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Leslie George Johnson was a British racing driver who competed in rallies, sports car races and Grand Prix races. He specialized in European endurance races such as Le Mans and the Mille Miglia. He also broke several world speed records for production sports cars.
He died 8 June 1959, aged 46, at Foxcote House, the family’s home in the village of Foxcote, Gloucestershire, England.

Gary Paffett was born on March 24, 1981 in Brombley, England. Paffett moved to F1 as test driver for McLaren Mercedes in 2006.

Didier Pironi was born in Villescresnes, Val-de-Marne, France. He competed in 72 Formula One Grand Prix, mostly for Ferrari and Tyrrell. He became runner up in the 1982 championship behind Keke Rosberg. Didier also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1978 driving a Renault Alpine A442B.
Pironi was killed on 23 August 1987 at Southampton, UK while racing power boats. Months later, his girlfriend gave birth to twins, naming them Didier and Gilles after Pironi and Villeneuve. Pironi was 35 years old.

David Coulthard was born in Twynholm, Scotland. He started his F1 career in 1994 with Williams where he stayed for two years. He joined McLaren in 1996 at the side of double world champion Mika Hakkinen (who won his titles in 1998 and 1999) and stayed there for 9 consecutive years. The Scott thereafter joined Red Bull to refuel his career with excellent performances.

After struggling mightily in qualifying, the McLaren team found their way on race day, as John Watson and Niki Lauda climbed from positions 22 and 23 on the grid to finish first and second in the final USGP West at Long Beach.

Sir John Arthur "Jack" Brabham, OBE (born 2 April 1926) is an Australian racing driver who was Formula One champion in 1959, 1960 and 1966.
In a self developed Cooper Climax, Brabham won the Formula One championship in 1959 and 1960. The years after that though, engines were limited to 1500cc and Jack was unable to win a single race during that period. When in 1966 the regulations allowed 3000cc engines he was able to win again in a Brabham-Repco in 1966. Jack was the first and only one to win the F1 championship in his own car, having founded his Brabham team in 1962.

Birth of Jacques Villeneuve at St Jean sur Richelieu, Canada. Jacques is the child of F1 legend Gilles Villeneuve. Jacques is the winner of the CART championship and the Indy500 in 1995. He entered Formula One in 1996 with Williams and immediately took pole position in his first race. He was runner up in the championship that year and was crowned champion in 1997. Unsuccessful seasons followed at BAR and Sauber after which he opted to join NASCAR in 2007.

Former Argentinian F1 driver, born in Santa Fé, Argentinia

Flavio Briatore, the Renault F1 Team Boss, was born on 12 April 1950 in Verzuolo, Italy.

Christijan Albers was born on April 16, 1979 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He made his F1 debut in 2004 as a test driver for the Minardi F1 Team and continued in 2005 as a race driver for the same team. For 2006, the Dutchman signed a contract with the new Midland F1 Team.

Anthony Davidson was born on April 18, 1979 in Hemel Hempstead, England. 'Ant' made his F1 debut in 2001 as he became test driver for BAR. Anthony Davidson is still third driver for the Honda Racing F1 Team.

Karl Jochen Rindt was an Austrian racing driver, born in Mainz, Germany. He is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship (in 1970), after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix. Rindt also won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1965.

Felipe Massa was born on the 25th of April 1981 in São Paulo Brazil. Massa made his F1 debut for the Sauber Petronas Team in 2002 and stayed there before signing a contract to race for Ferrari in 2006.

Jean-Pierre Beltoise was born in Paris, France. He is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver who raced for the Matra and BRM teams. He raced between 1967 until 1974, totalling one win, 8 podiums and 4 fastest laps in his 88 F1 races.

The Brazilian ace Ayrton Senna finds death after going off the road with his Williams. Ayrton went straight in the Tamburello corner in San Marino, a circuit that saw the death of Roland Ratzenberger just one day before. The circuit was consequently modified by introducing slower corners while the FIA initiated ambitious regulation changes to prevent anything similar from happening again.