from the sport due to financial issues. Since its beginning in 1952, Lotus had secured six Drivers’ Championships and seven Constructors’ titles. David Hunt, the team’s owner and brother of ex-champion James Hunt, expressed hope for overcoming these challenges but wanted to preserve the team’s reputation from diminishing and by competing poorly. During its heyday in F1, Colin Chapman’s Team Lotus was arguably the only outfit in the sport whose notoriety practically equaled that of Ferrari.
2001
Jaguar debuted its new car early in the season but faced setbacks when Eddie Irvine crashed it in Valencia, destroying the front end against a tyre barrier at a speed of about 140mph. Despite the accident occurring during a familiarisation session with the car, a team spokesman assured it was not due to driver error. Irvine was unharmed, though the car suffered significant damage.
2005
Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher, along with the Ferrari team, met the Pope in the Vatican’s frescoed Clementina Hall to present him with a 1:5 scale model of the car that secured both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships for Ferrari in 2004. Ferrari President Luca Cordero di Montezemolo explained that the drivers, mechanics, and management wished to pay tribute to the Pope, saying his courage and dedication to human rights had placed him “for the past 26 years in the pole position of the roads of humanity.”
Di Montezemolo noted that it was the first time a Ferrari — even a model — had entered the Vatican, describing the occasion as the company’s “most prestigious finishing line.” He told the Pope that Ferrari felt he was “one of us” and thanked him for the example he had set.
The moment was marked by a striking contrast between the speed symbolised by the model car, whose real counterpart can reach 350 kph (218 mph), and the slow movements of the 84-year-old Pope, who, affected by Parkinson’s disease and severe arthritis, was brought in on a special chair. An emotional Schumacher later told reporters he drew inspiration from seeing the Pope’s strength in the face of illness.
“It was very special to see his force and his personality,” Schumacher said. “It is something great for us to have been here — hopefully we can carry these emotions into the future, turn them into motivation, and of course into success.”
F1 team director Jean Todt said he was moved “to silence by the energy, simplicity and humility” the Pope conveyed despite his ailments. Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello, Schumacher’s teammate and a committed Catholic, brought a photograph of his family to be blessed.
“This is something you dream of as a child, something that seems impossible — but now it has come true,” Barrichello said.
In his remarks, the Pope — who had once ridden in a real Ferrari during a 1988 visit to the company’s factory — told the team that sport plays an important role in society and can promote values such as solidarity among nations and peoples. Todt, whose father was a Jewish refugee from the Pope’s native Poland, added that Ferrari would auction a special-edition car in May and donate the proceeds to charity in the Pope’s honour.
F1 Driver Birthdays 17 January
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 17 January 1924 | John Riseley-Prichard |
| 17 January 1939 | Antonio Bernardo |
F1 Driver Deaths 17 January
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 17 January 2000 | Carl Forberg |
Seen in:
