What Happened On This Day October 17 In F1 History?

From the birthday of F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen in 1979 to confusion at the 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Lee Parker

By Lee Parker
Updated on June 4, 2025

1999 Malaysian Grand Prix
Confusion ensued after the finish of the 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix, with disqualifications and then race results reinstated days later // Image: Uncredited

What happened on this day, October 17 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.

1926

Born on this day, Roberto Lippi was an Italian racing driver who competed in Formula One in three World Championship Grand Prix, all held in Italy. He made his debut on 10 September 1961 for Scuderia Settecolli, a non-works team, running a De Tomaso F1/002-Ferrari. However, he only managed to start in one of these races and failed to score any championship points during his career. He died on 31 October 2011.

1979

Kimi Raikkonen, aka “The Iceman”, named after his ice-cool attitude both on and off track, had one of the longest-ever careers in Formula 1 that peaked when he won the 2007 Drivers’ Championship with Ferrari but would become so unhappy with the sport that he changed to rallying in 2010 despite still being in contract with the Italian team. A hard-drinking, party animal, you suspect he would have thrived had he been involved a generation earlier. As he himself said: “If the F1 world could go back 20 years, it would be the same as rallying now.” Despite being relatively new to rallying, he managed impressive results, including a stage win and a tenth-place finish in the championship for two consecutive seasons.

However, his passion for F1 was reignited when he returned to the sport in 2012 with Lotus F1. During his time with Lotus, Raikkonen gave the team their only victories, establishing himself, once again, as one of the most sought-after drivers.

In a remarkable turn of events, Ferrari re-signed him in 2013 on a two-year contract, which was later extended to 2018. His second stint with Ferrari saw a run of consistent performances, with 26 podium finishes, two pole positions, and a memorable win at the 2018 United States Grand Prix—his first win after a 113 Grand Prix gap.

At the time of his retirement in 2021, he was the most experienced driver in F1 history, with 349 Grand Prix starts. However, he lost that distinction to Fernando Alonso the following year.

1981

Williams driver Alan Jones won the 1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix from pole position in what he had said would be his final race, handing the world title he had been defending to Nelson Piquet, who came fifth and whose two points were enough for him to squeeze out Carlos Reutemann by a single point. Reutemann, 39, had led the championship coming into the race but lost fourth gear and finished out of the points in eighth. Jones undiplomatically made little secret of his dislike for Piquet and Reutemann in the post-race interviews following clashes earlier in the season, gleefully speaking of his pleasure when he lapped team-mate Reutemann. Piquet’s celebrations were muted as he had to be lifted out of his car at the finish. “When 33 laps to go were signalled, I nearly died,” he said. “By then my head was going out of the car at the bends … I was almost finished. My back and right shoulder were in agony.”

Frenchman Alain Prost finished in second in a Renault, and Italian Bruno Giacomelli third in an Alfa Romeo.

Full Race Report

1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix Race Results

PosNoDriverCarLapsTime/retiredPts
11Alan  JonesWilliams Ford751:44:09.0779
215Alain ProstRenault75+20.050s6
323Bruno GiacomelliAlfa Romeo75+20.430s4
412Nigel MansellLotus Ford75+47.470s3
55Nelson PiquetBrabham Ford75+76.440s2
626Jacques LaffiteLigier Matra75+78.180s1
77John WatsonMcLaren Ford75+78.500s0
82Carlos ReutemannWilliams Ford74+1 lap0
928Didier PironiFerrari73+2 laps0
1020Keke RosbergFittipaldi Ford73+2 laps0
1129Riccardo PatreseArrows Ford71+4 laps0
128Andrea de CesarisMcLaren Ford69+6 laps0
134Michele AlboretoTyrrell Ford67DNF0
NC14Eliseo SalazarEnsign Ford61+14 laps0
NC36Derek WarwickToleman Hart43DNF0
NC22Mario AndrettiAlfa Romeo29DNF0
DQ27Gilles VilleneuveFerrari22DSQ0
NC6Hector RebaqueBrabham Ford20DNF0
NC33Marc SurerTheodore Ford19DNF0
NC3Eddie  CheeverTyrrell Ford10DNF0
NC16Rene ArnouxRenault10DNF0
NC25Patrick TambayLigier Matra2DNF0
NC11Elio de AngelisLotus Ford2DNF0
NC32Jean-Pierre JarierOsella Hart0DNF0

1999

Mika Hakkinen retained his World Championship for seven days after both Ferraris were disqualified after finishing first and second at the 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix, giving Hakkinen, who crossed the line in third, the win. The announcement that the barge-boards on the cars infringed permitted dimensions by one centimetre came two hours after the race ended and with drivers heading home. Amid widespread confusion, Eddie Irvine was telephoned while checking in at Kuala Lumpur airport to be told his win did not count.

Bernie Ecclestone said the disqualification was “a nonsense” and was “not the way” to settle the championship. A week later, the FIA overturned the punishment, and so Irvine headed to the final race in Japan with a four-point lead over Hakkinen and Ferrari holding on to their 1-2 finish. As it was, Hakkinen won at Suzuka, Irvine was third, and this time, there was no dispute – the championship was the Finn’s.

Formula One History Recommends

1999 Malaysian Grand Prix Race Results

PosNoDriverCarLapsTime/retiredPts
14Eddie IrvineFerrari561:36:38.49410
23Michael SchumacherFerrari56+1.040s6
31Mika HakkinenMcLaren Mercedes56+9.743s4
417Johnny HerbertStewart Ford56+17.538s3
516Rubens BarrichelloStewart Ford56+32.296s2
68Heinz-Harald FrentzenJordan Mugen Honda56+34.884s1
711Jean AlesiSauber Petronas56+54.408s0
810Alexander WurzBenetton Playlife56+60.934s0
921Marc GeneMinardi Ford55+1 lap0
105Alessandro ZanardiWilliams Supertec55+1 lap0
119Giancarlo FisichellaBenetton Playlife52+4 laps0
NC22Jacques VilleneuveBAR Supertec48DNF0
NC12Pedro DinizSauber Petronas44DNF0
NC14Pedro de la RosaArrows30DNF0
NC20Luca BadoerMinardi Ford15DNF0
NC2David CoulthardMcLaren Mercedes14DNF0
NC6Ralf SchumacherWilliams Supertec7DNF0
NC15Toranosuke TakagiArrows7DNF0
NC23Ricardo ZontaBAR Supertec6DNF0
NC18Olivier PanisProst Peugeot5DNF0
NC7Damon HillJordan Mugen Honda0DNF0
NC19Jarno TrulliProst Peugeot0DNF0

F1 Driver Birthdays 17 October

BirthdayF1 Driver
17 October 1906Jack Ensley (d. 1972)
17 October 1926Roberto Lippi (d. 2011)
17 October 1979Kimi Raikkonen

F1 Driver Deaths 17 October

DeathF1 Driver
17 October 1955Joel Thorne (b. 1914)
17 October 2002Bob Gregg (b. 1920)

F1 Champion 17 October

DateTeam/Driver
17 October 1981Nelson Piquet

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About The Author

Staff Writer

Lee Parker
Lee Parker

Lee is our staff writer specialising in anything technical within Formula 1 from aerodynamics to engines. Lee writes most of our F1 guides for beginners and experienced fans as well as our F1 on this day posts having followed the sport since 1991, researching and understanding how teams build the ultimate machines. Like everyone else on the team he listens to podcasts about F1 and enjoys reading biographies of former drivers.

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