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Did you know? Three Grands Prix were held on and around New Year's Day
- Sandy van Wijngaarden
January 1st is a public holiday, and many people have the day off. While the first day of the year usually falls during Formula 1's winter break, that hasn't always been the case. Here are just a few races that have been held around the new year in F1 history.
Today, F1 drivers and teams typically get time off over the holidays, but the season used to start in style with a Formula 1 Grand Prix. In the past, there were even three Grands Prix held around January 1st.
These Grands Prix kicked off the year
All the Grand Prix held around New Year’s Day took place in South Africa. The 1962 South African Grand Prix, held on December 29 at the Prince George Circuit in East London, saw Graham Hill win the race and secure the world title.
The 1965 South African Grand Prix was held on January 2. This race was still part of the 1965 season. In the end, the legendary Jim Clark won the Grand Prix.
The 1968 South African Grand Prix actually took place on New Year's Day. This is the only race in F1 history on January 1. At the Kyalami circuit, Jim Clark won his last race before his fatal accident later in the same year.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
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