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
The Ones That Weren't Part 2
In the modern era, Formula 1 has faced a new wave of cancellations — not from the tragedies or economic crises of the past, but from politics, track failures, natural disasters, and a rapidly changing world.
In Part 2 of The Ones That Weren’t, we explore the Grands Prix that never happened from 1985 onwards.
We revisit Spa 1985, where fresh tarmac tore itself apart; Indonesia 1996, a race that faded before it began; and Portugal’s disappearing Grands Prix, derailed by missed deadlines and failed inspections.
We look at Bahrain 2011, halted by civil unrest; the dramatic shutdown of Melbourne 2020, when the pandemic reached the paddock; and the unprecedented silence of Monaco 2020.
We examine the double blow of the 2021 Japanese and Singapore cancellations, the heartbreaking Imola floods of 2023, and the surreal day at Spa 2021, when a Grand Prix was declared without a single racing lap — changing the rulebook forever.
A decade-spanning look at the moments when the world stopped Formula 1 in its tracks — proving that sometimes, the most revealing race weekends are the ones that never truly began.
Music by #Mubert Music Rendering