What happened on this day, January 5 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1920
French driver André Simon was born in Paris, the son of a garage owner. From 1951 to 1957, Simon raced for prestigious teams such as Ferrari and Gordini in 11 races from 12 entries taking a best result of sixth, which he achieved twice in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 1951 and 1952. He also shared drives with both Giuseppe Farina and Ottorino Volonterio. In 1966, shortly after retiring from competitive racing, he survived a serious car accident that left him in a two-week coma. Simon passed away on 11 July 2012; he was 92 years old.
1938
Keith Greene, an English racing driver, was born in London. Between 1959 and 1962, Greene competed in Formula 1, entering six races and racing in three for Gilby Engineering. His first appearance was the 1959 British Grand Prix, and his final was the 1962 Italian Grand Prix; in both those races, he failed to qualify. His best result was 15th at the 1961 British Grand Prix. After retiring as a driver, he became a team manager for various teams in junior racing categories, continuing until the mid-1990s.
1978
Franck Montagny was born in Feurs, France. Montagny tested in Formula 1 with Renault and Jordan before racing for Super Aguri in 2006 for seven races. While unable to secure a full-time F1 seat, he went on to compete in IndyCar in the United States and the A1 Grand Prix series.
1993
On this day, 5th January 1993, the 1992 Drivers’ Champion and Williams driver Nigel Mansell tested the Newman-Haas Lola T93/00 for the first time, at Phoenix. He went on to win the 1993 CART Championship that year, his debut season. He became, and remains, the only CART/Indy and F1 driver to accomplish back-to-back championships in both series.
2004
Genuine surprises are rare in the era of modern F1 car launches, but the unveiling of the Williams FW26 certainly raised eyebrows. Abandoning convention, the car featured a shortened nose cone supported by two distinctive ‘tusks’ that linked it to the front wing, a design intended to channel airflow more effectively beneath the car.
Quickly dubbed the “walrus nose,” the concept was bold but ultimately underwhelming. Rather than sparking a design revolution, it struggled to deliver results, with the FW26 reaching the podium only twice in the opening 12 races of the season.
Midway through the year, Williams reverted to a more traditional nose design. The change paid immediate dividends, allowing Juan Pablo Montoya to claim victory at Interlagos in the season finale—a win that would stand as the team’s last for nearly eight years.
2008
Lewis Hamilton signed a five-year contract reportedly worth £70 million to stay with McLaren. The deal paid off as Hamilton went on to win that season’s 2008 Drivers’ Championship.
2008
Former Formula 1 driver Jonathan Palmer purchased Brands Hatch and three other circuits, ensuring their future as motorsport venues and averting the threat of redevelopment by property developers.
2014
Brian Hart, who died on this day, was a British racing driver and engineer best known as the creator of Hart engines, which powered teams such as Lola, Minardi, and Jordan in motorsport. Hart competed in a single Formula 1 Grand Prix, the 1967 German Grand Prix, driving a Formula 2 Protos-Ford.
2015
Remembering 8-time F1 podium finisher Jean-Pierre Beltoise, who died aged 77 on this day in 2015. Beltoise drove for Matra and BRM in 85 Grand Prix between 1967 and 1974. His single World Championship race victory came at a rain-soaked 1972 Monaco Grand Prix with BRM. He was also an accomplished motorcycle road racer, who competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1962 to 1964. After F1 Beltoise also became a class winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1976 with Inaltéra.
2026
The motorsport world mourned the death of Mike Wilson, the most successful driver in karting history, who passed away on Monday, 5th January 2026, at the age of 66. A six-time world champion, Wilson was a defining figure of karting’s golden era and later became a mentor to generations of future stars. Born in Britain in 1959 but deeply rooted in Italy, he moved near Bergamo at just 18 to work alongside leading manufacturers, becoming a central figure for IAME and Birel.
Wilson’s competitive peak spanned the 1980s, during which he won six Formula K (135cc) World Championship titles between 1981 and 1989. He secured a historic hat-trick with Birel from 1981 to 1983 before reinventing himself with Kali-Kart, later known as CRG, where he claimed three further titles in 1985, 1988 and 1989. He retired at the height of his success, undefeated, following his final championship victory in Valence. His career also featured a fierce rivalry with Ayrton Senna in the late 1970s, highlighted by their 1979 clash at Jesolo, before mutual respect developed; Senna later called Wilson “the best driver I ever saw.”
After retiring in 1989, Wilson became a manufacturer and talent scout through his Rakama (MW chassis) brand. In 1996, he guided Fernando Alonso to the Junior World Title in Genk and later coached drivers including Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Antonelli and Lance Stroll. In 2009, while coaching Stroll in Canada, Wilson survived a near-fatal heart attack. Remembered as the “Grandfather of Karting,” Mike Wilson leaves behind a legacy of unmatched success, influence and mentorship within the sport.
F1 Driver Birthdays 5 January
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 5 January 1920 | Andre Simon (d. 2012) |
| 5 January 1938 | Keith Greene |
| 5 January 1978 | Franck Montagny |
F1 Driver Deaths 5 January
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 5 January 2000 | Ottis Stine |
| 5 January 2014 | Brian Hart |
| 5 January 2015 | Jean-Pierre Beltoise |
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