On This Day In Formula - 31 July

1977

A year on from his horrific accident at the Nurburgring, Niki Lauda bounced back in style by winning the German Grand Prix from Jody Scheckter and Hans-Joachim Stuck, who secured his first podium finish. After Lauda's death-defying accident in 1976, the Nurburgring made way for a new F1 venue in Hockenheim, infamous for being the venue of Jim Clarke's death in an F2 race in 1968. Lauda took the lead from pole-sitter Scheckter on lap 13 and the Austrian never looked back to secure a popular victory.

                                                                 1994

Scary scene of a fuel fire on Jos Verstappen's Benetton.

A frightening moment for Jos Verstappen and watching Formula One fans happened during the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. The Benetton driver came into the pits for a regulation stop but fuel sprayed onto the car and ignited as the crew fumbled in attaching the refuelling rig. A split second later, the car was engulfed in flames but marshals acted quickly to extinguish the blaze. Verstappen and the pit crew only suffered minor burns. Gerhard Berger went on to win the race for Ferrari.

2005

Kimi Raikkonen won the Hungarian Grand Prix from brothers Michael and Ralf Schumacher. Although Fernando Alonso could only manage to finish a distant 11th after damaging his front wing during an attempted pass on Ralf into the first corner, the Spaniard still led Raikkonen by 26 points after the race.

2007

Three-time world champion Nelson Piquet was ordered to attend a driving awareness school after losing his licence for repeated speeding and parking offences. His wife, Viviane, was also ordered to attend.

[INFORMATION BY - ESPNF1.com]