Chequered Past

Silverstone has seen its fair share of drama over the decades—but nothing quite like the events of July 20, 2003. In our 50th episode, we relive the British Grand Prix that was thrown into chaos when a lone protestor ran across the track mid-race, disrupting strategies, endangering lives, and creating one of the most bizarre scenes in modern Formula 1 history. But amid the madness came a moment of...

Silverstone. Sunshine. And then – chaos. In this episode of Chequered Past , we dive into the 1975 British Grand Prix , a race that began in dry conditions but ended in a torrential downpour that caused multiple crashes, a red flag, and a highly controversial result. Many of the leading drivers slid out in quick succession. Emerson Fittipaldi was declared the winner, but many left Silverstone wond...

On this day in Formula One history, two of the sport’s fiercest title fights were rocked by controversy. In our main story, we return to Brands Hatch in 1976, where James Hunt thrilled the home crowd with a stunning British Grand Prix win — only to have it stripped weeks later in a ruling that nearly derailed his championship bid. We then head to Silverstone in 1981, where John Watson gave McLaren...

On this day in 1971, Jackie Stewart delivered one of the most dominant drives of his illustrious career, crushing the field at the British Grand Prix and taking a commanding step toward his second world title. In this episode, we revisit that brilliant performance at Silverstone — from Clay Regazzoni’s early lead to Stewart’s relentless pace and Tyrrell’s growing might. We also pay tribute to moto...

On July 16th, British drivers delivered some of the most iconic home-soil triumphs in Formula 1 history. In this episode of Chequered Past , we relive Johnny Herbert’s emotional first Grand Prix win at Silverstone in 1995 — a victory born from chaos and crowned by resilience. We also rewind to Stirling Moss’s breakthrough at Aintree in 1955 , where he became the first British driver to win the Bri...

On this day in 1961, Ferrari stamped their authority on the British Grand Prix with a dominant 1-2-3 at a rain-soaked Aintree, as Wolfgang von Trips took a commanding win that would prove to be his last.  In this episode of Chequered Past , we revisit that decisive race, reflect on the remarkable life and career of Prince Bira — Thailand’s trailblazing Grand Prix pioneer — and relive Emerson Fitti...

Silverstone, 1991: Nigel Mansell delivers one of the most dominant performances of his career — a Grand Slam on home soil that sends the crowd into raptures and ends with an unforgettable gesture of sportsmanship, offering a lift to a stranded Ayrton Senna. In this episode of Chequered Past , we relive that extraordinary day and explore the events that shaped it — from the collision that ended Ric...

On this day in Formula One history, drama unfolded at every turn. In our main story, we revisit the 1997 British Grand Prix, where Jacques Villeneuve overcame a disastrous pit stop and the might of Michael Schumacher to seize a vital victory at Silverstone. It was a race that defined his championship charge — and tested his resilience to the limit. We also head back to 1986 and the final F1 race a...

In this episode of Chequered Past , we relive the move that lit up Silverstone —Nigel Mansell’s unforgettable overtake on teammate Nelson Piquet during the 1987 British Grand Prix. With fresh tyres, relentless pace, and a roaring home crowd behind him, Mansell produced one of the most iconic moments in Formula One history. We also celebrate the birthday of Guy Ligier , the no-nonsense Frenchman wh...

On this day in Formula One history: a title fight is turned on its head, a fearless talent is lost too soon, and a new British Grand Prix venue makes its debut. We look back at the 1999 British Grand Prix, where Michael Schumacher’s high-speed crash at Stowe broke more than just his leg — it shattered Ferrari’s championship plan and thrust Eddie Irvine into the spotlight. We also honour Pedro Rodr...

On this day in Formula One history, controversy reigned at Silverstone. We revisit the 1994 British Grand Prix, where Michael Schumacher’s refusal to serve a stop-go penalty — and Benetton’s failure to respect a black flag — sparked one of the sport’s most dramatic disciplinary showdowns. The fallout reshaped the championship and handed Damon Hill an emotional home victory. We also celebrate the b...

Career-defining moves take centre stage in this episode of Chequered Past , as we look back at three seismic moments in Formula 1 history. At the 1989 French Grand Prix , Alain Prost delivered a dominant win at Paul Ricard — his fourth on home soil — just as he publicly confirmed his impending departure from McLaren. The win came amid rising tension with Ayrton Senna and marked a turning point in...

On this day in Formula One history, a silver machine from Stuttgart toppled the titans of the sport. In this episode of Chequered Past , we revisit the 1962 French Grand Prix , where Dan Gurney delivered a stunning breakthrough victory for Porsche —the marque’s only win in Formula One—as Ferrari’s dominance faded into memory. We also reflect on the brief but bold F1 ambitions of Mauritz von Strach...

On July 7th, 1991, Formula One planted its flag in a new corner of France. As Magny-Cours made its Grand Prix debut, three titans of the sport— Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna —shared a podium that symbolised an entire era of F1 greatness. In this episode, we relive that pivotal race: the strategy, the tension, and the significance of a win that reignited Mansell’s title hopes and sig...

On this day in motorsport history, we revisit a performance for the ages as Lewis Hamilton conquered the chaos of Silverstone in 2008 with one of Formula One’s greatest wet-weather drives. We also honour the memory of Luigi Musso, the talented Ferrari driver whose life was tragically cut short at Reims in 1958. Finally, we take a trip to the breathtaking Charade circuit for the 1969 French Grand P...

On this day in Formula One history, a young Frenchman lit the fuse on a turbocharged future. In this episode of Chequered Past , we journey to Dijon-Prenois in 1981 , where Alain Prost claimed his first Grand Prix victory in front of a home crowd. But this was no ordinary race — it was stopped for rain, restarted on slicks, and won through razor-sharp strategy. Prost’s triumph wasn’t just personal...

On this day in motorsport history, we spotlight three unforgettable moments that span half a century of Formula One evolution.  We begin in 1954 with the triumphant return of Mercedes-Benz at Reims, where the revolutionary W196 made its debut and Juan Manuel Fangio delivered a performance for the ages.  We then celebrate the birthday of René Arnoux, the fiercely passionate Frenchman known for his...

In this episode of Chequered Past , we dive into three defining moments from July 3rd in Formula One history. We begin with the dramatic 2016 Austrian Grand Prix, where a final-lap collision between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg reignited one of the fiercest rivalries in modern F1. Next, we celebrate the birthday of Sebastian Vettel — a four-time world champion whose impact on and off the track...

In this episode of Chequered Past , we turn the clock back to July 2nd and revisit one of the most astonishing feats in Formula One history: Giancarlo Baghetti’s victory on his World Championship debut at the 1961 French Grand Prix. In a privately entered Ferrari, Baghetti defied the odds, outduelling Dan Gurney in a last-lap thriller at Reims to achieve a feat no other driver has ever repeated. W...

On this day in motorsport history, Ronnie Peterson finally fulfilled his potential. In our main feature, we revisit the 1973 French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard , where the Swedish ace took advantage of a dramatic collision between Emerson Fittipaldi and Jody Scheckter to claim his first Formula One victory —a breakthrough win that marked the arrival of the "SuperSwede." We also celebrate t...

On this day in Formula One history, tyre chaos rocked Silverstone, a six-time Grand Prix winner celebrates his birthday, and the sport mourned the loss of its very first world champion. In this episode, we revisit the dramatic 2013 British Grand Prix , where exploding tyres forced Formula 1 to confront a major safety crisis—and reshaped the rest of the season. We also shine a spotlight on Ralf Sch...

On this day in Formula 1 history, Alan Jones delivered a masterclass at the 1980 French Grand Prix, overcoming a French front-row lockout to claim a crucial victory for Williams at Paul Ricard. As the French crowd cheered their home favourites, it was the Australian who had the last word — controlling the race with calm authority and cementing his credentials as a championship contender. We also c...

In this episode of Chequered Past , we travel to Rouen in 1964 to relive a defining moment for both man and machine, as Dan Gurney claims a commanding victory in the French Grand Prix—delivering the first Formula One win for Brabham as a constructor. We explore how this breakthrough cemented the team’s rise and added another chapter to Gurney’s already remarkable career. We also celebrate the birt...

In this episode of Chequered Past , we take a deep dive into one of the most unpredictable Formula One races of the late 1990s—the 1999 French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours. Torrential rain turned the event into a strategic minefield, and in the chaos, Jordan’s Heinz-Harald Frentzen rose to the occasion to claim a surprise and stylish victory. We also celebrate the birthday of 2016 World Champion Nico...

On June 26, 1906, the world witnessed the birth of Grand Prix racing — and it was anything but refined. In this episode, we journey back to the dusty roads of Le Mans for the first-ever French Grand Prix, where Ferenc Szisz etched his name in motorsport history. We also mark the birthday of Philippe Streiff — a talented French driver whose career was tragically cut short by a testing accident, but...