The world’s first Grand Prix winner, multiple world champions and one of the most important characters in US racing, this week in motor sport from the Archive and Database. 

February 20

1937: ‘The Captain’ Roger Penske is born. In profile

February 21

1940: Peter Gethin is born. In profile

1944: Ferenc Szisz, winner of the first Grand Prix (above), dies aged 70. In profile

February 22

1949: Niki Lauda is born. In profile

February 23

1928: Hans Herrmann, Porsche’s Le Mans first winner, is born. In profile

1953: Satoru Nakajima, Japan’s first full-time Formula 1 driver, is born. In profile

2008: Le Mans-winning journalist Paul Frère dies. In profile

February 24

1955: ‘The Professor’ Alain Prost is born. 

1955: ‘The king of the Mille Miglia’ Clemente Biondetti dies aged 56. In profile

1971: Pedro de la Rosa is born. In profile

1981: Le Mans winner and world champion Timo Bernhard. In profile

February 25

1932: The racing dentist, Tony Brooks, is born. In profile

1944: The charismatic François Cervert is born. In profile

February 26

1908: Grand Prix winner before and after the war, Jean-Pierre Wimille is born. In profile

1945: Legendary Aussie Peter Brock is born. In profile

1974: The best all-rounder of modern motor sport? Sébastien Loeb is born. In profile