What happened on this day, May 3 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1924
Born on this day, 3 May 1924, Ken Tyrrell was a beloved figure in F1, best known as the founder and manager of the Tyrrell Racing Organisation.
In 1968, Tyrrell entered Formula One with Jackie Stewart as its number-one driver, as part of Matra International, a joint venture between Tyrrell’s privateer team and the French auto manufacturer Matra. Just a year later, the team won both titles. Come 1971, Stewart won the World Championship again, now driving a Tyrrell 003, with the team now officially changed to the Tyrrell Racing Organisation. The team also won the Constructors’ Championship the same year.
Tyrrell Racing became known for its innovative designs, including the unique six-wheeled Tyrrell P34 in 1976. Although the team saw success in the early 1970s, they struggled to maintain competitiveness in the later years due to financial constraints and the increasing dominance of manufacturers with larger budgets. Despite the challenges, Ken Tyrrell remained involved in Formula One until 1998, when he sold his team to British American Tobacco, which rebranded it as British American Racing (BAR).
Ken Tyrrell passed away in 2001, but his legacy as a passionate team owner in the world of F1 endures.
1949
Dutch racer Boy Hayje was born on May 3, 1949, in Amsterdam. He had a brief and unremarkable Formula 1 career, qualifying for only three of the seven Grand Prix races he entered without finishing any.
Boy Hayje
F1 Debut 1976 Dutch Grand Prix
Current/Last Team Privateer
His Formula 1 debut at the 1976 Dutch Grand Prix saw him qualify by a controversial margin, allegedly after his team distracted the officials and tampered with his official timing.
1981
Brabham driver Nelson Piquet clinched victory at the 1981 San Marino Grand Prix, narrowing Carlos Reutemann and his lead in the 1981 Drivers’ Championship to just three points. Reutemann finished second for Williams, with Riccardo Patrese second for Arrows.
The race saw Gilles Villeneuve initially leading until a premature tyre change coincided with rain. Accidents in the race included John Watson crashing into René Arnoux and defending champion Alan Jones, who calmly accepted the collision with teammate Reutemann as part of racing.
1981 San Marino Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham Ford | 60 | 1:51:23.970 | 9 |
| 2 | 29 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows Ford | 60 | +4.580s | 6 |
| 3 | 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams Ford | 60 | +6.340s | 4 |
| 4 | 6 | Hector Rebaque | Brabham Ford | 60 | +22.890s | 3 |
| 5 | 28 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 60 | +25.870s | 2 |
| 6 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren Ford | 60 | +66.610s | 1 |
| 7 | 27 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 60 | +101.970s | 0 |
| 8 | 16 | Rene Arnoux | Renault | 59 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 9 | 14 | Marc Surer | Ensign Ford | 59 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 10 | 7 | John Watson | McLaren Ford | 58 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 11 | 33 | Patrick Tambay | Theodore Ford | 58 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 12 | 1 | Alan Jones | Williams Ford | 58 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 13 | 10 | Slim Borgudd | ATS Ford | 57 | +3 laps | 0 |
| NC | 25 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Ligier Matra | 45 | +15 laps | 0 |
| NC | 17 | Eliseo Salazar | March Ford | 38 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell Ford | 31 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 32 | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella Hart | 31 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 28 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 3 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell Ford | 28 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 22 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 26 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 20 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi Ford | 14 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier Matra | 7 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 15 | Alain Prost | Renault | 3 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 31 | Miguel Angel Guerra | Osella Hart | 0 | DNF | 0 |
1987
Nigel Mansell managed mechanical issues with his Williams-Honda to triumph at the 1987 San Marino Grand Prix, finishing thirty seconds ahead of Ayrton Senna, second, in the Lotus. The win showcased Mansell’s skill in eeking every last bit out of the car. His teammate, Nelson Piquet, didn’t race due to a big crash in free practice. Other highlights of the race included a last-minute car switch, due to a technical failure with his Lotus for rookie driver Satoru Nakajima, who managed a commendable sixth-place finish. Michele Alboreto finished third for Ferrari.
1987 San Marino Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams Honda | 59 | 1:31:24.076 | 9 |
| 2 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus Honda | 59 | +27.545s | 6 |
| 3 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 59 | +39.144s | 4 |
| 4 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren TAG | 59 | +60.588s | 3 |
| 5 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | 57 | +2 laps | 2 |
| 6 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus Honda | 57 | +2 laps | 1 |
| 7 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | 57 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 8 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell Ford | 57 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 9 | 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham BMW | 57 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 10 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola Ford | 56 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 11 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows Megatron | 55 | DNF | 0 |
| 12 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Osella Alfa Romeo | 54 | DNF | 0 |
| 13 | 14 | Pascal Fabre | AGS Ford | 53 | +6 laps | 0 |
| NC | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton Ford | 51 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton Ford | 48 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows Megatron | 48 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell Ford | 48 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham BMW | 39 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Adrian Campos | Minardi Motori Moderni | 30 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 22 | Gabriele Tarquini | Osella Alfa Romeo | 26 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi Motori Moderni | 25 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March Ford | 18 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 16 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren TAG | 14 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier Megatron | 7 | DNF | 0 |
1992
In one of his most impressive performances, Nigel Mansell dominated the 1992 Spanish Grand Prix, leading from start to finish to secure the win for Williams despite variable weather conditions and a heavy downpour towards the race’s end. The victory was his fourth consecutive win early in the ’92 season. Michael Schumacher finished second, 23.9 seconds behind, missing the chance to become the youngest Grand Prix winner in F1 history, at the time. The day’s tension peaked during the post-race press conference when Mansell fiercely responded to questions about his car’s technical superiority, questioning the seriousness of the questions and suggesting the reporter might need psychiatric help for their ignorance. Jean Alesi finished in third place for Ferrari.
1992 Spanish Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams Renault | 65 | 1:56:10.674 | 10 |
| 2 | 19 | Michael Schumacher | Benetton Ford | 65 | +23.914s | 6 |
| 3 | 27 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 65 | +26.462s | 4 |
| 4 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren Honda | 65 | +80.647s | 3 |
| 5 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork Mugen Honda | 64 | +1 lap | 2 |
| 6 | 22 | Pierluigi Martini | Dallara Ferrari | 63 | +2 laps | 1 |
| 7 | 10 | Aguri Suzuki | Footwork Mugen Honda | 63 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 8 | 16 | Karl Wendlinger | March Ilmor | 63 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 9 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren Honda | 62 | DNF | 0 |
| 10 | 28 | Ivan Capelli | Ferrari | 62 | DNF | 0 |
| 11 | 23 | Christian Fittipaldi | Minardi Lamborghini | 61 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 12 | 17 | Paul Belmondo | March Ilmor | 61 | +4 laps | 0 |
| NC | 21 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Dallara Ferrari | 56 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 15 | Gabriele Tarquini | Fondmetal Ford | 56 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 11 | Mika Hakkinen | Lotus Ford | 56 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 26 | Erik Comas | Ligier Renault | 55 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 29 | Bertrand Gachot | Venturi Lamborghini | 35 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 3 | Olivier Grouillard | Tyrrell Ilmor | 30 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi Lamborghini | 26 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 33 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Jordan Yamaha | 24 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 14 | Andrea Chiesa | Fondmetal Ford | 22 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams Renault | 19 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 12 | Johnny Herbert | Lotus Ford | 13 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier Renault | 11 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 20 | Martin Brundle | Benetton Ford | 4 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 4 | Andrea de Cesaris | Tyrrell Ilmor | 2 | DNF | 0 |
2020
The 2020 Dutch Grand Prix was originally scheduled to take place at Circuit Zandvoort on 3 May 2020; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the race was cancelled and failed to return to the calendar that year.
This was supposed to be the return of the Dutch Grand Prix after a 35-year absence, as the last race at Zandvoort had been held in 1985. Despite efforts to reschedule, organisers ultimately decided to postpone the event to 2021 rather than run it without fans.
The Dutch Grand Prix finally returned in 2021, with Max Verstappen winning the race in front of his home crowd.
2022
Known as the ‘Racing Dentist’, Tony Brooks was born in Cheshire and uniquely balanced his Formula One racing career with his dental training. He gained acclaim in 1957 as a driver for Vanwall and teammate to Stirling Moss, who described him as “the greatest unknown racing driver there has ever been.” Together, they won at Aintree, sharing a car and victory.
Tony Brooks
F1 Debut 1956 Monaco Grand Prix
Current/Last Team BRM
In 1958, Brooks secured three more wins and narrowly finished third in the 1958 Drivers’ Championship behind Mike Hawthorn and Moss. Driving for Ferrari in 1959, except at the British Grand Prix, where he drove a Vanwall, he clinched two victories. In 1960, Brooks returned to Britain to join the Yeoman Credit Cooper team. He scored points on three occasions but increasingly focused on his garage business in Weybridge. The following year, he went back to BRM, but it was another disappointing season, and he retired from the sport at the end of that year.
Brooks passed away on this day 3 May 2022 at the age of 90. Following Stirling Moss’s death in April 2020, Brooks was the last surviving Grand Prix winner from the 1950s. After Brooks’s death, three-time World Champion Jackie Stewart, who began racing in the 1960s, became the oldest living Formula One Grand Prix winner.
2026
After an unusually long five-week pause due to the war in the Middle East and Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia being cancelled from the calendar for safety reasons, Formula 1 returned to Florida for the 2026 Miami Grand Prix. Orginally round six, now round four of the season.
After the forced break, it was Kimi Antonelli who claimed a dramatic victory at the Miami International Autodrome, securing his third consecutive win of the season after holding off sustained pressure from Lando Norris. The race began in chaotic fashion as Antonelli, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc went three-wide into Turn 1, with contact sending Verstappen into a spin and shuffling the early order. Multiple lead changes followed, with several frontrunners taking turns at the front while early incidents triggered a Safety Car.
As the race settled, it evolved into a direct fight between Antonelli and Norris, with the McLaren driver staying within range throughout the closing stages. Despite the pressure, Antonelli remained composed to take the win — becoming the first driver in F1 history to convert his first three pole positions into victories. Norris finished 3.264 seconds behind in second, while Oscar Piastri secured third after a late overtake on Leclerc during a chaotic final two laps.
Behind them, Leclerc dropped to sixth after a spin and being passed by George Russell and a recovering Verstappen, who climbed back to fifth. Lewis Hamilton finished seventh, while points were also scored by Franco Colapinto and both Williams drivers. Several retirements — including Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar — added to the drama, rounding off a chaotic and pivotal race in the 2026 season.
2026 Miami Grand Prix race results
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time / Retired | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 57 | 01:33:19 | 25 |
| 2 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 57 | +3.264s | 18 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 57 | +27.092s | 15 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 57 | +43.051s | 12 |
| 5 | 3 | Max Verstappen1 | Red Bull Racing | 57 | +43.949s + 5 secs | 10 |
| 6 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 57 | +53.753s | 8 |
| 7 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 57 | +61.871s | 6 |
| 8 | 16 | Charles Leclerc2 | Ferrari | 57 | +44.245s + 20secs | 4 |
| 9 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 57 | +82.072s | 2 |
| 10 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 57 | +90.972s | 1 |
| 11 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 12 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 13 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 14 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 15 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 16 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 17 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 18 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 55 | +2 laps | 0 |
| NC | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 7 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 6 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 4 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 4 | DNF | 0 |
2Charles Leclerc was given a 20-second time penalty and demoted to eighth for leaving the track multiple times and gaining an advantage. He finished P6 on the track.
F1 Driver Birthdays 3 May
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 3 May 1949 | Boy Hayje |
| Birthday | F1 Mentions |
|---|---|
| 3 May 1924 | Ken Tyrrell (d. 2001) |
F1 Driver Deaths 3 May
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 3 May 2004 | Ken Downing (b. 1917) |
| 3 May 2011 | Gunther Bechem (b. 1921) |
| 3 May 2022 | Tony Brooks (b. 1932) |
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