What happened on this day, November 30 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1932
Alex Blignaut, born on this day, was a South African racing driver and team owner. Blignaut competed locally for many years and participated twice in the Formula One Rand Grand Prix in 1963 and 1964 under the “Team Valencia” banner, finishing 12th in both non-championship races. In 1965, he entered the South African Grand Prix, a World Championship event, but withdrew before the race.
1935
Born on this day, John Blokdyk was a South African motorcycle speedway rider and Formula One driver. Blokdyk participated in two World Championship Grands Prix, though he only qualified for one. In 1963, he competed in his sole World Championship race at East London, the 1963 South African Grand Prix, driving a three-year-old Cooper–Maserati prepared by Scuderia Lupini, where he finished 12th.
1966
Mika Salo, born in Finland on this day, had a 111-race Formula 1 career with two podium finishes. His early career took a setback due to a drink-driving conviction, but he returned to F1, competing with eight teams between 1994 and 2002. His podiums both came as a Ferrari stand-in during 1999, though a later promising stint with Toyota fell short, leading to his contract’s early termination and a move to sports-car racing.
Mika Salo
F1 Debut 1994 Japanese Grand Prix
Current/Last Team Toyota Racing
2004
Kimi Raikkonen made a less-than-sincere apology after photos surfaced of him partying with a singer and later collapsing on top of an inflatable dolphin outside a nightclub in Gran Canaria. When news of the seven-hour escapade hit the press, he remarked, “I’m sorry. I had a few drinks and danced, why not?” This was just one of several headline-making incidents in Raikkonen’s colourful career.
2006
Former double world champion Mika Hakkinen briefly returned to the cockpit, aiding McLaren in winter testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. He completed 77 laps, finishing over three seconds off the pace. “It was great fun, but I also had to do some serious work for the team,” he reflected.
2025
Max Verstappen turned the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix into a championship twist, beating Oscar Piastri, who had dominated all weekend, and sending the 2025 title fight to Abu Dhabi. McLaren controlled the early laps, but an early Safety Car and Pirelli’s 25-lap tyre limit forced alternate strategies, allowing Verstappen to assume track position and win by eight seconds. Lando Norris (as Championship leader) could manage no better than P4, shrinking his title lead from 22 points to 12 but now over Verstappen (not Piastri), with Oscar 16 back.
Carlos Sainz claimed third in a standout run for Williams, ahead of Kimi Antonelli’s P5 for Mercedes. George Russell recovered to sixth after Isack Hadjar’s puncture, while Fernando Alonso spun spectacularly and still finished seventh. Leclerc brought Ferrari points in eighth, Lawson ninth, Tsunoda tenth.
Outside the top ten, Albon led Hamilton and Bortoleto home, while Colapinto, Ocon, Gasly, Stroll and Hadjar completed the classified runners. Hulkenberg retired following contact with Gasly, Bearman was withdrawn with mechanical issues.
Full Race Weekend Report
2025 Qatar Grand Prix race results
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time / Retired | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 57 | 01:24:38 | 25 |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 57 | +7.995s | 18 |
| 3 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 57 | +22.665s | 15 |
| 4 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 57 | +23.315s | 12 |
| 5 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 57 | +28.317s | 10 |
| 6 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 57 | +48.599s | 8 |
| 7 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 57 | +54.045s | 6 |
| 8 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 57 | +56.785s | 4 |
| 9 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 57 | +60.073s | 2 |
| 10 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 57 | +61.770s | 1 |
| 11 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 57 | +66.931s | 0 |
| 12 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 57 | +77.730s | 0 |
| 13 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 57 | +84.812s | 0 |
| 14 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 15 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 16 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 56 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 17 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 55 | DNF | 0 |
| 18 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 55 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 41 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 6 | DNF | 0 |
F1 Driver Birthdays 30 November
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 30 November 1932 | Alex Blignaut (d. 2001) |
| 30 November 1935 | Trevor Blokdyk (d. 1995) |
| 30 November 1966 | Mika Salo |
| 30 November 1994 | Roy Nissany |
F1 Driver Deaths 30 November
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 30 November | None |
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