The question that has been asked a couple of times, why are you making this list? The 1960s are not that long ago. I like to believe that as well, reality is that 1960 was 65 years ago. The era where perhaps the biggest revolution happened in car design, from the last cigar tubes up to the wild grew of wings on Formula One cars. The era where safety regulations under the lead of Jackie Stewart started to become more serious. The era that brought the Formula One and us fans a lot. An era, with the oldest living driver in 2025 being 102 and the youngest 79. An era, we will lose soon. Time to honour those who are still alive and survived!
A little disclaimer. All drivers, that are still alive and competed during the Formula One races and non-championship races are in this list. For example during the 1960s there was the South African F1 Championship, as well, you had others. These are not included. The active years are the years the driver was active in the Formula One. In addition, the DNA’s are included.
Bill Dunlop (102) – Born 04-08-1922 – Brakpan South Africa
Active Years: 1961-1962
Bill Dunlop’s story is one of the most interesting stories in the history of Formula One. Especially from the drivers that are near 100 or over 100 that appeared in the sport. As Bill lost his parents at a young age. He got adopted by the parents of later racing legend George Cannel;. Cannell would appear in the 1960s in the South African Formula One championship with a Cooper T20. While the war was going on in Europe in South Africa were still races held. He went at the age of 18 to the last race at the Lord Howe Circuit in 1940. Just after the war Bill would just after the end of the war appear at the start of his first race. This was at the Alan Reeve circuit where he drove with a 3,5 litre Jaguar SS from 1938.
During the late 1940s, Bill would mostly race in the Midget cars, which was a popular series in several continents. However, due to the lack of interest of the series in late 1940 he moved overseas and started racing in the 500CC Formula 3 Championship. Due to this move, he would eventually find work at Lotus where he would stay until the late 1950s when he returned to South Africa. Bill only competed in non-championship races. In 1961, he appeared for the first time at the start of the South Africa V Rand Grand Prix with a Cooper T45. Where he retired due to an engine failure. A week later, he would appear for the start of the I Natal Grand Prix at Westmead. However, his car was not ready. During the South African Grand Prix of 1961 at Kyalami, he retired once more.
In 1962, he would appear at the start for two more non-championship races. The first one was the V Rand Grand Prix where he failed to qualify his Cooper. His last race in the Formula One would be during the II Natal Grand Prix in Westmead the 22nd of December 1962. Where he would retire as well for unknown reasons.
John Rhodes (97) – Born 18-08-1927 – Wolverhampton United Kingdom
Active Years: 1962/1965
John Rhodes is the second oldest surviving Formula One driver from the 1960s. His only Grand Prix was the 1965 British Grand Prix where he retired. However, he participated in several non-championship races. Rhodes got infected with the racing virus by his parents who were racers themselves. They appeared numerous times in the Land’s End Trial, which can be seen as the British Dakar. After he visited with his parents the British Grand Prix in Donington, he got hooked himself. After some motor racing, he appeared in 1958 at some Hillclimbs. In 1959, he moved to the Formula Junior Championship with Cooper. He would compete two seasons, scoring several podiums and a win. For 1961, he made the jump to the Irish Formula Junior, which he would win. That year he would appear as well at the start of several Formula Libre races where he won at Mallory Park. In 1962, he would appear for the first time at the start of a non-championship race. With a Cooper T59, he appeared at the start of the BRDC International Trophy finishing 13th and the International 2000 Guineas where he retired.
Staying in the Formula Junior he would race for Ken Tyrrell in 1963; it is also the year where he would gain his nickname “smokey”. He appeared that year in the British Saloon Championship with a Mini where his sideways driving style resulted in smoking tyres. Every now and then John appeared in the Formula 3 though mostly during Saloon racing. It didn’t mean he would not race in the 1965 British Grand Prix with a Cooper T60 and in 4 non-championship races with a Cooper T60 and Cooper T71.
Hans Herrmann (96) – Born 23-02-1928 – Stuttgart Germany
Active Years: 1953-1955 / 1957-1961 / 1966 / 1968Since the death of Tony Brooks earlier in 2022 Hans became the last surviving F1 podium finished of the 1950s. He finished as third during the Swiss Grand Prix in 1954 when he drove for Mercedes in the Formula One. Sadly there isn’t much info available about Hans his earliest year with motorsport. Born in 1928 he had to suffer the insanity of Nazi Germany. His mother had a patisserie/coffee shop. Although he was to take over the business he always dreamed about to become the new Rosemeyer. It seems that he started to race in rallies after the war and in sprint races. Before he appeared at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1953 with a Porsche 550 Coupé from Porsche KG. He would finish the race as second!
That same year Hans made his debut in the Formula One. He joined the paddock during the German Grand Prix of 1953 with a Veritas Meteor fitted with a Veritas 2.0 L6. He finished the race as ninth. It seems he impressed Neubauer from Mercedes as he offered him a drive for 1954 with the team. It would be his best season as he finished 3th during the Swiss Grand prix and finished fourth on Monza.
The years after 1954 he drove sporadic in the Formula One. Mostly for privateers. His racing blood was with endurance races.
Hans was successful in races such as the Mille Miglia, Targo Florio and several 12 hours events. Especially with Porsche, he was very successful in the mid and late 1960s. Winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall with the Porsche 917K was his masterpiece. However, the Formula One kept appearing on his path. It seemed that his Grand Prix career was over after 1961, he came back in 1966 with the Brabham BT18 for the 1966 German Grand Prix. He was also on the starting list for the 1969 German Grand Prix with a Lotus 59B.
After retirement in 1970, he kept around in the autosport. He started a company in automotive supplies. He would also stay around in the historical racing doing many demonstration runs for Porsche.
David Piper (94) – Born 02-12-1930 – Edgeware United Kingdom
Active Years: 1959-1960
David started his career in the early 1950s when he appeared at sprint and hill climb races. His career on the circuits started in 1955 when he got himself a Lotus Eleven which was a good choice. He started to win races and that was not unseen by others. For 1956, he would appear at the start of the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and the 12 Hours of Reims. In 1959 Piper would made his debut in the Formula One with the Lotus 16 from Dorchester Service Station during the British Grand Prix. He retired in lap 19 because of overheating.
In 1960, he would appear on the grid for the British Grand Prix as well. This time he drove the Lotus 16 for Robert Bodle Ltd. He finished the race as twelfth. It were not the only Formula One races he drove. Between 1959 and 1962, he competed in 13 races. After 1962, he left the single seater racing and focused his career on endurance and saloon racing. In 1968, he drove in the 24 Hour of Le Mans with the Ferrari 250 LM and finished second in his class. Sadly, in 1970, during filming for Steve McQueen’s Le Mans film he lost part of his lower leg during a crash. He retired racing after 1978, when he incidental drove. Later on, he would appear in historical racing.
Eugene Bosman (94) – Born 01-01-1931 – Johannesburg South Africa
Active Years: 1961-1963
Eugene Bosman is one of the many South African drivers that appeared every now and then in non-championship races. In the 1960s, the South African F1 Championship was booming, with even Formula One teams attending races. However, there is not much known about Eugene Bosman.
In 1961, he appeared at three non-championship races at Kyalami, Westmead and East London, which he entered with a Lotus 15. However, there is not much info available about Eugene. Motorsportmedia.co.za has an article where Bosman’s career is mentioned a couple of times.
Philip Robinson (92) – Born 17-05-1932 – Borrowash United Kingdom
Active Years: 1962/1963
Robinson started racing on a later age, in the early 1950s he started racing in saloon events. In 1954 he made the move to the 500cc (Formula 3) with a Cooper MK V Jap. At that time, it was already an outdated car. A year later, he would appear with a Cooper MK VIII at the races. He would eventually keep on racing in the series until the end of 1959 scoring several wins and podiums. At the end of the season, he would move to the Formula Junior. In his first two seasons, he would appear with an Alexis on the grid. In 1962, he appeared with the Lotus 18 Climax on the grid. That same year Robinson would make his debut in the Formula One during the non-championship race at Oulton Park during the Oulton Park Gold Cup.
Sadly, he would retire for that race. In 1963, he would attempt two more non-championship races the first one was the International Trophy at Silverstone where he would retire. The last race was at Solitude during the Solitude Grand Prix. Where he was not classified during the race.
His most recent race seems to be the Formula 2 race at Zandvoort from 1967 where he retired with his Alexis 8 Lotus due to chassis issues in the fourth lap.
Àlex Soler-Roig (92) – Born 29-10-1932 – Barcelona Spain
Active Years: 1967/ 1970-1972
Àlex Soler-Roig is an interesting individual that once raced in the Formula One. It all started for him with motorcycle racing before he made the move to autosport. In the late 1950s, he was mostly active during rallies mostly driving with a Fiat or a Porsche. He would keep on racing in rallies deep into the 1960s before he made his first attempt in monocoque cars. In 1966, he debuted with a Lotus 41 in the F3 Trofeo Juan Jover race at Barcelona. A year later, he would fail to qualify his Lotus for several Formula 3 races. However, that same year he was very successful in the Sports cars where he drove for Escuderia Montjuich in their Porsche 906. At this time Àlex was already planning to debut in the Formula One during the non-championship race at Barcelona. He qualified his Lotus 48 on the sixteenth place, on race day he had to withdraw from the race for unknown reasons. A year later he would appear in the European Formula 2 Championship and made his debut at LeMans. Via touring cars in 1969, he would re-appear on the grid in 1970.
This time he would appear with Garvey Team Lotus in a Lotus 49C during the Spanish Grand Prix, sadly for him he would not qualify for this race. The next race he would appear was with a Lotus 72C from World Wide Racing at the French Grand Prix. Also during the French Grand Prix, he did not manage to qualify his car. In 1971, he would give it another shot with the STP March Racing Team. The five races he would race for the team he would retire four and failed to qualify for the Monaco Grand Prix. That same year he appeared with the March 711 at the start of the non-championship race at Hockenheim in memory of Jochen Rindt, finishing eight.
For 1972, backed by Marlboro he would appear a couple of races for the BRM team with their P160B. Which was not the best car on the grid. HE would retire during the Argentinian and Spanish Grand Prix. His last Formula One race was in 1972 with the BRM P153 during the non-championship race at Interlagos. While his Formula One career was not a success he would have more in the Sports Cars series where he won the national title in 1970. In 1971 and 1972, he won the Spanish Touring Car Championship.
Gaetano Starrabba (92) – Born 03-12-1932 – Palermo Italy
Active Years: 1961-1962
Gaetano Starrabba was, you might say, one of the many noble drivers that appeared at the start of a Grand Prix in the early 1960s. Gaetano’s title is Prince Gaetano Starrabba di Giardinelll. The first sime Gaetano appeared at the start of a race was the Targa Florio of 1955, where the then 22 year old entered with a Maserati AGGCS. Upon his Formula One debut in 1961 he raced with Maserati’s, Ferrari’s Porsche’s and OSCA. Mostly in Sportscars and endurance races. Scoring decent results, in 1961 he makes this first steps to single seater racing.
What is unthinkable today was more the norm back in the early 1960s, simply entering for a Formula One race with a Lotus or Cooper or Brabham. Due to the 1,5litre, regulations and plenty of races and non-championship races made it easier to debut. Starrabba purchased a Lotus 18, which he would fit with a Maserati engine. The first time he would appear with his Lotus 18 at a Grand Prix was the non-championship race 1961 Modena Grand Prix where he would retire due to a malfunctioning engine. His second race was during the 1961 Italian Grand Prix held at Monza. He qualified himself on a 30th place though had to retire again due to a malfunctioning engine. The 12th of October that year, he would appear once more at the start of a Grand Prix. The 1961 Coppa Italia. He manage to finish this race finally!
While continue racing in the sportscars like the Targa Florio in 1962 he would keep on racing in non-championship races as well. Still with the Lotus 18, he appeared at the start of the 1962 Naples Grand Prix where he retired in the first lap. The same goes for 1963 where he appeared at the start of the 1963 Imola Grand Prix where he retired due to a throttle linkage. During the 1963 Syracuse Grand Prix, he finished sixth. During the Rome Grand Prix, it went even better finishing fifth.
His Last Grand Prix would have been during the 1963 Mediterranean Grand Prix at Pergusa. However, he failed to qualify with his Lotus 18. Therefore, it seems that he decided to retire from Formula One racing. In 1964, he made his debut in the Formula 3 and Formula 2 it seems. However, he would continue racing until the late 1960s mostly in Sportscars.
Brian Gubby (90) – Born 17-04-1934 – Surrey United Kingdom
Active Years: 1964-1965
Brian Gubby was the son of a jockey; probably the most of you know Brian as racehorse trainer and not as a Formula One driver. At the age of 25, Brian Gubby appeared for the first time at the start of a race with an Austin A30. He would race several years in Saloon races before he would make the move to the single seaters. In early 1960, he purchased a Lotus eleven and also a Lotus 18 to kick-start his Formula Junior career. Showing some decent results in both the saloon racing and Formula Junior in 1960 and 1961 he purchased one of the Ausper T4’s that were around. He would race with the car in 1962. In that season, he lost one of his friends Dennis Taylor who died during the Formula Junior race at Monaco.
For 1964 he acquired the Lotus to race mostly in the Formula Libre, though it was the season he was to debut in the Formula One as well with the Lotus 24.It was the Mediterranean Grand Prix where he would make his debut. Sadly, he crashed in the practice for the race therefore; he had to withdraw in an early stage for the Grand Prix. A year later, he would debut in the Formula One during the British Grand Prix. It would be his last race. During the practice session, he encountered again a problem with his Lotus as it jumped out of the sixth gear. Having again a huge shunt, he decided to retire from autosport and focus on Horse Racing. The Mediterranean Grand Prix from 1965 he withdrew his entry for.
Michael May (90) – Born 18-08-1934 – Stuttgart Württemberg Germany
Active Years: 1961-1962
While born in Germany Michael May has the Swiss nationality. As an engineer, he was one of the first to experiment with aerodynamics. In 1956, he and his brother entered the 1000km of the Nürburgring in a Porsche 550 Spyder, nothing special you would say. However, the car was fitted with an adjustable elevated wing above the cockpit that gave the advantage in speed and quick lap times. They were four seconds faster than the Porsche Factory team. Hanstein, at that time Porsche racing director, protested the usage of the wing, and May had to take the wing of the car. He would eventually help Porsche and Ferrari in the 1960s and 1970s.
However, his race career started in the early 1950s mostly amateur based before he would start in the World Sports Car Championship with that Porsche 550 Spyder. However, not much is known about his career. Around 1958 he started to race in the Formula Junior until he entered the Formula One in 1961. He appeared with a Lotus 18 during the Monaco Grand Prix and the French Grand Prix. During the German Grand Prix, he crashed badly therefore, he did not race in Italy. It’s also the reason he did not appear at Oulton the 23th of September 1961 to race. For 1962, he was on the entry list for the Pau Grand Prix with a Lotus 18. However, he did not arrive. It seems that he stopped racing and had his focus on engineering.
Peter Ashdown (90) – Born 16-10-1934 – Danbury United Kingdom
Active Years: 1959-1960
Peter Ashdown is one of the youngest veterans of the 1950s. He started racing with a Ford engined Dellow around 1953 in local sprint and hill climb races and trials. In 1955, he purchased a Lotus IX sports car when he started to win races. In 1956, Ashdown appeared more on the circuits. During most of the races, he managed to finish on the podium. It was also the year that he would race on the continent appearing in Sweden. For 1958, he received an offer from Colin Chapman to become a works driver for the Lotus team. This opportunity was halted when he sustained a broken collarbone during a crash at Rouen-Les-Essarts. A year later, he would appear on the starting list of the British Grand Prix. He drove with the Cooper T45 from Equipe Alan Brown. He finished the race as twelfth.
While he declined an offer for more Formula One races for Frank Nichols, as he went for Lola to drive with the Coventry Climax. In 1960, he was to attend the non-championship Lombak Trophy with a Lola F2 car. Sadly, the car was not ready at that point. The same year he won the BRSCC Formula Junior series. His last race would have been the 1000km of the Nürburgring in 1964 with the Lola Mk.1. However, he did not arrive.
A.J. Foyt (90) – Born 16-01-1935 – Houston United States
Active Years: 1959-1960Foyt his first taste with speed was as a five-year-old boy when his father built him a toy racer from a lawnmower engine. He began serious racing in the USAC Midget Cars series in 1953. He would stay in the championship for a couple of years winning many races. Foyt left the series at the end of 1957 to focus fully on his career in the Sprint Car series which he debuted in in 1956. He won his first Sprint Race that year.
He also made his debut in the Championship Car, what is called today the Indy Car Series. In 1958 he made his debut on the Indy500 with the Kuzma Offenhauser from Dean van Lines. He finished the race as 16th. A year later he would appear again at the Indy500 also racing for Dean van Lines. In the 1950s the Indy500 was official a race in the Formula One. Therefore, he was active in the Formula One from 1958 until 1960.
Eventually A.J. Foyt would become the driver that had the most starts at the Indy500. In total, he would compete 35 times and won the race four times. His last race would be in the NASCAR Winston Cup Races. He later formed his racing team A.J. Foyt racing. As of 31 December 2024, he is the oldest winner of the Indy500.
Mike Beckwith (89) – Born 15-03-1935 – Hendon, North London United Kingdom
Active Years: 1963
Mike is one of those British drivers that appeared in almost any race series during the 1960s and 1970s. Before he started racing he worked as a car salesman in North London. Thanks to this job, he would eventually be able to become a professional race driver. In 1960, he made his race debut with a Lotus Eleven at Goodwood a year later he would purchase a second hand Lotus Eleven an win nine races! In 1962, things went only better when the company he worked for bought him a Lotus 23 winning 21 races that season.
A hell of a job, something he would do again in 1963 the same year he would debut in the Formula One during the non-championship race at Oulton, where he replaced Jim Hall. He drove with the Lotus 24 BRM though in lap 17 he had to retire. For 1964, a BRM contract was looming. After he tested with BRM, however he never got the race seat. That year Mike would appear in the Formula Two and become one of the drivers in the Sportscars he retired in 1971 to concentrate on motor trading.
Jim Hall (89) – Born 23-07-1935 – Abilene Texas – USA
Active Years: 1960-1963
Jim Hall is one of the pioneers of the 1960s with the influence we still see in the autosport. He was one of the designers that started working on aerodynamics and moveable aerodynamics. He is also known from the Chaparrals cars. Jim comes from a family that had an oil business, his parents and sister died after a crash with their light airplane. His brothers would continue the family company, which at that point sponsored Carroll Shelby. Hall would get his major in mechanical engineering. In 1953, he would start racing when he appeared at the start of a race in the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) in an Allard. He would keep on racing in the series for a couple of seasons.
In 1960, he acquired a Lotus 18 which he fitted with the 2,5litre Climax engine. And would appear at the start of his first Grand Prix. During the USA Grand Prix at Riverside which he finished as seventh. In 1961 and 1962, he appeared again with the Lotus 18 and Lotus 21 on the entry lists for the American Grand Pix at Watkins Glen. In 1961, he retired during the race and in 1962 he did not start. He appeared with the Lotus 21 during the Non-Championship race at Mexico where he finished fourth.
For 1963, he would race a full season in the Formula One for BRP (British Racing Partnership) with a Lotus 24 fitted with a BRM V8 engine. During the British and German Grand Prix he finished as fifth and sixth, scoring three points. He raced also in many Non-Championship races where he scored a couple of op six finishes. After the Formula One he went racing in the Canadian-American Challenge Cup. Later he would appear with his own team in Indy Car.
Bill Brack (89) – Born 26-11-1935 – Toronto Canada
Active Years: 1968-1969 / 1972
Brack is probably best known for winning the Formula Atlantic Championship in 1973, 1974 and 1975. His racing career started in 1959 with ice-racing in a Mini. Later he would appear in the Canadian Saloon Championship with a Mini Cooper. In 1965, he started his own dealership Sportscar Unlimited in Clarkston and became the Lotus distributor in Canada. At this point, he started to race with Lotus cars as well.
In 1967 and 1968, Brack would mostly race with Lotus 41 in the Formula B and with the Lotus 47. In 1968 with his Lotus, he would win the Formula B Championship in Canada and also in the United States.
In 1969, Bill would also make his debut in the Formula One when he appeared with a Lotus 49B at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix. He retired in lap 18 due to a broken half shaft. A year later he appeared at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix again, this time with a BRM P138 though was not classified as he finished on 10 laps from the winner. In 1969, he had his last attempt in the Formula one this time with a BRM P180 though retired again during the race. After his Formula One adventure he would become one of the drivers in the Formula Atlantic Championship which he won three times!
Keith Holland (89) – Bron 06-12-1935 – Maidstone United Kingdom
Active Years: 1969 / 1971-1974
If you look at Keith Holland his career you will see that he competed several years in the Rothmans F5000 championship. This championship eventually involved in a championships where many Formula One cars would end up racing in. He started racing in 1961 when he appeared with a Lotus Seven in the BRSCC scoring twice a third place in the season. In 1962, he continued racing in the BRSCC with a GSM Delta which he would continue racing with in 1963. It seems that in the years 1964 until 1966 he only drove sporadically. In 1967, he returned to the BRSCC with Alan Fraser Racing Team. In 1968, he would appear in the BRSCC and also started in the Formula Ford as well he would race in several endurance races with a Ford GT40.
His breakthrough would happen in 1969 when Keith appeared at the start of the non-championship race 1969 Madrid Grand Prix at Jarama, which was a Grandprix-ish race. The intention was to held a full scale Grand Prix as the Spanish Grand Prix had been moved. However, there was only a slightly mix of F5000 and F1 cars. From the start of the race, Keith would lead the race, and eventually win It with his Lola T-142 fitted with a Chevy V8 engine. He finished eight at the race held on Oulton park.That same year he made his debut in the French Formula 3 Championship and later in the British Formula 3 Championship.
Form 1971 until 1974 Keith Holland would appear in several non-championship races while he also continued racing in the Formula 5000 until 1977. His best year was in 1973 when he finished third in the Championship with wins at Mallory Park and Mondello Park racing with Trojans. The last two seasons the Championship was rebranded to the well known Shellsport Championship where he finished third again in 1976.
Ernst Maring (88) – Born 31-03-1936 – Braunschweig Germany
Active Years: 1963-1964
Ernst Maring is best known for his own company Maco Cars who started building Formula Vee cars. After the change of Formula 3 regulations in 1971, he moved to the Formula 3. As well Formula 2 car were build. Maco cars had some decent results in the series they were active in. Ernst Maring would race with his cars as well until 1980. However, his career once started in 1963 during the non-championship race III Solituderennen. He appeared at the start with a Lotus 18 fitted with a Borgward engine, he retired due to an engine problem. In 1964, he would race again at the Solitudering with the Lotus 18.
Jackie Lewis (88) – Born 01-11-1936 – Stroud, Gloucestershire United Kingdom
Active Years: 1959/1961-1962
At an early stage in his life Jackie became active in the autosport. A career that would not last long. In 1958, he completed the Cooper Racing School and appeared with a Norton in the Formula 3. In the 13 races he appeared at the start he managed to win 3 of them. For 1959, he made the move to the British Formula 2 Championship where he appeared with the Cooper T45. In 1959, he would appear with a Cooper T45 at the non-championship race XIV BARC Aintree 200 where he finished seventh. Though this was under Formula 2 regulations.
In 1960, Jackie stayed in the Formula 2 and outperform later Formula One champion Jack Brabham and winning the championship. Interesting is that Jackie could have made his debut in the Formula One in 1960.
This is an interesting story Ted Jeff at that time the mechanic for the team he drove in the Formula 2 designed his own Formula One car. The car was even thus far that it stood on wheels in the garage from Team Lewis. Sadly, the project was abandoned and the tube was sold and later seen in hill-climbs. For 1961 he purchased a Cooper T53 and would race in the Formula One. His debut would be during the Belgian Grand Prix where he finished as ninth. During the Grand Prix of Italy, he managed to finish as fourth good enough for three points. During most of the races in 1961, he qualified in the mid-field and was able to bring a good pace during the races.
For 1962, he moved to the newly formed Ecurie Galloise, where he would originally race with the BRM P48/57. However, this car was not yet ready and had to use the Cooper during the Dutch Grand Prix where he finished seventh. In Monaco the BRM was ready and he oud qualified three of their works drivers. However, this is where Jackie get a bad taste of the politics that were slowly entering the Formula One. While he was faster, he was denied entry for the Grand Prix. He skipped the Belgian Grand Prix and returned with the Cooper in France. He also appeared in several non-championship races where he had a big shunt during his race at Olton Park where one of his wheels came off.
It seems that Jackie did race with a Sunbeam in 1963 though this was the last of his promising race career. The saga with BRM in Monaco seemed to be the reason he retired, his reputation was more or less destroyed by it. He would eventually buy a farm Llandovery where he became a sheep farmer.
Roger Penske (87) – Born 20-02-1937 – Shaker Heights/Ohio USA
Active Years: 1961-1962
Roger Penske is one of the most known active people in the autosport these days. At the age of 87, he is still going fast. Besides his Team Penske he owns since 2020 Indianapolis and owns since 2019 the IndyCar. However, he started in his teenage years with buying old cars, repair them and sold them for a profit. It is this with the help of his father he would become a successful businessman. His racing career started a long time ago in the 1950s when he started racing in Hillclimb races. In 1960 he would enter the SCCA championship which he would win that same year. For 1961 he stayed there and would debut in the Formula One with a Cooper T53 finishing eight during the USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. In 1962, he would race with a Lotus 24 during the USA Grand Prix finishing ninth. After 1963, he retired from active racing and became a team owner.
Brian Redman (87) – Born 09-03-1937 – Burnley United Kingdom
Active Years: 1967-1975
Brian Redman is one of the few drivers that was competitive and successful in any car he would race in. In 1978 and 1980 he would win the 24 Hours of LeMans with Porsche. In 1970 he won the Targa Florio and in 1974, 1975 and 1976 he won the F5000 US championship. His first steps with racing was in 1959 when he appeared on the track with a supercharged Morris Minor, the same car he would race with in 1960 during several saloon races . The years that followed he stayed racing in saloon cars, purchasing eventually a Mini 850 and briefly owning a Jaguar XK120. In 1965 he would have his first successful season, Red Rose Motors had invited him to test with a Jaguar E-Type. Once testing on Oulton Park he lapped the record from Jackie Stewart by 1,5 second and was prompted a contract. That year he would win fifteen of the seventeen races. In 1966 his year would become even better racing with the Ford GT40, Jaguar E-Type and he would debut in the Formula Libre with a Lola T70 winning races at Oulton Park and Rufforth.
The year later, he was mostly racing during endurance races, he did a lot of 1000km races and eventually was to race in the Formula One as well. He was to race during the German Grand Prix, interesting was that this race was held for Formula One and Formula Two cars. Though, Redman did not start with his Lola T100. He would race during the non-championship races of Gold Cup at Oulton Park and Spanish Grand Prix. A year later, he would return to the Formula One with a Cooper T81B which was powered by the Maserati engine. He had to retire during the South African Grand Prix. The next race was the Spanish Grand Prix held at Jarama where he appeared now with the Cooper T86B. He finished the race as third. In 1969 he would not race in the Formula One though appear in endurance races he won the six hours of Brands Hatch and the 1000km of Monza.
In 1970, he returned to the grid with Frank Williams Racing, at that time Williams was not the Williams of the 1980s and 1990s. Instead, he did not start during the British Grand Prix and failed to qualify his car for German Grand Prix. De Tomaso 505 was not the best car on the grid. Formula One was more a sideshow for Brian as he was successful in any other series. In 1971, he appeared with Surtees in the TS7 is South Africa finishing seventh. In 1973, he did three races for McLaren where he raced in Monaco finishing fifth, France finishing ninth and Germany finishing fourth. He did one race for BRM in the P160.
In 1973 and 1974, he appeared with the Shadow team at some races. However, the results were far from good, neither was Shadow doing that good in those days. For Ensign he did one or two non-championship races. In 1975, he had a last attempt to qualify for a non-championship race though failed to qualify his Chevron B24. After the Formula One he would compete successfully in endurance races until the early 1990s.
Mauro Bianchi (87) – Born 31-07-1937 – Milan Italy
Active Years: 1961/1969
Mauro Bianchi was born In Milan though moved to Belgium in 1946 just after the war. His father worked as a race mechanic for the Alfa Romeo team before the war. Mauro his brother Lucien Bianchi became also a racing driver. Mauro started racing in 1959 when he appeared with a Porsche 356A at the Tour de France a year later he would race with a Ferrari 250 GT during the Grand Prix of Rouen. That same year he joined the Belgian National Team in the Formula 2 where he would race with a Cooper T51. In 1961, he would debut in the Formula One when he appeared with a Emeryson MK1 at the Modena Grand Prix where he failed to qualify.
In 1962 and 1963 he became a works driver for the Abarth team where he would debut in the 24 Hours of LeMans with the team in 1962 with an Abarth-Simca 1300 and the Fiat-Abarth 700S. The year later he appeared during many endurance races where he had success. In 1964, he joined Alpine team where he would race for them in the Formula 2, Formula 3 and several endurance races such as LeMans several seasons. In 1965 he won with his brother the Nürburgring 500km.
In the winter of 1967/1968 Alpine had asked him if he would become their test driver. Alpine was the first one that would develop a Turbo engine and have it debuting in the Formula One. He tested with the Alpine A350. During the LeMans edition of 1968, he suffered a massive accident. For 1969, Mauro was to race again in the Formula One however, when his brother passed away during a fatal accident at LeMans in 1969 he retired from racing and focused on engineering and developing.
Neil Corner (87) – Born 11-09-1937 – Leyburn United Kingdom
Active Years: 1969
There is not much info available about Neil Corner his early days in the autosport. Already in 1965, he was mostly racing with historic Grand Prix cars such as the Alfa Romeo P3. He continued historic racing for decades which made him a well-known historical driver. However, Neil did competed in the Formula One in 1969. During the non-championship race at Madrid he finished fourth with a Cooper T86 fitted with the Maserati. In Late 1968 he saw an advert in Autosport where Cooper offered the Type 86B powered by Maserati for 3000 pound. With the deal included were three spare engines and a truckload full of spare parts. While his mechanic had to modify the Cooper as Neil did not fit in the cockpit and even got stuck. In 1973, he appeared at the start of LeMans with a Ferrari 365 GTB.
Roy Pike (86) – Born 29-08-1938 – Pittsburgh USA
Active Years: 1969-1970
The King of Formula 3 was Roy Pike’s nickname back in the 1960s. Like many other drivers in the mid-1960s, he was unable to grow through Formula 2 towards the Formula One. The costs were high, and the allowance of Formula 2 cars on the grid didn’t pay out as they wanted. Roy Pike started his career in the autocross where appeared with a MG. In 1960, he moved to Formula Junior and in 1961 he appeared with his own build Formula Junior powered by BMC. In 1962, he move to the UK to start racing there in the Formula Junior with a Ausper T3.
He would stay a couple of season before he tried his luck in 1964 in the Lotus 23 in the Sportscars championship. That same year he would debut in the British Formula 2 with a Lotus 22. Later in the year he would appear at the start of the French Formula 3 for Team Alexis. In 1965, he would stay in the series, as well he would continue racing in the Sportscar championship. Besides the French Formula 3 championship Pike would appear in many Formula 3 races in Europe. The highlight of the year was winning the 24 Hours of LeMans with a Ferrari 3.3. With a Brabham BT21, he appeared at the start of the British Grand Prix in 1967.
Around this time, Dan Gurney has asked Roy Pike if he was interested to test his Formula One car, with eventually the debut in the Formula One. It seems that the next never happened. In 1968, he started to only race in endurance racing taking a break from single seater racing. Though, in 1969 he returned to the British Formula 3 championship and appeared at the start of the European Formula 2. During the Race of Champions he was to appear with a Brabham BT23 at the start though did not start. In 1970, he completed a season in the F5000 with Leda before he retired racing. He was to race during the non-championship race with a Leda L20 though did not start.
Brausch Niemann (85) – Born 07-01-1939 – Durban South Africa
Active Years: 1962-1963/1965
While the name would make you believe Brausch Niemann (full name Ambraüsus) is from Germany, he is not. Niemann is one of the many South Africans that raced in an era when Formula One racing was booking in South Africa, with it’s own championship. Perhaps he is most known for the car he was racing with in the Formula One, it was a Lotus Seven. Indeed that Lotus Seven was not such designed to compete in the Formula One. However, Brausch stripped the car completely, fitted a Ford engine. Cut the chassis in two to narrow it to have it fitting the regulations. There you have the Lotus Seven hybrid at the start of the 1962 2nd Rand Grand Prix which was a non-championship race.
It seems that Brausch Niemann, who is from German origin, started racing in local club and saloon races before he appeared at the start of the 1962 second Rand Grand Prix with his Lotus Seven. He qualified his car on the last place though finished the race as eleventh. The next race would be the Natal Grand Prix at Westmead also a non-championship race. He did not finish the race as he retired in lap 12. In 1963, Brausch appeared with the Lotus 22 at the start of the South African Grand Prix which he finished as fourteenth 19 laps behind the winner. He would appear once more with the Lotus 7 during the fourth Mozambique Grand Prix. In 1964, he started at the fourth Rand Grand Prix with the Lotus 22 while in 1965 he tried to qualify for the South African Grand Prix though did not qualify. Later he would switch to motorcycle racing and win the title in 1979.
Dieter Quester (85) – Born 30-05-1939 – Vienna Austria
Active Years: 1969/1974
The Austrian probably holds the record of most participations in 24-Hour races. He raced in 53 of them! Questers racing career did not start in the autosport, he started his competitive career in motorboats in the 1950s. It is only in late 1965, when he comes in contact with BMW and starts racing for the company in the Austrian Touring Car Championship in a BMW 1800 in 1966.In 1968 and 1969, with BMW, he won two European titles, the same time he drove for BMW in their unsuccessful Formula 2 adventure. In 1969, he was appeared at the start of the German Grand Prix with the BMW Formula 2 car. He qualified the car on the 22nd place, though BMW withdrew all their cars from the race.
Eventually BMW ditched their Formula 2 project. Although, Quester winning one race in 1971. The years that followed Dieter was very successful with BMW in Touring Car Championships until he had another opportunity to race in the Formula One. When he appeared with a Surtees TS14 at the 1974 Austrian Grand Prix. He qualified the slow Surtees as 25th and last, and finished the race as ninth on three laps from the winner. Until 2014, Dieter kept active as a race driver and won several races. Anno 2025 he every now and then appears at historic races.
Sir Jackie Stewart (85) – Born 11-06-1939 – Milton Scotland
Active Years: 1964-1973
Jackie Stewart doesn’t need an introduction he is the oldest living Formula One Championship as in 2025. He became World Champion in 1969, 1971 and he was to retire after his 100th Grand Prix. However, he retired one race prior when his friend and team mate François Cevert had a fatal crash for the USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in the free practice. Jackie’s career started at the age of 21 when he tested some cars on Oulton Park from one of his relatives. It seems that in 1960, he completed his first race in the NSCC race at Silverstone with his Austin-Healey. In an Aston Martin DB4 GT he would win his first race in 1961 during the Charterhall race weekend.
In 1962 and 1963, Stewart started to win more and more races. After he tested with a Jaguar on Oulton Park and matched the times with Salvadori, to see if he was ready to become professional driver the answer was given. Ecurie Ecosse offered him to test with their Cooper and in 1963, he would score thirteen wins! For 1964, he would continue racing for Ecurie Ecosse. However, Ken Tyrrell heard about Jackie and asked him to come to Goodwood to test with the Cooper T72. At that time, Ken was running the Formula Junior for Cooper. After Jackie was quicker then Bruce McLaren who was also testing, Ken offered Jackie a contract on the spot. The rest is history!
In 1964, he on the British Formula 3 championship with the Cooper T72 for Ken Tyrrell. That same year he would have his first taste with the Formula One. He entered with Team Lotus the Rand Grand Prix with a Lotus 33, finishing seventeenth. In his first full season in the Formula One in 1965, he finish third in the championship. Only to won the Championship three times in the year that followed. Jackie has always been advocating the safety around and on the track. Especially in those days many drivers let their lives on the track due to poor safety standards.
David Hobbs (85) – Born 19-06-1939) – Warwickshire United Kingdom
Active Years: 1964/ 1966-1968 / 1970-1974
Many of you known David Hobbs (probably) as a former commentator for CBS or Speed TV. In 1969, he was included in the FIA list of graded drivers. This was a group of 27 drivers who by their achievements were rated the best in the world. In 2009, he was inducted into the Motorsports hall of fame of America. Hobbs career started in the 1950s when he started racing when he appeared at the start of a Saloon race at Snetterton. He appeared there in a modified Morris Oxford. He would win ni 1959 four races with that car. With a Jaguar XK 140 in 1960, he quickly moved to a Lotus Elite where he won 14 of the 18 races in the British Saloon Championship.
In 1966, he made the move to the British Formula 2 Championship. He had a Merlyn MK9. Though, the best results he managed to get in Sportscars and GT racing. What many have forgotten is that Hobbs his first taste with Formula One was in 1964 during the 9th Aintree Grand Prix, where he appeared with the Merlyn MK7, a Formula 2 car, at the start. He retired in lap 24 due to overheating. In 1965, he was to debut in the Formula One for Tim Parnell for the 1965 French Grand Prix. He never appeared at the start due to a accident he had prior the Grand Prix. He would race for the team during the non-championship race at Syracuse in a Lotus 33 finishing third. In 1967, he would appear for BRM and Lola on the grid during the British, German and Canadian Grand Prix finishing all three of them in the top 10. In 1968, he would appear at the start of the Italian Grand Prix for Italy, only to retire. While he did a better job in the British Saloon Car Championship finishing third overall. In 1971, and 1973 he would appear twice at the start of a Grand Prix while he did also non-championship races until 1974.
After 1974, he left the Formula One and started focussing on racing in the States. Where he was pretty successful in the endurance races and appeared four times at the start of the Indy 500. He would be active as a driver until 1990. A little trivia, he won the 24 Hours of LeMans twice! The first time in 1962, with a Lotus Elite MK14 and in 1982 with a Porsche 935/78.
Mario Andretti (84) – Born 28-02-1940 – Montana, Istria – Italy
Active Years: 1968-1982
Another driver that don’t needs an introduction, Mario Andretti is the second oldest living Formula One Champion. He won the Championship in 1978 for Team Lotus in the beautiful Black Gold 78 and 79. With Lotus he would also make his debut in the Formula One in 1968. A career that would span three decades of Formula One! Mario Andretti’s early life is interesting. The family had to move as they were originally from Istria. This area became Yugoslavia in 1947 after the war ended. In Italy, he and his brother experienced their first taste of speed when they watched Ascari win at Monza in 1953. The family moved to the States in 1955. The family moved to Nazareth, in the same city was the Nazareth Speedway. A Half-mile dirt track where the brothers would spent a lot of time.
In 1959, the brothers started racing in the Limited Sportsman class with a Hudson car. Mario’s first win happened that year when he won two races. In 1960 and 1961, he won 46 races in stock cars! Until the 1980s, he would race in the USAC Championship Car where he won the Championship three times in 1965, 1966 and 1969. In 1969, he won also the Indy 500. His debut in the Formula One was in 1968 for Team Lotus during the USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. Racing a year later again for Team Lotus without success he moved for 1970 to the new March team. In his second Grand Prix for the team, he scored a podium finish. It was enough for Enzo Ferrari to offered Andretti a contract to race for his team. It started promising in 1971, winning the first race of the season. However, during the season the results became less and less.
In 1973, he left the Formula One disappointed and returned to the USAC Championship Car finishing the season as fifth overall. In 1974, he returned to the Formula One with Parnell only to get disqualified during his home Race. In 1975, It went better with a fourth place in Sweden and fifth place in France. From 1976 onwards, it went fast for Mario. He raced for Tema Lotus, winning the last race of the season; he came close to become a world champion in 1977. However, Niki Lauda faster. Though, 1978, was his year becoming the World Champion with Team Lotus. From that point, it went bad with Team Lotus. Their Lotus 80 and 81 were horrible cars. In 1982, he would race for Alfa Romeo. His last race was in 1982 for Ferrari again. In the following years he was rumoured a couple of times to return on the grid again. He kept on active racing until 2000!
Richard Attwood (84) – Born 04-04-1940 – Wolverhampton United Kingdom
Active Years: 1964-1969
Richard Attwood is one of the drivers that never stopped racing. His first experience with autosport was in 1960 with a Triumph TR3 in Saloon races. In 1961, he made the move to Formula Junior (club level) with Midland Racing Team where he would keep on racing in 1962 as well. For 1963, his team spread her wings and started appearing internationally in the Formula Junior. It is the season here Attwood would score his first big score, by winning the Formula Junior race at Monaco. As 1963 was a huge success for Midland Racing Team, they made the move in 1964 to the Formula 2. Attwood managed to win the race in Vienna and scored several podium finished.
That same year he would appear for the first time in his career at the start of a Formula One race. With a BRM P67, he qualified as 24th only to not start the race a day later. Eventually, he would finish fourth during the non-championship race at Goodwood. In 1965, he appeared again in the Formula One for Reg Parnell Racing in a Lotus 25. He finished in Italy and Mexico in the points by finishing sixth in both races. He was also active in the Formula 2 and in LeMans. In 1966, Attwood tried his luck in the Tasman Series where he drove with the BRM P261 where he won the race in Levin. In 1967, and 1968 he would race in the series as well.
In 1967, he returned to the Formula One with Cooper for one race. He appeared at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix with a Cooper T86B finishing the race as tenth. 1968 would be his best year when he finishes second in Monaco with the BRM P126. A year later, again in Monaco, he finished fourth with a Lotus 49B, that year he would race also at the German Grand Prix with a Brabham BT30 (Formula 2 car) for Frank Williams Racing. While he finished sixth, he did not gain the point. After his Formula One career he became an ace in Sportscars and Endurance series before he moved to historic racing.
Kurt Ahrens Jr. (84) – Born 19-04-1940 – Braunschweig Germany
Active Years: 1966-1969
Kurth Ahrens Jr. only appeared in the Formula One at the start of the German Grand Prix in the 1960s. His career started in 1958, when he was racing with his father in the Formula 3. Junior drove that year with a Cooper Norton. His father was a German Speedway champion and competed in the German Formula 3 Championship since 1953. Kurt won the German Formula Junior in 1961 and 1963 and moved to the French and British Formula 2 Championship where he would keep racing until 1966, when tried his luck as well in the Danish Formula 3 Championship. That year he would appear for the first time at the start of a Formula One race. This was the 1966 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. He retired with his Brabham BT18 (Formula 2 car).
In 1967, he would appear with the Protos (Formula 2 car) at the start of the race, only to retire again. 1968 would be the only year he appeared with a real Formula One car at the start. With the Brabham BT24 he managed to finish twelfth. Sadly, he was there when Jim Clarck badly crashed and died. He started in that year also racing in Sportscars where he showed some decent results. In 1969, he would have his last outing in the Formula One when he appeared at the start of the 1969 German Grand Prix with a Brabham BT30. He retired during the race. 1970 would be his last season as a driver. Racing in the 24 Hours of LeMans and several endurance races.
Franco Bernabei (84) – Born 17-05-1940 – Rome Italy
Active Years: 1963
There is not much information available for Franco Bernabei. He started racing in the Italian Formula Junior Championship in 1960 where he would stay in 1961, 1962 and 1963. In 1962, he started to appeared in the Italian Formula Two as well. That same year he appeared at the start of the Rome Grand Prix. He drove with the De Tomaso, he had a good pace in the race though had to retire because of a broken engine. Eventually he would keep on racing in the Italian Formula Two championship until he made his move in 1986 to the Italian Formula 3 Championship, which he managed to win that same year. After this season there a huge gaps, it is not sure which series he did attempt. It is known that in 1969, he appeared in the European Formula Two and in-between drove around in several Sportcars. In 1979, he retired.
Robert Lamplough (84) – 04-06-1940 – Gloucester United Kingdom
Active Years: 1967-1971
Robert, also known as Robs, is one of the unknown drivers in this list. He and his brother started racing in the early 1960s, where his brother had to retire due to an accident. You might know Robert for his collection of war plans. There isn’t much info available about Robert Lamplough. It seems he started in Saloon racing before he moved in 1964 to the British Sportscar Championship in a Lotus 23 and Canadian Sports Car Championship in a Brabham BT8. He would keep on racing on both series in 1965 before he would move in 1966 to the British Formula 3 Championship. In 1967, he appeared at the start of the British Formula 2 and appear for the first time at the start of a Formula One race. He appeared with a Brabham BT21A at the start of the Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama.
A year later, he would to the Formula 2 with little success. More success would come in 1969.Thar year he would race in the British Formula 5000 Championship with a Lotus 41C and the Lotus 43. He appeared at the start of the 1969 Spanish Grand Prix though he retired during the race. In 1971, he would appear twice in a non-championship race. The international Trophy at Silverstone with a Lola T102 (Retired) and the Jochen Rindt Memorial with a BRM P133 finishing as twelfth. In 1972, he appeared at the start of the Formula Libre. After 1972, Robert started to collect airplanes and raced mostly in Historic races.
John Cardwell (84) – Born 20-11-1940 – Barton United Kingdom
Active Years: 1965/1967
John Cardwell had a short career in the motorsport. In 1963, he debuted with his Lotus Seven in the British Saloon Car Championship. A year later, he would debut in the British Formula 3 Championship with a Brabham BT9 for Christ Goodwood Racing. Scoring some decent results he moved to the British Formula 2 Championship and would also appear in the French Formula 3 Championship. The same year he would debut in the Formula One in a non-championship race with a Brabham BT14 at Goodwood. He retired in lap 11 when he ran out of fuel. In 1966, he kept on racing Britian and France. For 1967, he moved to the European Formula 2 Championship with a Cooper T84. He appeared at the start of the International Gold Cup with a Cooper T84. After 1969, he retired to focus on his business. He became later a director and administrator for the BRDC.
Tony Jefferies (83) – Born 29-07-1941 – Johannesburg South Africa
Active Years: 1965-1966/1968
There is not much known about Tony Jefferies (not the motor racer) he probably was active in South African Saloon races when he appeared in 1965 at the start of the Rand Grand prix in Johannesburg with a Cooper-Climax for John Love Racing finishing tenth. In 1966, he appeared in the South African Grand Prix in East London finishing eight. In 1967, he raced with an Elfin T300 before he would have appeared at the start of the South African Grand Prix, though did not arrive. Some sources state that Jefferies died in January 2021, though on confirmation so far.
Andrea de Adamich (83) – Born 03-10-1941 – Trieste Italy
Active Years: 1967-1973
Andrea de Adamich is in Italy well known as a former motorsport journalist and TV personality. As well, for the older readers, he appeared a couple of years in the Formula One, one of the teams he drove for is Ferrari. From Croatian origin, Andrea de Adamich made his debut in 1962 in during Hillclimb’s with a Triumph TR3. That same year he would finish as third during the Coppa Carri with an Alfa Romeo 1900. A year later, he would debut in the Italian Formula Junior to start racing in the European Touring Car Challenge for Alfa Romeo. He competed also in some endurance races such as the six hours of Brands. In 1965, he kept on racing in the European Touring Car Challenge while he made also his debut in the Italian Formula 3. He won the championship in his first year, and this opened the door with Alfa Romeo. 50 years later, he is an ambassador for the company.
In 1966, he was mostly active in Sportscars and endurance races for Alfa Romeo winning championships. In 1967, he moved to European Formula 2 Championship with a Lola. In November of the year, he would appear at the non-championship race at Jarama for Ferrari in a 312, finishing ninth. The reason he was there was because of Banidini’s horrific dead in Monaco earlier that season. In 1968, he would race for Ferrari again in the Formula One this time South African Grand Prix which he had to retire from. He would win for Ferrari the Formula 2 championship in the Argentinian series, he did a decent job for the Scuderia as well in the European Formula 2 with a Dino 166.
In 1969, Adrea would race in almost anything he could get his hands on, for Surtees he finished third in the non-championship race at Oulton Park. Formula 2, Formula 3, Can-AM, Endurance, Sportscars you name it and he drove with it. In 1970, he left Ferrari as Alfa Romeo supplied Bruce McLaren’s team with Alfa Romeo engines in the Formula One. He would race the season for the team with the M7C and the M14D, he only finished in Austria and Italy. In-between the races he again drove in several series with success. For 1971, he drove for the March F1 Team as the team was supplied with the Alfa Romeo engines. His best result was a eleventh place during the USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. In an Alfa Romeo T33/3 from AutoDelta he won the 1000KM of Spa, while finishing second in the Targa Florio.
In 1972, he would score his first points in the Formula One when he drove for Surtees in their TS9B. During the Spanish Grand Prix he finished as fourth. Scoring several podium finishes in the Formula 2 and several Endurance races he went with confident to 1973. This season he drove for the Brabham team and scored in Belgium again a fourth place. Sadly, his career would end abruptly after the massive crash with cars piled up during the British Grand Prix.
Derek Bell (83) – Born 31-10-1941 – Pinner United Kingdom
Active Years: 1968-1972 / 1974
Derek Bell is one of these drivers that had the luck to win the 24 Hours of LeMans five times(!) in an era when the cars went madly fast! Besides LeMans he won the Daytona 24 three times and twice the World Sportscar Championship in 1985 and 1986 with Porsches. Derek was encouraged by his stepfather to start racing. In 1964, he made his debut in the Lotus Seven at Goodwood and won the race directly. He would race that year three more races with the Lotus Seven. In 1965, he would continue racing in Saloon cars and make his debut in the British Formula 3 in a Lotus 31. A year later, he would race with a Lotus 41 in the British Formula 3. From 1966, it went fast with his career.
He showed some decent results and in 1967 would win several races in the Formula. For 1968, he made the switch to the European Formula 2 Championship in a private Brabham BT23C. Again, with good results, thus good that Enzo Ferrari became interested in Derek Bell and asked him to race for his team in the Formula 2 as well. He would also make his debut for Ferrari in the Formula One during the Italian Grand Prix though had to retire. The next Grand Prix at Watkins Glen he had to retire once more.
For 1970, he started racing for Team Wheatcroft Racing in the Formula 2, with one win and several podium finishes he was the runner-up. While he would not race for Ferrari anymore in the Formula One, he had his first taste in the World Sportscar Championship with them. He would score his first point that year in the Formula One when he finished sixth during the USA Grand Prix with a Surtees TS7. It would be his only point. From 1971 until 1974 he would race every now and then for Team Surtees in the Formula One. His career was skyrocketing now in the World Sportscar Championship where he would stay from 1970 until 1991!
Chris Ashmore (83) – Born 07-01-1942 – West Bromwich United Kingdom
Active Years: 1961/1962
There is not much info known about Chris Ashmore. He debuted at the age of 17 years(!) in the BRSCC with an Austin-Healey 100 at Silverstone. In 1960, Chris would continue racing with his Austin-Healey 100 in the club scene, mostly on Oulton Park and Silverstone in the NSCC, where he scored twice a podium. In 1961 he moved to the Formula Libra with a Cooper T38, that same year he would debut in the Formula One during the International Gold Cup race at Oulton Park (retired) and later the Lewis-Evan Cup(P7). Both were non-championship races, which he entered with the Cooper T51 for Dennis Taylor. Chris went in 1962 international appearing in the 12 hours of Sebring and the 1000KM of the Nürburgring. He also appeared at the start of the Lombank Trophy at Snetterton with the Cooper T51 finishing as eight. It would be his last Formula One race. Until 1967, he kept on appearing mostly in national race series on Silverstone, Snetterton and Oulton Park. In 1968, his career started to raise again, when he started in several endurance races across Europe. After 1969, It seems he stopped racing. However, in the early 1980s, he returned racing mostly in 1000KM races across Europe. Eventually retiring after the 1990 season.
Robin Widdows (82) – Born 29-05-1942 – Cowley United Kingdom
Active Years: 1968
Besides being an ex-Formula One driver he is also an ex-bobsleighed who appeared in 1964 and 1968 at the Winter Olympics. There are only six former Formula One drivers who are also on this list. Widdows career seemed to start in 1964 when he started racing with a MG Midget winning the handicap race in Silverstone and finishing second at Mallory Park. In 1965, he acquired a Lotus 23 fitted with a BRM engine. He started racing in Sportscars races. Scoring several good results and showing he had talent, he moved for 1966 to the British Formula 3 with a Brabham BT18. In 1967, he tried his luck, with his own team, in the European Formula 2 Championship with a Brabham BT23. He won the Rhine Cup and several other podium finishes.
Robin would make his debut in the Formula One in 1968, when he would appear at the start of the British Grand Prix with a Cooper T86B fitted with a BRM engine. He qualified as 18th. He retired during the race when his ignition broke. He would continue racing in 1968 and 1969 in the European Formula 2 Championship. That year he would race in the F5000 and the 24 Hours of LeMans. It seems that 1970 was his last season. He competed in several Formula 2 races and Sportscar races.
Chris Irwin (82) – Born 27-06-1942 – Wandsworth United Kingdom
Active Years: 1966-1967
Irwin’s career was over before it seriously started. He could have reach much in the Formula One and endurance racing. However, in 1968, during the practice for the 1000KM of the Nürburgring he had a horrible crash with his Ford P68 sports prototype. He lost control of the car near Flugplatz, the car flipped over and hit the ground hard. Iriwin suffered a serious head injury which he never recovered fully from. Chris his career started in 1961 in a Lotus 18, when he completed the Jim Russell driving school. In 1964, he made his debut in the British Formula 3 Championship with a Merlyn MK7. He appeared as well in the French Formula 3 Championship and in the British Formula 2 Championship. In 1966, he was crowned the new Formula 3 Champion after winning 17 races.
In 1966, he would debut in the Formula One with the Brabham team in the BT22, finishing the British Grand Prix as seventh. A year later, he would race for Reg Parnell Motor Racing in the Formula One. Driving with three cars! During the Dutch Grand Prix he appeared with the Lotus 25 at the start finishing as seventh. He would appear with the BRM P261 at the Belgium (retired) and British Grand Prix (P7). With the BRM P83, Chris scored his only points in the Formula One when he finished fifth.
Clive Puzey (82) – Born 11-07-1942 – Bulawayo Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
Active Years: 1963-1965
Clive is one of the four drivers from Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), who appeared in the Formula One. Back in the early 1960s, the Formula One was booming in Africa. As most of you know, they even had their own Tasman series. Not much is known about his earlier race career. Some sources state that he races in 1960 in the British Formula Junior. Which would be odd, as he lived in Rhodesia. His first “recorded” race was the 1963-Rand Grand Prix with his own Lotus 18/21 un 1963 he did not finish the race due to gearbox issues.
In 1964, he appeared at the start again of the Rand Grand Prix finishing the race as seventh. For 1965, he tried to qualify for the South African Grand Prix though failed. He did appear at the start of the Rand Grand Prix finishing ninth. In 1966, he finished seventh during the South African Grand Prix. He retired of racing after 1969, when he acquired a Brabham BT19 though did not finish much races.
Jean-Claude Rudaz (82) – Born 23-07-1942 – Sion Switzerland
Active Years: 1964
Jeah-Claude is probably for most of the people an unknown driver. The Swiss is best known as founder of Transvalair. Like many drivers, he started racing in 1961 in the Formula Junior he would stay there three seasons. In 1964, he bought a Cooper T60 from Rob Walker. The idea was to start racing in Hill-climbs. However, things went differently. He started to appear in several non-championship races that year. He retired during the Syracuse Grand Prix and finished fourteenth during the BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone. He would not start during the Mediterranean Grand Prix in August. In September, he was on the entry list of the Italian Grand Prix. He qualified twentieth, though did not start the race after his Cooper broke. In 1965, he replaced the engine with a Maserati winning one or two Hillclimb’s.
Jackie Oliver (82) – Born 14-08-1942 – Chadwell Heath United Kingdom
Active Years: 1967-1973 / 1977
Jackie Oliver is the founder of the Arrows team that was active in the Formula One from the 1970s until the 2000s. Though, he was in the 1970s also a Formula One driver and did a decent job in the years he was on the grid. He even won the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1969 with Jacky Ickx in a Ford GT40. Jackie’s career started in 1961 when he appeared at the start of Saloon races with a Mini. In 1962 and 1963, he was racing with the Marco GT car for Ecurie Freeze finishing a couple of times on the podium.
In 1964 and 1965 he kept active in the Saloon circuit on the British Circuits before he made the move in 1966 to the British Formula 3. In his first season he drove with a Brabham BT18 and a Lotus 41 winning two races and finishing third in the championship. For 1967, he appeared at the start of the European Formula 2 Championship with a Lotus 48. In-between he was very competitive and successful in the British Saloon Car Championship. The same year he would debut in the Formula One when he appeared with a Lotus 41B (F2 car) at the start and would eventually finish fourth. He would also appear at the start of the International Gold Cup, which was also a non-championship race. His debut in the Formula One would follow in August when he appeared at the start with the Lotus 41B and eventually finish fifth. However, he did not score any points as he had a F2 car.
In 1968, he acquired a Lotus 47 and kept on the British circuits. Though, he signed also a contract with Team Lotus for 1968, and he scored some decent results with the Lotus 49(B). Finishing fifth in Belgium, his biggest results would be during the Mexican Grand Prix, when he finished third. In 1969, he moved to BRM where he had a disappointing season with the P133, P138 and P139. He managed to score one point in Mexico. That same year he would win with Jackie Ickx the 24 Hours of LeMans and he debuted in the Can-Am. In the Can-AM would he keep on racing until 1974, when he won the championship. In the Formula One he would keep on racing with BRM’s in 1970 scoring two points in Austria. In 1972, he tried his luck with McLaren though without success. His focus was more in endurance racing where he won plenty of races. He would only appear at the start of one race in the Formula One. However, in 1973, he signed a deal with the new Shadow Team. While the DN1 struggled. He managed to score his last podium in Canada finishing third again. He would do one more race in 1977 for Shadow in the DN8 during the Swedish Grand Prix finishing ninth.
In 1977, he worked for the Shadow Team. However, due internal struggles Jackie together with designers Tony Southgate and Alan Rees. Investor Franco Ambrosio. Engineer Dave Wass and driver Ricardo Patrese left the team and established the Arrows team. In 1978, the team appeared with FA1, which was an exact copy of the Shadow DN9. Eventually Jackie Oliver kept appearing during historical races.
Henri Pescarolo (82) – Born 25-09-1942 – Montfermeil France
Active Years: 1968-1974 / 1976
Henri Pescarolo won the 24 Hours of LeMans four times, and the Dayton 24 in 1991. Besides being very active as a driver he was also active as motorsport executive with his own Pescarolo cars. As a team owner he never won LeMans though they did win in 2007 the IMSA championship. Henri started racing in 1966, when he acquired a Lotus Seven. In 1967, he appeared in his first endurance races when he drove for the first time at LeMans (he would start 33 times!) and appeared at the start of the 1000KM of Paris. He would also appear at the Gold Cup with a Matra MS5 and the Spanish Grand Prix with a Matra MS7. Both were non-championship races.
1968 would be a busy season for Henri. He raced for Matra in the Endurance Championship, while he appeared also at the start of the European Formula 2 Championship and he debuted in the Formula One when he appeared at the start of Canadian and Mexican Grand Prix with the Matra MS11. In 1969, he only appeared at the start of one Grand Prix with the Matra MS7 during the German Grand Prix. However, he was competitive in the Formula finishing second in the championship with four podium finishes. In 1970, he appeared with Matra in the Formula One where Matra Simca MS120 where he finished third in Monaco. Scoring points in Belgium, France and Germany made this a successful season for him as he won also the 1000KM of Buenos Aires. In 1971, he raced for Frank Williams Racing in the March 701 and 711 scoring points during the British Grand Prix and the Austrian Grand Prix.
From 1972 onwards, he would win the 24 Hours of LeMans three times in a row. His Formula One career came to a hold. In 1972, he stayed with Williams however with the March 721 and the Politoys FX3 there were not results to show. In 1974, he raced for BRM though the team was in decline and far from competitive. In 1976, he would race his last races for Surtees. However, his career in the Endurance was very successful and he would keep on racing until the late 1990s.
Mike Fisher (81) – Born 13-03-1943 – Hollywood USA
Active Years: 1967
Besides being born in Hollywood and started in club races in the United States there is not much info available about Mike. His racing career was interrupted when he had enter pilot training for the Vietnam war. In his early career, he was an amateur club racer in the states where he drove with a Lotus 18. Mike raced during an SCCA National race in August 1965 in a Porsche 904. He did appear at the start of two Grand Prix’s. He appeared at the start of the 1967 Canadian Grand Prix where he appeared with the Lotus 33 fitted with a BRM engine, qualifying last he finished on 9 laps from the winner as he kept on having electronical issues. He also appeared during the practice for the Mexican Grand Prix, though did not qualify.
After he served in Vietnam Fisher returned for a couple of years back to the autosport. It is unsure how or what. When I dive deep into my archive, his name appears in May 1972 during a Welsh Rally. The next race is at Oulton Park in 1973 where he raced with a Ferrari 250GTO during the Lombard North Central Formula 3 Championship weekend. That same weekend it seems he raced in a March 722 in the Formula 3 B series. Then the latest entry is in 1977, when he seemed to have raced during the 6 Hours of Silverstone in a Porsche.
Charles Lucas (81) – Born 27-06-1943 – ?? United Kingdom
Active Years: 1969
Charles Lucas is mostly known for the Titan Formula 3 cars. Charles started racing in 1962 in the BRSCC and the NDMC with a Morgan Plus 4. A year later he was to compete in the Formula Libre, however he did not arrive at most of the races that year. A year later, it went much better when he appeared with a Lotus 23 during the races, winning several of them. However, his involvement with Titan became more and more and most of the races in 1965 he was to race he did not appear.
For 1966, there is only one race record available a race in the British Formula 3 Championship. From 1967 up to 1970, he appeared at the start of British Saloon races, Formula 2, Formula 3 and he would appear at the start of one Grand Prix.
During the 1969 International Gold Cup at Oulton Park he appeared at the start with a BRM P261 for BA Moore. It seems that he did a reasonable job during the weekend. However, he retired after 5 laps when his ignition failed. He would every now and then keep on racing up to 1974.
Robin Darlington (80) – Born 29-06-1944 – Wrexham United Kingdom
Active Years: 1967 / 1970
Robin Darlington is an interesting driver, and one of these what you might call phantom drivers. It seems that he started racing in either 1963 or 1964 in the Formula Libre. Where he was a well-known and competitive driver. His first year he raced with a Cooper and later a Lotus 18. For 1965, he switched the Cooper T59. In 1966, he switched in the Formula Libre to the Kincraft, which was the perfect switch. Winning several races and the Championship. Also in the Sportscars, he did good winning several races with his Lola T70. He won 23 races that year and became Clubman of the Year He kept on racing with the Lola T70 in the Sportscars in 1967, though he was also to appear at the start of the British Grand Prix that year. Here the story becomes interesting, as he was to appear at several non-championship races.
The first race was the Race of Champions and Brands where was to race with the unraced Pearce-Martin. However, the team withdrew both their cars for this race. The next race would have been the Spring Cup at Oulton Park. However, one of the cars was destroyed during a test session; Chris Lawrence lost control of the car and crashed it at Brands. Then he would appear at the start of the International Trophy at Silverstone. However, on the Wednesday before the race the two cars that were left were destroyed by a transport fire. It seems that there was also a Cooper T59 fitted with an engine that came out of a Ferrari 250GTO!? I could not have this confirmed. This probably was one of the Pierce-Martin’s.
For the British Grand Prix that year he was on the original entry list in a McLaren M3A the engine that was in the car has been a discussion point since. Some say it was meant for the unraced Godiva engines. While other say it would have been a Ford engine or Covertly Climax engine. However, he would not race during the British Grand Prix. After a heavy shunt later that year at Silverstone, where he was unhurt he only appeared every now and then back as a race driver.
Jacky Ickx (79) – Born 01-01-1945 – Brussels Belgium
Active Years: 1966-1979
Jacky Ickx is one of the youngest surviving drivers of the 1960s. He recently turned 80 years old. He is also one of the most competitive Formula One drivers still alive. His racing career started in motorcycle road racing where he won a couple of championships. In 1963, he made the move to Touringcars when he raced with a BMW 700 ETCC at Zolder and the Tour the France. A year later, he would continue racing in Touringcars and started to enjoy some endurance races as well such as the 4 Hours of Budapest.
His career accelerated after 1965, when he appeared at the Dayton 24 Hours of LeMans. Later in the season, he won the 24 Hours of Spa racing with a BMW 2000. In 1966, Ken Tyrrell asked Jacky to race for him in the Matra MS5 during the German Grand Prix. Where he retired after the first lap when he collided with Taylor. In 1967, he managed to score a point with the Cooper T81B during the Italian Grand Prix while in the next race with a T86 he retired. Though, he did a better job in the Formula 2 by winning the Championship for Ken Tyrrell. While Ken Tyrrell would have contracted Ickx, it is Enzo Ferrari who offered Ickx a contract for 1968 in the Formula One. Winning the French Grand Prix and finishing third during the British and Italian Grand Prix, he moved for 1969 to the team from Jack Brabham. Winning two races with the BT26A, he finished as second in the championship. He won that year also the 24 Hours of LeMans with Pescarolo.
In 1970, he moved back to Ferrari where he would win the races in Austria, Canada and Mexico in the 312B. Finishing again as runner-up. For 1971, he stayed with Ferrari though the results were less. Winning the Dutch Grand Prix and finishing second in Spain and third in Monaco he finished as fourth overall. In 1972 and 1973, he kept on racing for Ferrari in the Formula One. Winning one race in 1972, in 1973 there were no victories his best result with the 312B was a fourth place in Argentina. He finished third during the German Grand Prix for McLaren. More success in 1973 was in the World Sportscar Championship with Ferrari winning several races in the 312PB.
In 1974 and 1975, he appeared in the Formula One with Team Lotus. He would only score three podium finishes for the team and eventually moved for 1976 to Frank Williams Racing only to switch to Walter Wolf Racing and Team Surtees. Without any points. The last two years he would race for Ensign without any success and in 1979 for Ligier finishing twice in the points.
More success he had with endurance races. In 1975, he won the 24 Hours of LeMans and which he would repeat in 1976, 1977, 1981 and 1982. He would also win the Endurance Championship in 1982 and 1983. In 1979, he won the Can-Am championship.
George Eaton (79) – 12-11-1945 – Toronto Canada
Active Years: 1969-1971
George Eaton is the youngest driver of the 1960s that is still alive. He recently turned 79. There is not much info available about Eaton’s early days in the autosport. It seems that he started racing in 1966 in a Shelby Cobra in the Can-Am where he won several races. In 1967 and 1968, he continued racing in the Can-Am. In 1969, he appeared for the first time at the start of a Grand Prix. This was the USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen with a BRM P138. He would also race in Mexico. In 1970, he stayed with BRM and appeared at the start of several Grand Prix’s with the P139 and later the P153. In 1971, he would only appear at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix with a BRM P160. He did not score any points. He continued racing until 1972, when he retired.
