A special chapter in F1 history was written on this day in 1975 when Lella Lombardi became the first woman to finish a world championship event in the top six.
The Italian driver's unique result occurred in the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix at Montjuich in Barcelona, where Lombardi finished sixth at the wheel of a March.
Unfortunately, Lombardi's accomplishment was reduced to a mere footnote on that fateful day as the race was marred by the tragic accident of German driver Rolf Stommelen whose Lola lost its rear wing, sending the car over the barriers where it hit and killed three spectators, a photographer and a fireman.
The race was subsequently stopped after 29 laps, with McLaren's Jochen Maas declared the winner and half points awarded to the top-six.
