Williams’ mid-90s dominance takes centre stage as we revisit the 1996 Hungarian Grand Prix—the day a calm, clinical 1–2 for Jacques Villeneuve and Damon Hill wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship with four races to spare. We unpack how strategy, traffic, and late pressure shaped the result, and why this was the moment the FW18’s superiority translated into silverware.

We also pause to remember Tazio Nuvolari, who died on 11 August 1953. From motorcycles to Grand Prix cars, “Il Mantovano Volante” redefined bravery and racecraft; we reflect on his greatest wins and the enduring legacy that drew tens of thousands to his funeral in Mantua.

Finally, we wind back to the 1991 Hungarian Grand Prix for Ayrton Senna’s pole-to-flag masterclass at a circuit where track position is everything—plus the supporting cast that made it memorable, from Nigel Mansell’s chase to Bertrand Gachot’s fastest lap for the upstart Jordan team.

Cover Image: Jacques Villeneuve 1996 by Rdikeman at the English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering

In this episode of Chequered Past, we relive one of Formula One’s greatest “what might have been” moments – the 1997 Hungarian Grand Prix. Damon Hill, in the unfancied Arrows, produced a drive for the ages, leading Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve with ease… until a cruel late hydraulic failure snatched victory away on the final lap.

We also celebrate the birthday of Argentina’s Carlos Alberto Menditéguy – a remarkable sporting all-rounder who excelled not only in Grand Prix racing but also as a world-class polo player, golfer, and athlete.

Finally, we turn the clock back to 1986, when Formula One crossed the Iron Curtain for the very first time. The inaugural Hungarian Grand Prix brought Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna together in a thrilling battle, played out in front of a record Eastern Bloc crowd.

From underdog heroics to Cold War breakthroughs, it’s a day of drama, talent, and history – all on 10 August.

Cover image: Damon Hill 1997 Arrows Yamaha Hungary by Race27 under CC BY-SA 3.0

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering

In a perfectly timed coincidence, Episode 70 of Chequered Past celebrates the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix — a landmark 2020 race where Max Verstappen and Red Bull tore up the script to end Mercedes’ dominance with a bold hard-tyre strategy.

We also mark the birthday of Patrick Depailler, the charismatic Frenchman backed by Elf whose fearless spirit brought joy, style, and tragedy to Formula 1.

And we revisit the 1987 Hungarian Grand Prix, where Nelson Piquet seized a decisive mid-season victory as the championship battle intensified.

Three stories. One date. And this time, two seventies.

Cover Photo: Max Verstappen, 2020 pre-season testing by Jen Ross (CC BY 2.0)

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering

On his birthday, we celebrate Nigel Mansell — the fearless “Red Five” whose grit, determination, and sheer will carried him from a caravan in Worcestershire to the Formula One World Championship. From his close bond with Colin Chapman, through heartbreaks and heroics, to his record-breaking 1992 season, Mansell’s story is one of passion and perseverance.

We also revisit the 1982 German Grand Prix, where Didier Pironi’s career-ending crash cast a shadow over Hockenheim and Nelson Piquet’s infamous clash with Eliseo Salazar became one of the sport’s most replayed moments.

Finally, we step back to the 1937 Monaco Grand Prix, where the mighty Silver Arrows reigned supreme, with Manfred von Brauchitsch leading a Mercedes 1-2 on the streets of the principality.

From glory to tragedy, and from pre-war legends to modern heroes — it’s all here in racing’s rich and chequered past.

Cover image: Nigel Mansell 1991 United States - wileynorwichphoto - CC BY 2.0

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Today’s episode of Chequered Past centres on one of the fiercest rivalries in Formula One history — Senna vs Prost — as it reached a boiling point at the 1988 Hungarian Grand Prix. With McLaren dominating the season, the two teammates turned teammates-in-name-only, fighting for supremacy in one of the tightest finishes of the year.

But Hungary wasn’t the only battleground.

We revisit the 1983 German Grand Prix, where turbocharged chaos reigned and Ferrari's René Arnoux reignited his title campaign amid a shifting three-way championship fight. Then to the Nürburgring in 1966, where Jack Brabham extended his path to history in a car of his own making, while tragedy struck with the accident of John Taylor. And finally, we celebrate Stirling Moss’s triumph at the inaugural International Gold Cup — a breakthrough moment that launched a British racing icon and a legendary event.

This is a story of rivalries old and new — from teammates to constructors, legends to rising stars — and the circuits that brought out the very best and worst of them.

Cover Photo: K02-M5-0003 - Scanprojekt Schalchham - CC BY-SA 4.0

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering

On this day in 2006, Jenson Button finally delivered on his long-promised potential with a stunning maiden win in the chaos of a rain-soaked Hungarian Grand Prix. We relive the twists, crashes, and triumphs that turned Budapest into the scene of a career-defining moment.

We also celebrate the birthday of Vitantonio Liuzzi—a karting prodigy whose Formula 1 story didn’t quite follow the script—and revisit Stirling Moss’s final Grand Prix win at the Nürburgring in 1961, where skill triumphed over horsepower.

Cover Photo: Jenson Button 2006 USA by Jeff Wunrow. (CC BY 2.0)

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On this day in motorsport history, we revisit the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix — a weekend that saw McLaren implode in spectacular fashion. As Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton’s rivalry erupted into sabotage, it sparked the events that would spiral into the infamous SpyGate scandal. But amid the chaos, Hamilton delivered a flawless drive that showed he was more than just a rookie sensation.

We also mark the birthday of Richie Ginther, the quiet genius whose technical insight helped shape the early success of Honda and BRM. And we rewind to the 1962 German Grand Prix, where Graham Hill mastered the Nordschleife to strengthen his grip on the world title in a year of innovation, rain, and relentless competition.

Three stories — one of conflict, one of craft, and one of composure — on a day that shaped Formula One’s chequered past.

Cover Photo: Hamilton + Alonso 2007 Canada by Mark McArdle under CC BY-SA 2.0

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering

The Drive That Defined Greatness takes us to the heart of the Eifel mountains for two of the most iconic performances in Formula One history. On this day in 1957, Juan Manuel Fangio delivered a comeback for the ages at the Nürburgring, overcoming a 50-second deficit with seven consecutive lap records to claim what would be his final Grand Prix victory — and a fifth World Championship title.

We also revisit the rain-lashed 1968 German Grand Prix, where Jackie Stewart conquered appalling weather and dense fog to win by over four minutes, in what many consider the finest wet-weather drive of all time.

And on what would have been his birthday, we honour John Fitch — not just a race winner and teammate to Fangio, but a tireless safety innovator whose work has saved countless lives on roads and racetracks around the world.

Three stories of brilliance, bravery, and legacy — all forged on one of the most unforgiving circuits in motorsport history.

Cover Image: Fangio Maserati 250F Nurburgring 1957 by Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg under CC BY 3.0

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering