Jochen Rindt (1942–1970) was the only racing driver to be posthumously awarded the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, after his death during the 1970 racing season. His debut in Formula One came in 1964 at the Austrian Grand Prix. He began racing for Cooper in 1965, then moved to Brabham for 1968 and Lotus in 1969. It was at Lotus that Rindt found a competitive car, although he had concerns about its safety. He won his first Formula One race at the 1969 United States Grand Prix. He had a very successful 1970 season, winning five of the first nine races, mainly in the revolutionary Lotus 72. In practice for the Italian Grand Prix, he spun into the guardrails after a failure on his brake shaft, and died from throat injuries. Overall, he competed in 62 Grand Prix races, winning 6 and achieving 13 podium finishes. He was also successful in sports car racing, winning the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans paired with Masten Gregory in a Ferrari 250LM. Rindt was a popular figure in Austria and his success increased interest there in motorsport, and Formula One in particular.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jochen_Rindt

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1264:

King Louis IX of France issued the Mise of Amiens, a settlement between King Henry III of England and barons led by Simon de Montfort heavily favouring the former, which later led to the Second Barons' War. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mise_of_Amiens

1793:

The Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia partitioned the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth for the second time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Partition_of_Poland

1915:

The Chilembwe uprising, regarded as a key moment in the history of Malawi, began as rebels, led by a minister, attacked local plantation owners. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilembwe_uprising

1997:

Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the first female United States Secretary of State, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government at that time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_Albright

2001:

Five people attempted to set themselves on fire in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, an act that many people later claimed was staged by the Communist Party of China to frame Falun Gong and thus escalate their persecution. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_self-immolation_incident

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

forspeak: 1. (transitive, dialectal, Northern England and Scotland) To injure or cause bad luck through immoderate praise or flattery; to affect with the curse of an evil tongue, which brings ill luck upon all objects of its praise. 2. (transitive, obsolete) To bewitch, to charm. 3. (transitive, obsolete) To forbid, to prohibit; to oppose. 4. (transitive, obsolete) To say bad things about; to slander. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/forspeak

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Ignorance is king. Many would not profit by his abdication. Many enrich themselves by means of his dark monarchy. They are his Court, and in his name they defraud and govern, enrich themselves and perpetuate their power. Even literacy they fear, for the written word is another channel of communication that might cause their enemies to become united. Their weapons are keen-honed, and they use them with skill. They will press the battle upon the world when their interests are threatened, and the violence which follows will last until the structure of society as it now exists is leveled to rubble, and a new society emerges. I am sorry: But that is how I see it.   --Walter M. Miller, Jr. https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Walter_M._Miller,_Jr.