- January 3 down the years
Seven-time champion born
What happened on January 3 in Formula One history?
1969
The most successful man in the history of Formula One was born in Hermulheim, Germany. Michael Schumacher , who dominated the sport between 1994 and 2004, taking seven world titles with Benetton and Ferrari, also clocked up 91 wins, 76 fastest laps and 68 pole positions, and in 2002 became the only driver to have finished every race of a season on the podium. While his legion of fans would hear no criticism, such was his and Ferrari's dominance between 2000 and 2004 when he secured five successive titles that the sport actually suffered in terms of audiences. He retired at the end of 2006 but was lured back by Mercedes in 2010. Michael and brother Ralf are the only siblings to score a 1-2 finish in F1.
1995
Nigel Mansell's plans to return to F1 were all but ended with Williams' announcement they had opted David Coulthard for the coming season. Mansell had switched to CART racing after winning the drivers' championship in 1992 and was looking for a way back after racing for Williams at the end of 1994, with his career fizzling out after a handful of races for McLaren in 1995.
2003
Minardi boss Paul Stoddart announced his team was up for sale, admitting that the days of private teams were numbered. "The world as a whole is not perhaps as easy a place to gather sponsorship from as it was in years gone by, but we are fighting as hard as we know how," he said. Despite claiming to have had 41 approaches, it was not until September 2005 that he finally sold out to Red Bull.
2008
Racing driver Jimmy Stewart died in Glasgow. Brother of world champion Jackie , Jimmy, whose one grand prix was in 1953, battled with alcoholism after he retired; having recovered, with help from Jackie, he became involved with many anti-drinking projects.
1988
Joie Chitwood died in Tampa, Florida at the age of 75. Chitwood raced in the 1950 Indianapolis Grand Prix, but he made his fame and fortune performing in and organising stunt shows. Despite that daredevil streak, he was the first man to wear a seatbelt in the Indy 500.
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