Brands Hatch: F1's beloved countryside amphitheatre
On this day in 1964, the roar of F1 engines echoed through the Kent countryside for the first time, as Brands Hatch made its debut on the world stage
Germany has fallen off the Formula 1 calendar once again, despite the country providing the newest World Champion.
The calendar is reduced to 20 Grands Prix, with question marks still hanging over Montreal and Interlagos – two more of the old, more entertaining, guard. The full list is at the bottom of this page.
Take a look back at five of F1’s greatest German races, chosen via our 100 Greatest Grand Prix special. It’s available to read for free in the Motor Sport app.
Nuvolari’s greatest win. The home favourites were numerous, and hungry; Nuvolari 42 and in an aging and under-powered Alfa. The little Italian outlasted them all – Caracciola, von Brauchitsch, Faglioli, Stuck, Varzi, Rosemeyer – to claim an unlikely victory.
Juan Manuel Fangio’s finest hour. A pitstop lost him almost a minute to the Ferraris of Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins, but with a lap to go he was back in front. The lap record, his own, shattered on the way by a full 23 seconds, 11 seconds faster than he’d lapped the Nürburgring to set pole.
The daunting prospect of the Nürburgring, pouring, persistent rain; the worst of combinations for safety advocate Jackie Stewart. Yet two hours and 20 minutes later he crossed the line for his greatest win. Four minutes later Graham Hill followed, his nearest challenger.
Another greatest drive, that of Hill. Harried by Gurney and Surtees, he held them at bay by just 2.5s. Jim Clark in fourth drove a wild unfamiliar race, riled by his own startline mistake that dropped him to 10th.
Ten laps of Nuvolari v Caracciola v Rosemeyer. Caratsch retired, leaving the two to duel. And as visibility deterioated Caracciola accelerated. Nuvolari could do nothing but accept second as the German disappeared into the mist.
March 26 – Australia (Melbourne)
April 9 – China (Shanghai)
April 16 – Bahrain (Bahrain)
April 30 – Russia (Sochi)
May 14 – Spain (Barcelona)
May 28 – Monaco (Monte Carlo)
June 11 – Canada (Montreal)
June 25 – Azerbaijan (Baku)
July 9 – Austria (Spielberg)
July 16 – Great Britain (Silverstone)
July 30 – Hungary (Budapest)
August 27 – Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)
September 3 – Italy (Monza)
September 17 – Singapore (Singapore)
October 1 – Malaysia (Sepang)
October 8 – Japan (Suzuka)
October 22 – USA (Austin)
October 29 – Mexico (Mexico City)
November 12 – Brazil (Sao Paulo)
November 26 – Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi)
On this day in 1964, the roar of F1 engines echoed through the Kent countryside for the first time, as Brands Hatch made its debut on the world stage
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