What happened on this day, November 7 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1956
Born in Lewisham, Jonathan Palmer pursued a career in medicine before shifting gears to motorsport. Dominating the British Formula Three Championship in 1981 and Formula Two in 1983, he entered Formula One, first with RAM, then Zakspeed, following an impressive one-off drive with Williams in the 1983 European Grand Prix. Palmer later joined Tyrrell for three seasons. In 1987, he won the Jim Clark Cup as the top non-turbo driver, but the 1988 season faltered due to an uncompetitive car. His fortunes briefly improved with the 018 chassis in 1989, though he was eventually outshone by Jean Alesi. Aware of his standing, Palmer chose to retire. He later commentated for the BBC and launched the junior racing series Formula Palmer Audi in 1998. He also went on to operate several race circuits.
Jonathan Palmer
F1 Debut 1983 European Grand Prix
Current/Last Team Tyrrell
1968
Ian Raby passed away on this day, three months after a severe accident during a Formula Two race at Zandvoort. Initially treated in the Netherlands, he was later transported to a London hospital by the Grand Prix Medical Service. Despite early signs of recovery, his condition deteriorated.
Ian Raby
F1 Debut 1963 British Grand Prix
Current/Last Team Privateer
A notably superstitious man, Raby carried a rabbit’s foot, favored red cars with white wheels, and refused to race under the number 13. Between 1963 and 1965, he participated in three Formula One Grand Prix.
1993
Ayrton Senna concluded his six years with McLaren triumphantly, winning the 1993 Australian Grand Prix—his fifth victory of the season and, ultimately, the 41st and last of his career. It would also be the last time he would finish on the podium, score points, or even finish a race since the following season, he retired in Interlagos and Aida and died at Imola. It was also the last win for a Brazilian driver until Rubens Barrichello at the 2000 German Grand Prix.
For Williams driver Alain Prost, who had already secured his fourth championship, this was also his final race. Reflecting on the moment, he shared, “It was difficult, thinking it’s the last time you will put your helmet on, put on your gloves, get into the car and think about the start.” On the podium, Senna extended an olive branch to his former rival, but Prost, wary, remarked, “I don’t think now is the right moment to talk about peace. It’s important to make peace while you’re driving, but the last time I tried, a month later, he deliberately crashed into my car at 170 mph. I’m not a hypocrite. For me, it’s too late now.”
Prost’s teammate, Damon Hill, finished the race third.
1993 Australian Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren Ford | 79 | 1:43:27.476 | 10 |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | Williams Renault | 79 | +9.259s | 6 |
| 3 | 0 | Damon Hill | Williams Renault | 79 | +33.902s | 4 |
| 4 | 27 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 78 | +1 lap | 3 |
| 5 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 78 | +1 lap | 2 |
| 6 | 25 | Martin Brundle | Ligier Renault | 78 | +1 lap | 1 |
| 7 | 10 | Aguri Suzuki | Footwork Mugen Honda | 78 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 8 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Benetton Ford | 77 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 9 | 26 | Mark Blundell | Ligier Renault | 77 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 10 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Footwork Mugen Honda | 77 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 11 | 14 | Rubens Barrichello | Jordan Hart | 76 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 12 | 20 | Erik Comas | Larrousse Lamborghini | 76 | +3 laps | 0 |
| 13 | 4 | Andrea de Cesaris | Tyrrell Yamaha | 75 | +4 laps | 0 |
| 14 | 19 | Toshio Suzuki | Larrousse Lamborghini | 74 | +5 laps | 0 |
| 15 | 29 | Karl Wendlinger | Sauber | 73 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 30 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Sauber | 56 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 23 | Jean-Marc Gounon | Minardi Ford | 34 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 7 | Mika Hakkinen | McLaren Ford | 28 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 5 | Michael Schumacher | Benetton Ford | 19 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 3 | Ukyo Katayama | Tyrrell Yamaha | 11 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 15 | Eddie Irvine | Jordan Hart | 10 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 12 | Johnny Herbert | Lotus Ford | 9 | DNF | 0 |
| NC | 24 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi Ford | 5 | DNF | 0 |
2010
On 7 November 2010, then Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin took the controls of a bright yellow 2001 Prost AP04, in the colours of that year’s Renault R30 at a private test circuit near St. Petersburg. After a briefing from Renault F1 engineers and test drivers, he fired up the car and set off, reportedly reaching speeds of up to 240 km/h (150 mph), donning a patriotic helmet emblazoned with the Russian flag and Russia’s national symbol, a double-headed eagle. At one point, Putin temporarily lost control of the car and skidded to a halt, but rejoined the circuit shortly after.
The Renault team bought two of the AP04 cars for promotional purposes. Even when the team was Lotus F1, they still used them. The two cars were seen in promotional trackday events such as this.
Mr. Putin quipped that the cramped cockpit of the Formula One car was more uncomfortable than that of an old Soviet-era vehicle he used to drive.
“My old Zaporozhets had more space,” he said through his visor as he squeezed into the tiny cockpit, referring to a Soviet car not known for its creature comforts. Unusually speaking English, he joked, “For a first time, it was good.”
The event was part of a series of highly publicised displays of machismo that included riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles, piloting aircraft, and going on hunting and fishing trips. The drive, however, wasn’t just a publicity stunt — it came a month after Putin finalised a deal with F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone to bring a Grand Prix to Russia. That agreement led to the construction of the Sochi Autodrom and the country’s first F1 race in 2014.
2010
At the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel won, starting from second on the grid, while his teammate Mark Webber followed closely to secure second place for a 1-2 finish. Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso completed the podium in third. Leading up to the race, Red Bull held a 27-point advantage over McLaren in the 2010 Constructors’ Championship. With Vettel and Webber’s one-two finish, Red Bull clinched its first Constructors’ Championship, a historic achievement since acquiring Jaguar in 2005.
The race weekend was also notable for Nico Hulkenberg of Williams, who claimed the first pole position of his F1 career.
Formula One History Recommends
2010 Brazilian Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time / Retired | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing | 71 | 1:33:11.803 | 25 |
| 2 | 6 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing | 71 | +4.243 | 18 |
| 3 | 8 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 71 | +6.807 | 15 |
| 4 | 2 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren | 71 | +14.634 | 12 |
| 5 | 1 | Jenson Button | McLaren | 71 | +15.593 | 10 |
| 6 | 4 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 71 | +35.320 | 8 |
| 7 | 3 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 71 | +43.456 | 6 |
| 8 | 10 | Nico Hülkenberg | Williams | 70 | +1 Lap | 4 |
| 9 | 11 | Robert Kubica | Renault | 70 | +1 Lap | 2 |
| 10 | 23 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber | 70 | +1 Lap | 1 |
| 11 | 17 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso | 70 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| 12 | 14 | Adrian Sutil | Force India | 70 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| 13 | 16 | Sébastien Buemi | Toro Rosso | 70 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| 14 | 9 | Rubens Barrichello | Williams | 70 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| 15 | 7 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 70 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| 16 | 12 | Vitaly Petrov | Renault | 70 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| 17 | 22 | Nick Heidfeld | Sauber | 70 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| 18 | 19 | Heikki Kovalainen | Lotus Racing | 69 | +2 Laps | 0 |
| 19 | 18 | Jarno Trulli | Lotus Racing | 69 | +2 Laps | 0 |
| 20 | 24 | Timo Glock | Virgin Racing | 69 | +2 Laps | 0 |
| 21 | 21 | Bruno Senna | HRT | 69 | +2 Laps | 0 |
| 22 | 20 | Christian Klien | HRT | 65 | +6 Laps | 0 |
| NC | 25 | Lucas di Grassi | Virgin Racing | 62 | +9 Laps | 0 |
| Ret | 15 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Force India | 49 | Accident | 0 |
2021
The 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix marked the 21st running of the Mexican Grand Prix, rebranded to recognise the support from the Mexico City government. Initially scheduled for 31 October, the race was postponed by a week due to adjustments in the Formula 1 calendar, which reduced the total number of races from 23 to 22 because of COVID-19.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed victory, with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton finishing second and Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez taking third. The race was also memorable for Kimi Raikkonen, who, driving for Alfa Romeo, finished in 8th place, scoring the final points of his Formula 1 career.
Full Race Report
2021 Mexico City Grand Prix Race Results
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time / Retired | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 71 | 1:38:39.086 | 25 |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 71 | +16.555s | 18 |
| 3 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing | 71 | +17.752s | 15 |
| 4 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | 71 | +63.845s | 12 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 71 | +81.037s | 10 |
| 6 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 70 | +1 lap | 8 |
| 7 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | 70 | +1 lap | 6 |
| 8 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Alfa Romeo Racing | 70 | +1 lap | 4 |
| 9 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine | 70 | +1 lap | 2 |
| 10 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 70 | +1 lap | 1 |
| 11 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo Racing | 70 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 12 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | 70 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 13 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 70 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 14 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 69 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 15 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 69 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 16 | 63 | George Russell | Williams | 69 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 17 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | 69 | +2 laps | 0 |
| 18 | 9 | Nikita Mazepin | Haas | 68 | +3 laps | 0 |
| Ret | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | 0 | Collision | 0 |
| Ret | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 0 | Collision | 0 |
F1 Driver Birthdays 7 November
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 7 November 1948 | Alex Ribeiro |
| 7 November 1956 | Jonathan Palmer |
| Birthday | F1 Mention |
|---|---|
| 7 November 1971 | Zak Brown Former Professional Racing Driver and C.E.O. of McLaren Racing |
F1 Driver Deaths 7 November
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 7 November 1967 | Ian Raby (b. 1921) |
| 7 November 1975 | Piero Dusio (b. 1899) |
F1 Champion 7 November
| Date | Team/Driver |
|---|---|
| 7 November 2010 | Red Bull Racing |
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