What was the F1 news on your birthday?
Autosport November 5th, 1981 (click to enlarge)
By sheer coincidence a couple of days ago I came across the issue of Autosport that was printed on my own birthday: November 5th, 1981 (see picture).
This got me thinking – can we find out what the big F1 news was on the day (or week) of all our birthdays?
So, post your birth date in the comments below and I’ll do my best to rummage through the stacks of Autosports, Motorsports and other motor racing magazines I have piled up to find out what was going on in the F1 world on that day…
Autosport November 5th, 1981, page two (click to enlarge)
But the Formula Ford Festival is mentioned at the bottom of the cover – it was won by Tommy Byrne, a rival of Ayrton Senna. Byrne went on to have a brief F1 career and you can read more of his story in the excellent book “Crashed and Byrned” which came out last year.
There was big news in the F1 world that week though. Carlos Reutemann, who had lost the 1981 world championship to Nelson Piquet in the last round of the season at Las Vegas, announced he was leaving F1. This left Williams with no drivers at all, as Alan Jones had already announced his retirement. Opposite page two was a story about Keke Rosberg leaving the tail-end team Fittipaldi.
Reutemann started the 1982 season with Williams but left abruptly, leaving them with Rosberg, who went on to win the title. On the same page is a story about John Watson turning down a drive with the team for 1982 – Watson remained at Mclaren and fought Rosberg for the title until the final round.
In other F1 news that day, Riccardo Patrese was finally cleared of wrongdoing in the accident that had claimed Ronnie Peterson’s life at Monza in 1978. Race starter Gianni Restelli was also foung not guilty by a court in Milan.
What was the F1 news on your birthday?
Post your birth date below and we’ll see if F1 Fanatic readers can find out what the F1 news was on the day you were born.
Read more: F1 Fanatic is four!
My birth date is May 24th 1984. Its a nice birthday to have actually, as every once in a while I get a birthday Monaco GP (1998, this season).
Hey; I am born 1 day and 3 years later.
25th May 1987.
And Monaco GP was on 25th in 2008; not 24th
Its cool to have a birthday in the holidays, I feel. I have celebrated mine in atleast 10 different cities so far ( out of 22).
30th Nov 1991
6th February 1989
18th Sept 1975
Niki Lauda became World Champion a week before, I think
Friday 13th April 1984
30th April 1973
Jan 3rd 1985… 4 days before Lewis’s, in a hospital a few miles south of Stevenage.
I also share my birthday with Michael Schumacher, who would have been celebrating his 16th birthday.
10th January 1984 randomly the US and the vatican established full diplomatic relations. FACT. Need to get out more
Just as well, otherwise there’d be a small crater in the middle of Rome by now.
The small crater would be an ideal place to build a new track for the Rome GP.
yep… the crater will make for a good oval
Oh everyone’s so young.
2nd August 1972
Like Pete I get the occasional Monaco GP or even Indy 500
30th May 1974
Also: Number-one song in the charts today
In the USA:
“The Streak” by Ray Stevens
hahahahaha
12th November 1969.
Am I the oldest person here? I don’t feel that old.
I never get a GP on my birthday but looking at this years calendar we seem to be getting closer!!
20th January 1965. One of the eldest here it seems! The great Jim Clark had won the South African Grand Prix on the first day of January, in his bid to win his second championship, which he would finally get with a perfect score of 54 points (9 points for each victory, only the best six round results could be retained).
September 12th 1988. I always get either Monza or spa around then. I like it as they are the best tracks on the calander (until they get replaced by some random arab race).
25th November, 1969! Pah, the F1 driver’s these days…they don’t know they’re born! Hay bails for barriers, 4 wheels off the ground… and that was just the Silverstone car park!
27 April 1975… cor I’m old and didn’t know it.
16 march 1984
(very soon :p)
The past years I got a nice gift as the first race weekend of the year
happy birthday in advance
Mine…. Dan Gurney won at Brands Hatch, driving an Eagle-Weslake T1G ‘102. Ickx, Brabham and Bruce (McLaren) were there also…
Oldest here, by the moment.
Nah… qazuhb is older than me… I feel a big relief…
Hey i am youngest here.except smitty.. yuppy
my birthday on 2nd march 1985. Just celebrated few days back.
Hey keith,tell me what happened in F1 on my birthday.
22nd November 1982.
England won the Rugby World Cup on my 21st Brthday – the best present ever – not sure F1 can produce something that spectacular, but I’d be happy to be surprised. Although a late november GP would be fab, it might just extend the season too far.
Oooh same day as mine – except mine is 1985, England won the Rugby World Cup on my 18th
Johnny Wilkinson won the rugby world cup for England. Most scores were divisible by 3… but that’s a debate for another day and another website.
Go 22nd November!! Albeit 1991 but that rugby match was an awesome b-day pressie for me too
5th May 1981
Hmm, well good luck finding F1 news on 24th December 1977.
Ditto that, Mine is December 27 1979, not much racing then!
Birthdate 28.6.1966. Started follow F1 in the 80’s
Hey my birthdate is 01/11/1989 would be cool to know what the news was for me
Blimey… that’s only a week before the Berlin wall fell… I remember that week!!
Keith, how bout putting a brithday booth on the site, wishing F1F users on their birthdays…
Not a bad idea! Will look into how I could do it…
Nov 30th, 1984 for me Keith.
same birthday………
You are all kids!
I was born on December 8, in the same year Fangio won his first driving title.
Only two seasons and 15 Formula One Grands Prix had taken place by the day I was born.
I was born the same day, same month, like Jim Morrison
But I am 31 years youger than you, Rick DeNatale.
Or say it other way – I am almost 2 years (except one day), older than Robert Kubica.
I’m 13th Feb 1979!
Cheers
October 15th, 1989
probably you’ll find some championship being decided by the time
21st march 1978
aryton senna was also born on 21st march in 1960
the british formula one season in 1978 started on 24th march……..
I was born on May 26th, 1977, 4 days after that year’s Monaco GP. But I wouldn’t know where to start looking for motor sport news from that exact day…
I’m afraid I’m snatching the title of youngest here.
15th Feb 1990. A month before the US Grand Prix according to Wikipedia.
Afraid Richard a bit further up was born in ‘91…
And was born in ‘96….
My date of birth: 29th May 1971
My guess is a Monaco GP fact.
You really know how to hurt a guy, Keith – I am older than F1…
.oO(I wonder if Autosport existed in 1948)
November 30 1994. Dont know much what happened, but know it was the year of Senna’s passing, Schumachers first championship and speeds were greatly reduced by stupid chicanes everywhere.
hey man we share same birthday although im 3 years older than you!
March 8th 1981, your older than me Keith!
Actually, no, I’m eight months younger!
How do I do a smiley with the tongue sticking out… :-p
Doh I got it wrong. A kind of Murry-esque moment for there then!
Friday 13th January, 1984. Not usually a busy time for F1 news…
13th January for me too.
1976.
It was my birthday yesterday too!
20th
Let’s try: 19th july 1989.
That’s mine too!
24th september 1989. Gehard Berger won in Portugal according to F1.com
24th September 1980!!!
24th September 1995 David Coulthard won his first F1 Grand Prix in Portugal.
My turn: 9th january 1985!
We’re almost nearly birthday buddies!
October 7th, 1972
A month after Emerson Fittipaldi won his first World Championship.
ONE month, I mean.
22nd of September 1974
I was born during the Spanish GP Weekend 1986, on Saturday 12/4/86 to be precise. The news was probably Senna dominating everything, or the fact it was the first race weekend at Jerez!
Amy Classic race that, one of the closet race finishes ever!
17 FEB 1983
The Daytona 500 falls on my birthday every few years, but I really don’t follow NASCAR so I don’t get too excited about that.
My date of birth: 21 February 1956
In 1967, in glorious widescreen Cinerama, I saw the film “Grand Prix.” By that age I was already familiar with a few F1 driver names, by virtue of their participation in the Indianapolis 500. Among them were Jochen Rindt, Jim Clark, Dan Gurney, and Graham Hill.
I enjoy F1 very much, as I follow it very closely.
Lou
I think I’m the youngest here! 24th August 1993
That was 5 days before the Belgian GP, which was won by Damon Hill.
Last year I had the inaugural GP in Valencia on my birthday, shame the race was awful!
I’m second youngest here then.
My birthday is 24th June 1998.
I’m 2 months older than you.
Sorry,
It’s 24th June 1993 not 1998
Sorry that was my mistake
Sebastien Bourdais was born on my birthday (or I was born on his birthday
. Funny thing is that my name is also Sebastien and the design of his helmet is almost the same as the one I designed about 13 years ago (I was a gokart racer). Coincidence or…? 
Thanks for that my birthday’s Nov 5th 1987, so it’s good to see already something thats happened on the 5th, i’ll do my own research on my actual date of birth and what happens with F1, no doubt Senna and Prost will be near enough the headlines in that one
You’re exactly six years younger than me, and born in the same year as my brother!
I’m born on Nov 5 too! Of 1992 that is.
wow i’m the youngest here 4th October 1995
good to see there’s alot of wisdom and knowledge though amongst us
Yeah im not the youngest!
HA I’m younger 13th August 1996.