Saturday,

28th of March - Jenson Button leads a sensational BrawnGP 1-2 in the qualifying session for the 2009 Australian Grand Prix on the team’s debut. Which other teams managed a similar feat on their debut in the Formula 1 World Championship?

28/3/2008,Jean-Marie Balestre dies

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Jean-Marie Balestre was the most powerful man in motor sport for 13 years as president of the Federation Internationale de Sport Automobile (FISA) between 1979 to 1991. He was heavily involved in what is colloquially called the FISA-FOCA war, a political battle over finances and control of the Formula One World Championships between 1980 and 1982. Balestre and his opponent, Bernie Ecclestone, settled the dispute after Enzo Ferrari brokered a compromise. Balestre signed the first Concorde Agreement, under which FOCA was granted the commercial rights to Formula One while the FIA retained control of all sporting and technical regulations. Balestre was elected as president of the FIA, while remaining president of FISA, in 1986 and is credited with establishing specific crash test requirements for Formula One cars, significantly improving the safety of the sport. He was also a key proponent of the switch to naturally aspirated engines in 1989, also arguing that such a move was essential for safety reasons. In 1991 he lost the election for FISA president to Max Mosley. With the merger of FISA and the FIA he also lost the FIA presidency to Mosley in 1993 and retreated to the presidency of the FFSA until the end of 1996.

Born: 9th of April 1921 in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France;
Died: 28th of March 2008, France, aged 87.

28/3/1952, Tony Brise is born in Dartford, UK.

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Anthony Brise got invited by Frank Williams, following the title wins of both the 1973 John Player and Lombard North Central F3 championship as well as having spent the 1974 season in Formula Atlantic, to make his Formula 1 debut in Frank’s FW03 in the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix at MMontjuich Park. But Graham Hill managed to persuade the youngster to race for the Embassy Hill right after. His 10 Grands Prix starts with the former World Champion’s outfit were enough to earn him a reputation as future World Champion. Sadly, Tony Brise lost his life in an airplane crash involving Graham Hill’s private aircraft.

Born: 28th of March 1952 in Dartford, UK;
Died: 29th of November 1975 in Arkley, UK, aged 23.

28/3/1929, Paul England is born in Melbourne, Australia

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Paul England had been racing a Holden-powered and self-built Maserati A6GCH replica in the Australian Auscar sports car series and then decided to try his luck in Europe. As a novice driver he dared to face the daunting Nürburgring, racing a private Formula 2 Cooper T41-Climax in the 1957 German Grand Prix. Unfortunately he had to retire in what turned out to be his only appearance in GP racing and eventually he’d return home to run his engine balancing business. Nowadays he enjoys retirement at his home in Essendon and the company is now run by his son.

28/3/1935, .Hubert Hahne is born in Moers, Germany

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Hubert Hahne was a star in the European Touring Car Championship in the mid-1960s and, in 1966, the first driver to lap the Nürburgring in under 10 minutes in a touring car. His debut in a Grand Prix grid came at the wheel of a BMW-powered Lola T100 in the 1967 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. The BMW-entered Formula 2 chassis featured a 2-liter 16 valve “Apfelbeck” engine in midst the Formula 1 cars. However, after 7 laps a suspension collapsed and he was forced to retire. The following year BMW returned with the same engine installed in the latest T102 chassis with reinforced suspensions, Hubert finishing 10th that year. The team withdrew before the start of the 1969 event due to the fatal accident suffered by his team-mate Gerhard Mitter. Hubert then bought his own March 701 to take part in the 1970 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. As Hahne failed to qualify for the race, he began legal proceedings against March, claiming the car they had sold him was a deficient machine. The manufacturer had their works driver Ronnie Peterson driving Hubert’s 701 round Silverstone, matching the times set with the works car. Little did Hahne know this young Swedish hotshot would emerge as one of the best in the world and so, rather shocked, the German withdrew the legal action and retired from racing as a consequence. He’s been living in Italy for a number of years now but still owns a garage in Essen, Germany, with sales and maintenance mainly for Lamborghinis. Still visits historic festivals and does the odd test drive or column for specialist magazines.

28/3/1911, Consalvo Sanesi is born in Terranuova Bracciolini, Italy

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Consalvo Sanesi was an Alfa Romeo factory test driver after WW2 and occasionally entered in the works 158 monoposti as of 1946, taking a series of podium finishes. His World Championship debut came at the 1950 Italian Grand Prix, retiring after 11 laps with a broken engine. In 1951 Consalvo managed pole position in the non-championship 1951 BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone with the new Alfa 159 works machine against fierce competition, including the likes of Fangio, Farina, Moss and other top drivers. As a result he was entered for the 1951 Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten and surprised with a 4th place finish. As it would turn out, this was his best result in the World Championship. He took part in the following 3 rounds that year but was then replaced with Felice Bonetto. He later raced on in sports cars until the mid-1960s, surviving a near-death accident during the 1964 12 Hours of Sebring race, when his Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ burst into flames after a crash. Only the prompt and courageous actions of Jocko Maggiocommo, a fellow driver watching at the track side who dived into the flames and pulled him clear, saving his life. Consalvo Sanesi died in 1998 in Milan at 87 years of age.

Born: 28th of March 1911 in Terranuova Bracciolini, Italy;
Died: 28th of July 1998 in Milan, Italy, aged 87.