What happened on this day, January 9 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1960
French driver Pascal Fabre was born in Lyon. Fabre competed in Formula One in 1987 with the AGS team, achieving his best results with ninth-place finishes in the 1987 French Grand Prix and 1987 British Grand Prix. Following his F1 career, Fabre found success in sports car racing.
1977
The Formula One season opened at Argentina’s Autodromo Oscar Alfredo Galvez for the 1977 Argentine Grand Prix. Jody Scheckter won in a Ford-powered Wolf—the team’s first-ever win. It was a disappointing race for reigning champion and McLaren driver James Hunt, who led the field by 15 seconds halfway through but crashed into the barriers after misjudging a hairpin exit. The 1975 champion, Niki Lauda, also faced frustration as his Ferrari broke down. Brabham driver Carlos Pace secured P2, while Lauda’s teammate Carlos Reutemann completed the podium in third.
1977 Argentine Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | Jody Scheckter | Wolf Ford | 53 | 1:40:11.190 | 9 |
| 2 | 8 | Carlos Pace | Brabham Alfa Romeo | 53 | +43.240s | 6 |
| 3 | 12 | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 53 | +46.020s | 4 |
| 4 | 28 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi Ford | 53 | +55.480s | 3 |
| 5 | 5 | Mario Andretti | Lotus Ford | 51 | DNF | 2 |
| 6 | 22 | Clay Regazzoni | Ensign Ford | 51 | +2 laps | 1 |
| 7 | 19 | Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees Ford | 48 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 10 | Ian Scheckter | March Ford | 45 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 16 | Tom Pryce | Shadow Ford | 45 | +8 laps | 0 |
| NC | 7 | John Watson | Brabham Alfa Romeo | 41 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 9 | Alex Ribeiro | March Ford | 39 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier Matra | 37 | +16 laps | 0 |
| NC | 4 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell Ford | 32 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 1 | James Hunt | McLaren Ford | 31 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 2 | Jochen Mass | McLaren Ford | 28 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 3 | Ronnie Peterson | Tyrrell Ford | 28 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 29 | Ingo Hoffman | Fittipaldi Ford | 22 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 11 | Niki Lauda | Ferrari | 20 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 18 | Hans Binder | Surtees Ford | 18 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 17 | Renzo Zorzi | Shadow Ford | 2 | DNF | 0 |
1997
Eddie Jordan signed Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella, who had previously completed eight races with Minardi, to his Jordan team. “His only drives in F1 have been in a bad car, so it’s hard to judge from that,” noted Ferrari’s Eddie Irvine. Fisichella impressed in his debut season, earning his first podium in Canada and outscoring his teammate Ralf Schumacher. His strong performance led to a contract with Benetton for 1998.
2001
Eddie Irvine, known for his outspoken nature, called David Coulthard “a loser” in an interview. “He’s got as much chance of being crowned Formula One World Champion as I have of winning the lottery—and I don’t do the lottery,” Irvine quipped. Coulthard finished a distant second to Michael Schumacher that season, the best result of his career, while Irvine placed 12th and remains lottery-free.
2003
Dutch driver Jos Verstappen returned to Formula One by signing with the financially struggling Minardi team. “I am really impressed with [team principal] Paul Stoddart’s plans for the team and by this year’s technical package,” he said. However, the car’s poor performance and reliability frustrated Verstappen, who declined a seat for 2004 and ultimately left F1.
2007
Ferrari team boss Jean Todt promised equality between drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa following Michael Schumacher’s retirement. “It will be healthy for two drivers to compete equally with each other,” Todt said. Some fans, who were sceptical of Ferrari’s later tactics, found the statement ironic.
2016
Maria Teresa de Filippis was an Italian racing driver who made F1 history as the first female F1 driver to compete in Formula One. Born in Naples, Campania, she broke barriers in a male-dominated sport, debuting in 1958.
Her first Formula One entry was at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, though she did not 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. De Filippis passed away in Scanzorosciate, Lombardy, on this day in 2016, leaving behind an inspiring legacy for women in racing.
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2026
Hans Herrmann, born 23 February 1928, passed away on this day, 9 January 2026, at the age of 97. Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Herrmann was one of the most versatile and enduring figures in post-war motorsport, competing at the highest level in both Formula One and sports car racing across nearly two decades. Following Tony Brooks‘ death in 2022, he became the last surviving Formula One podium finisher from the 1950s.
Herrmann’s Formula One World Championship career spanned the years 1953–1955, 1957–1961, 1966, and 1969. He entered 22 Grands Prix, starting 18, and raced for teams including Veritas, Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, Cooper, BRM, and Porsche. Making his debut at the 1953 German Grand Prix, he went on to score one podium finish, a fastest lap, and a total of 10 championship points from 19 World Championship appearances. His final Formula One entry came at the 1969 German Grand Prix.
Beyond Formula One, Herrmann achieved his greatest success in sports car racing. In 1970, he claimed Porsche’s first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving the iconic Porsche 917, a landmark achievement in endurance racing.
F1 Driver Birthdays 9 January
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 9 January 1960 | Pascal Fabre |
F1 Driver Deaths 9 January
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 9 January 2016 | Maria Teresa de Filippis (b. 1926) |
| 9 January 2026 | Hans Herrmann (b. 1928) |
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