On 12 December, Formula One has twice reached its most dramatic extremes — and this episode of Chequered Past tells the story of championships decided at the very limit.

We begin at Sebring in 1959, where the World Championship was settled not by a chequered flag sprint, but by sheer determination. Jack Brabham arrived leading the standings, watched his rivals fall away, then saw his own Cooper run out of fuel on the final lap. What followed — Brabham pushing his car uphill to the line to secure the title — remains one of the most iconic images in Formula One history, on a day that also delivered Bruce McLaren’s first Grand Prix victory and confirmed the rise of the rear-engined era.

From there, we mark the birthday of Emerson Fittipaldi, a driver whose impact went far beyond his two world titles. Fittipaldi didn’t just win championships — he changed Formula One’s geography, opening the door for Brazil to become one of the sport’s great talent pipelines and reshaping what a world champion could look like.

We close with the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a modern finale that ended with a championship decided on the final lap under unprecedented circumstances. Equal on points, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen entered the race with everything at stake, and the outcome — and the controversy that followed — would leave a lasting mark on Formula One’s governance, credibility, and direction.

From Sebring to Yas Marina, this is the story of titles decided at the line — and the moments that continue to define Formula One long after the celebrations, and the arguments, have faded.

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Music by #Mubert Music Rendering