Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:05 — 23.0MB)
Season 2024 – Talk 04 – Mike Hawthorn – The Farnham Flyer
In ‘Mike Hawthorn‘ Simon Barber tells us about one of his heroes, Britain’s first Formula 1 World Champion.
Early years:
Mike Hawthorn is born in Mexborough to Leslie and Winifred Hawthorn in 1929. His father moves to Farnham and buys the Tourist Trophy Garage.
Mike goes to prep school in Farnham and then to Ardingly College .
The Tourist Trophy Garage is franchised to supply and service several high performance brands, including Jaguar and Ferrari. His father races motorcycles and supports his son’s racing career until his death in a road accident in 1954.
Racing:
Mike Hawthorn first races on 2 September 1950 in his 1934 Riley Ulster Imp, and wins the 1,100 cc sports car class at the Brighton Speed Trials.
In 1952 he switches to single-seaters and wins his first race in a Formula Two Cooper-Bristol T20 at Goodwood. Further successes follow which bring him to the attention of Enzo Ferrari, who offers him a works drive.
Formula 1 and Le Mans:
He makes his Formula One debut at the 1952 Grote Prijs van Belgie at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, and finishes in fourth place. That year he has his first podium, with a third place at the RAC British Grand Prix .
In January 1955 he joins the Jaguar racing team, replacing Stirling Moss, who had left for Mercedes. He wins the 1955 les 24 Heures du Mans following an inspired drive. He sets a lap record of 4 minutes and 6.6 seconds during a three-hour duel with Fangio in the early stages.
Sadly the race is marred by the worst disaster in motor racing history. A crash kills 83 spectators and Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh.
The official inquiry into the accident rules that it is a racing incident. The death of so many spectators is blamed on inadequate safety standards.
Hawthorn rejoins Ferrari in 1957, and soon becomes friends with Peter Collins, a fellow Englishman and Ferrari team driver.
Hawthorn wins the 1958 Formula One Championship despite achieving only one win. The win is the 1958 French Grand Prix at Reims.
Retirement:
After winning the title he retires from Formula One.
He begins a series of books for children featuring not only the wholly fictional Carlotti but also himself and other drivers of the day.
A few months later he dies in a road accident.
Listen to Simon tell us the full story.
About this podcast:
Unfortunately the images used in the original presentation are subject to copyright and therefore cannot be published alongside this podcast.
This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group.
This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others.
AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk.
© The MrT Podcast Studio and the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 – 2025