On this day in Formula 1 history, Gerhard Berger made a stunning return to the grid at the 1997 German Grand Prix — and stole the spotlight with a storybook win at Hockenheim.

We revisit that emotional victory, reflect on the career of journeyman French racer Philippe Alliot, and relive the chaos and controversy of the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix, where Daniel Ricciardo came charging through in a race defined by drama, strategy, and inter-team fireworks.

Cover Art uses work by Royal Broil and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering

On July 26th, Formula One’s history has delivered both heartbreak and hope—sometimes on the same weekend.

In this episode of Chequered Past, we begin with Lewis Hamilton’s landmark victory at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix—the first win for a KERS-powered car, and a much-needed turning point in McLaren’s season. But that same weekend was overshadowed by Felipe Massa’s terrifying qualifying accident, a moment that would reshape safety standards in the sport.

We then go back to 1925 to recall the tragic loss of Antonio Ascari, whose son Alberto would eerily mirror his fate three decades later—making them the only father-son pair to both die while racing at the top level.

The spotlight then shifts to Emilio de Villota, born on this day in 1946, and his underappreciated dominance in the British Formula One Championship. His story, and that of his daughter María, highlights the lesser-known paths to legacy in motorsport.

Finally, we revisit the chaos and emotion of the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix—an unpredictable race just days after the funeral of Jules Bianchi—before turning to the present, as the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix Sprint session unfolds at Spa.

It’s a day of innovation, resilience, and remembrance—The Boost That Sparked a Comeback.

Cover Photo: Lewis Hamilton 2009 Belgium by Jane Belinda Smith under CC BY 2.0

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering

When McLaren locked out the front row at the A1-Ring, it looked like Mika Häkkinen was poised to strike back in the 1999 title fight. But that plan spun off track — literally — when David Coulthard collided with his teammate at Turn 3. As Häkkinen recovered from the back, it was Ferrari’s Eddie Irvine, finally free from team orders, who capitalised with a calm, clinical victory that reignited his championship campaign.

In this episode of Chequered Past, we unpack the fallout from McLaren’s self-sabotage, celebrate Irvine’s statement win, and trace how fractured teammate relationships shaped not just this race, but others across the decades. From Renault’s civil war at the 1982 French Grand Prix to the infamous team orders of Hockenheim 2010, it’s a day where alliances frayed and ambitions clashed — on airwaves, in garages, and on the track.

And in the middle of it all, we mark the birthday of Nelson Piquet Jr. — a driver whose legacy still divides opinion, thanks in part to a team strategy that put a teammate’s hopes above his own.

Cover Image: Eddie Irvine 1999 Canada by Paul Lannuier licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering