What was the F1 news on your birthday?

March 6, 2009 at 8:00 am by Keith Collantine

Autosport November 5th, 1981 (click to enlarge)

Yesterday F1 Fanatic celebrated its fourth brithday.

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…

An Autosport cover without F1 on it would be unthinkable these days – but on November 5th, 1981 the lead story was the Ivory Coast rally.

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.

Autosport November 5th, 1981, page two (click to enlarge)

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!

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773 comments on What was the F1 news on your birthday?

photozen (@photozen) said on 22nd January 2012, 12:18

02 February, 1954

wow, I am old…just an old hippie war photographer who has always loved F1

winterwarmer (@winterwarmer) said on 23rd January 2012, 7:15

Another 1954 – in my case 14 June

Liam McShane (@motor_mad) said on 27th January 2012, 17:41

February 6th 1996

plutoniumhunter (@plutoniumhunter) said on 29th January 2012, 2:48

February 16th, 1990. Started watching since only my dad remembers!

Saiesh said on 30th January 2012, 10:11

21 Feb 1982.

Rebecca (@becca) said on 31st January 2012, 8:28

7th February 1995!

f199player (@f199player) said on 1st February 2012, 0:22

29th August 1992

BradAus (@bradaus) said on 8th February 2012, 11:54

17th December 1991

Bullfrog (@bullfrog) said on 8th February 2012, 20:06

It’s my birthday tomorrow! With the testing going on, it’ll be a pretty exciting February 9th this year, by F1 standards.

French Steve (@french-steve) said on 12th February 2012, 13:53

10 dec 1984

Charlie said on 13th February 2012, 11:31

6th September 1976

GeorgeDaviesF1 (@georgedaviesf1) said on 19th February 2012, 10:25

24th Feb ’93, doubt much happened in F1 history on that day

Mister Nillionaire (@mister-nillionaire) said on 25th February 2012, 12:24

17th Feb 1989

dimaka1256 (@dimaka1256) said on 26th February 2012, 11:59

found nothing on my b’day on 28th October 1991 but at least i’ll have a birthday Indian GP this year xD

Jake (@jd2625) said on 29th February 2012, 9:34

5th March 1994