Chequered Past
Chequered Past is a Formula 1 history podcast that dives deep into iconic races, legendary drivers, and forgotten moments from motorsport’s rich and dramatic past. Each episode revisits Grand Prix events that took place on the same date in history, uncovering fascinating stories, on-track controversies, and the evolution of F1 through the decades. Whether you're a lifelong fan or new to the sport, Chequered Past offers compelling insights and nostalgia-fuelled storytelling from the world’s fastest sport.
Chequered Past
14th September 2008: The Monza Miracle That Made a Champion
On this day in 2008, Formula One witnessed a fairytale that would change the sport forever. A 21-year-old Sebastian Vettel stunned the world by guiding Toro Rosso to victory at a rain-soaked Monza, becoming at the time the youngest race winner in F1 history and proving that greatness can emerge from the unlikeliest of places.
But 14th September has offered other turning points too. In 2001, Mika Häkkinen, the two-time world champion and Michael Schumacher’s fiercest rival, announced his sabbatical from Formula One — a pause that became a farewell. And back in 1980, the Italian Grand Prix left Monza behind for the very first time, moving to Imola, where Nelson Piquet’s victory and a double podium for Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann sealed Williams’ maiden Constructors’ Championship.
From a miracle in the rain to a champion’s farewell and a one-off race that reshaped a team’s destiny, this episode traces the beginnings, endings, and detours that shaped Formula One history.
Cover Image: Sebastian Vettel, Monza 2008 by Jane Belinda Smith, CC BY 2.0, Link
Music by #Mubert Music Rendering