On this episode of Chequered Past, we revisit 21 November — a date that delivers drama under the floodlights, French flair from Formula One’s past, the fearless spirit of a road-racing legend, and the precision of a street-circuit master.

We begin with the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix, a night in Losail that intensified the Hamilton–Verstappen title fight. With Pierre Gasly unexpectedly on the front row, tyre failures reshaping strategy, and Fernando Alonso returning to the podium at age 40, Qatar became a pivotal late-season turning point as Lewis Hamilton carved six crucial points out of Max Verstappen’s lead.

Next, we celebrate the birthday of Jacques Laffite, the charismatic Frenchman who became the face of Ligier and a beloved figure in 1970s and early-1980s Formula One. Smooth, stylish and universally respected, Laffite’s influence on French motorsport endures to this day.

We then turn to the extraordinary life of Felice Bonetto, “Il Pirata,” one of the boldest figures of post-war racing. A two-time Formula One podium finisher, 1952 Targa Florio winner, and cornerstone of Lancia’s road-racing programme, Bonetto was as distinctive as he was courageous — famously photographed smoking his pipe even while racing — until his tragic death in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana.

Finally, we head to Macau for the 2004 Macau Grand Prix, where Alexandre Prémat delivered a masterclass across the Guia circuit’s unforgiving streets to beat Hamilton and Rosberg to one of junior motorsport’s most prestigious prizes.

From championship nights in the desert to the wild roads of Mexico and the tight walls of Macau, this is the story of The Night That Lit Up the Title Fight.

Cover Image: By Automotive Rhythms, Lewis Hamilton Narrows Verstappen’s Title Lead with Qatar Gran Prix Win CC BY-NC-NC 2.0, Link

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Music by #Mubert Music Rendering