The world of Formula 1 had two very different sets of circumstances on this day in 1973 and 1985 respectively.
On October 6th, 1973, F1 was preparing for its final round of that season – the United States Grand Prix – with the World Championship already secure.
Jackie Stewart took his third Drivers’ title, and had already secretly decided to retire after the race at Watkins Glen.
His Tyrrell team would be aware of the huge hole Stewart’s absence would leave, but had just like the Scotsman had been for team boss Ken Tyrrell, there was a new protege to be the British team’s number one driver.
Francois Cevert had been Stewart’s teammate for three years, and under the wing of both Tyrrell and Stewart himself, the charismatic Frenchman would take over the mantle.
But the exciting prospect of Cevert – who had taken his maiden Grand Prix victory at the Glen two years previously – stepping up to team leader was snuffed out in an instant.
During qualifying, whilst attempting to better his time, Cevert lost control of his car at The Esses, the car hitting the guardrail head-on, smiting him immediately.
A distraught Stewart decided to withdraw from the race, which would have been his 100th, and announced his retirement shortly afterwards.
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Brands Hatch was the location for the 1985 European Grand Prix, and with just two races to go after it, Alain Prost was on course for his first Drivers’ Championship.
After missing out to teammate Niki Lauda the year before by half a point, the Frenchman’s nearest challenger was Ferrari’s Michele Alboreto.
But the Italian’s dwindling challenge dwindled further when his turbo seized, catching fire in the process.
Prost finished fourth to take the title, the first of his quartet of successes, but the day, to many in the stands that day, belonged to Nigel Mansell.
After an indifferent first season with Williams, Mansell, ever-improving, qualified third, and on race day, cruised to a maiden Grand Prix, defying the prediction of his previous team boss – Lotus’ Peter Warr – that he would never win one “as long as I’ve got a hole in my arse.”
The victory cemented Mansell’s relationship with the adoring British public, who witnessed both his arms aloft in the cockpit after crossing the line, leading commentator Murray Walker to proclaim: “He is exultant, he is exuberant, and he’s got every justification to be!”
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