All the living Formula One World Champions are expected to participate in F1’s 60th Anniversary celebrations over the weekend of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, March 12-14. That group of survivors includes, chronologically, Jack Brabham, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, Mario Andretti, Jody Scheckter, Alan Jones, Nelson Piquet, Keke Rosberg, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, and Jenson Button. Four of those drivers remain active in F1 today.
Plans are afoot to have many of the cars driven by these champions to their titles on hand as well, and the whole program “promises to be something spectacular,” according to Bahrain circuit boss Martin Whitaker.