Although they can be counted on one hand, during the 1960s Formula 1 did occasionally race during what is now known as the winter break, and on two occasions it even took place on New Year’s Day itself.

Both instances were held in South Africa — first in 1965 and then again in 1968. From the 1970s onwards, however, a calendar reshuffle saw Formula 1 adopt the March-to-December season structure that remains in place today.

The shift was driven by a combination of commercial and logistical considerations, with teams, broadcasters and promoters keen to avoid the New Year holiday window, while climate factors also played a role, as early-season races moved towards venues such as Australia and Bahrain rather than Southern Hemisphere holiday slots.

The very first Formula 1 race held around the turn of the New Year came in 1962, as the final round of that season, once again in South Africa. The race was won by Graham Hill, with Jim Clark and Tony Maggs completing the podium.

The second race held around the New Year followed a year later, on 28 December, with Jim Clark again taking victory — this time ahead of Dan Gurney and Graham Hill. It would remain the last Formula 1 race run in December until the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2019.

In 1965, Formula 1 staged its very first race on New Year’s Day — and once again it was Jim Clark who came out on top, beating John Surtees and Graham Hill to seal an all-British podium.

The race had originally been scheduled as the final round of the 1964 season, but was brought forward by a week, meaning it instead became the opening round — the first of ten races — of the 1965 season.

The 1967 race, held on 2 January, also served as the season opener, with Mexican driver Pedro Rodríguez taking victory ahead of John Love and John Surtees.

The following edition saw Jim Clark triumph once again — a victory that would prove to be his last before the tragic and fatal accident at the Hockenheimring — as he finished ahead of long-time rival Graham Hill and Austrian racer Jochen Rindt.