7th November is the day on which Senna made his last appearance with McLaren and the day that Hulkenberg started from pole for the only time in his career. The 2021 Mexican Grand Prix will be the third F1 race held on 7th November.
7th November Races in Stats:
- Both previous races on this date were won from the front row of the grid.
- Each race held on this date featured two different teams on the podium. At the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, Red Bull became the first team to record a 1-2 finish on 7th November.
- No country has recorded more than one podium finish so far on this date.
- British drivers set the Fastest Lap in both previous races held on this day.
- Fernando Alonso – who finished fifth in the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix – is the only driver who started outside the top three to record a podium finish on this day.
- Both previous races on this day have seen two different drivers share the lead throughout the entire race – the second driver leading only for a short time while pit stops were being completed.
1993 Australian Grand Prix
On his last appearance with McLaren, Ayrton Senna recorded his final F1 race win on this day in 1993 at the Australian Grand Prix. This would also be the final time that Senna reached the chequered flag in a Grand Prix. Finishing on the podium for the 80th and final time, Senna was joined in the top three by former McLaren team-mate Alain Prost, who was making his final F1 appearance. This was Prost’s 106th podium finish – a record which would not be eclipsed until nine years later by Michael Schumacher at the 2002 British Grand Prix. Damon Hill joined Senna and Prost on the podium, recording his tenth top three result.
Senna’s win was the 104th for McLaren – extending their record for most team wins in F1. Ferrari would beat that record with their 105th win at the German Grand Prix in the following season. Senna’s pole at this race brought an end to Williams’ record 24 race streak of pole positions. Senna had been the last non-Williams driver to take pole at the 1992 Canadian Grand Prix.
As well as Prost, this was also the final Grand Prix appearance for both Derek Warwick and Riccardo Patrese. Patrese made his 256th race start in this Grand Prix. He would hold the record for most starts in F1 until the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix, when Rubens Barrichello made his 257th start. This was also the final Grand Prix to feature cars using active suspension, with the technology being banned from 1994 onwards.
2010 Brazilian Grand Prix
There was a new face starting from pole position on this day in 2010. Nico Hulkenberg had taken a surprise pole position for Williams at the Brazilian Grand Prix in wet conditions. It would turn out to be the only pole position of the German driver’s career. It was the first pole position for a Cosworth engine since the 1999 French Grand Prix and Williams’ first pole position in over five years.
Hulkenberg had taken pole by over a second but failed to lead a lap of the race. Instead, the race was dominated by Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel. Team-mate Mark Webber led for a lap while Vettel pitted. Red Bull’s 1-2 result ensured that the team won the Constructors’ Championship for the first time in their history.