This week in motor sport from the Archive and Database, featuring some of Formula 1’s fastest and Lauda wins for the first time in F1
1937: Reinhold Joest, founder of the most successful team at Le Mans, is born. In profile
1970: FIA GT champion Jean-Philippe Belloc is born. In profile
1983: ‘Consummate professional’ Rolf Stommelen dies. In profile
1982: Didier Pironi pips Gilles Villeneuve and Ferrari dominate the San Marino Grand Prix. Report
1985: Talented Dutchman Giedo van der Garde is born. In profile
1990: Formula E and WEC racer Jean-Eric Vergne is born. In profile
2001: Supremely popular Michele Alboreto dies. In profile
1937: Monaco Grand Prix winner Jean-Pierre Beltoise is born. In profile
1974: Touring car champion James Thompson is born. In profile
1983: José María ‘Pechito’ López is born. In profile
1994: Daniil Kvyat, the second Russian to race in F1, is born. In profile
1943: Helmut Marko, Red Bull supremo whose promising career was cut short by injury, is born. In profile
1973: Carlos Menditeguy passes away aged 58. In profile
1933: Bob Bondurant is born. In profile
1966: Three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner is born. In profile
1974: Niki Lauda claims his maiden Grand Prix victory, winning in Spain. Report
1991: Ayrton Senna wins at Imola, van der Poele is denied a brilliant fifth, JJ Lehto stars. Report
1951: The Man in Black, Dale Earnhardt, is born. In profile
1973: Ronnie Peterson dominates, but team-mate Emerson Fittipaldi wins at Montjuich Park. Report
1979: Patrick Depailler and his Ligier are faultess on the way to victory at Jarama. Report
2008: Scarab racer and sports car winner Chuck Daigh passes away. In profile
1920: Duncan Hamilton, one of racing’s biggest characters, is born. In profile
1961: Stirling Moss and Graham HIll are denied victory on the Targa Florio, leaving Olivier Gendebien and Wolfgang von Trips to win. Report
1994: Roland Ratzenberger is killed in qualifying at Imola. In profile
From Red Bull's potential resurgence to McLaren's title duel, tyre strategy gambles, Bearman's race-ban threat and renewed scrutiny on driving rules, Baku promises another weekend of intrigue
Formula 1's sprint races have added some drama to the calendar, but with rumours of the format expanding to as many as 10 or 12 weekends, the series faces a key question: is more always better?
McLaren's dominant 2025 season could rewrite Formula 1's record books. These are the benchmarks that the team can break before the end of the year
Damon Hill will share stories from the agony and ecstasy of incredible racing career in a new show