In this episode of Chequered Past, we turn the clock back to July 2nd and revisit one of the most astonishing feats in Formula One history: Giancarlo Baghetti’s victory on his World Championship debut at the 1961 French Grand Prix. In a privately entered Ferrari, Baghetti defied the odds, outduelling Dan Gurney in a last-lap thriller at Reims to achieve a feat no other driver has ever repeated.

We also celebrate the birthday of British racing figure Reg Parnell – a pioneering driver and team boss whose influence helped shape early British success in Formula One – and relive the final Grand Prix held at the daunting Charade Circuit in 1972, where Jackie Stewart triumphed and Helmut Marko’s career was tragically cut short.

It’s a tale of firsts, farewells, and the fragile line between glory and heartbreak – all in today’s Chequered Past.

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Music by #Mubert Music Rendering