- September 19 down the years
Stewart conquers the rain and fog
What happened on this day in Formula One history?
1971
Jackie Stewart underlined his credentials with victory in a Canadian Grand Prix to record his sixth win of a season in which he had the drivers' championship done and dusted by August. The race had to be stopped after 64 of the scheduled 80 laps because track marshals were unable to see each other through the rain and mist. The day was overshadowed by the death of 37-year-old local driver Wayne Kelly in a Formula Ford race earlier on, the accident causing a delay to the start of the grand prix. And in England, Peter Hawtin died when he crashed his Cooper in a race at Oulton Park.
1964
Italian driver Enrico Bertaggia was born on this day, but his contribution to F1 history was all but non existent. After an undistinguished career, in 1989 he bought his way into a seat at the hapless Coloni Formula One team where he never really had a chance, failing to qualify in any of the six grands prix he entered - in fact, he was consistently the slowest in the field and in Portugal was 13 seconds a lap slower than Ayrton Senna on pole. In 1992 he joined Andrea Modi but that was an even more dismal outfit and he was a bystander as it was excluded from the first race of the 1992 season and withdrew from the second. Bertaggia then walked away, but was poised to return later in the year only to find he could not as Andrea Modi had used up allowed one driver change already.
1946
Brian Henton, who was born on this day in Donington, had an F1 career which spanned eight years, 19 starts and almost as many teams. He was a force in F3 and F2, winning the British titles, but failed to make a mark in the top flight. He drove for Lotus in 1975 (hardly helping his own opportunities by admitting he did not particularly enjoy the experience) and then for three teams in 1977, including one he founded. He returned for another crack in 1981 after impressing again in F2, but in 12 starts for Toleman he qualified only once and was dropped. In 1982 he drove for Arrows as a stand-in and then was signed by Tyrell where he at last showed some consistency, finishing seven of the 13 grands prix he entered. His last outing was in the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch in April 1983, which also turned out to be the last non-championship F1 race in the modern era, where he finished a career-best fourth.
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