Mike Hawthorn

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hawthorn made his competition debut on 2 September 1950 in his 1934 Riley Ulster Imp, winning the 1,100 cc sports car class at the Brighton Speed Trials. By 1952, he had switched to single-seaters and won his first race in a Formula Two Cooper-Bristol T20 at Goodwood. He made his Formula One debut at the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix, finishing fourth. At Scuderia Ferrari for the 1953 season, he won the French Grand Prix at Reims in what became dubbed 'the race of the century'. He also won the 24 Heures de Spa Francorchamps with Ferrari teammate Giuseppe Farina. Following the death of his father, Hawthorn left Ferrari to race for Vanwall, but after two races returned to Ferrari. In 1955, he joined the Jaguar racing team and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, though the race was marred by the worst disaster in motor racing history. Hawthorn rejoined the Ferrari factory team in 1957 and became friends with Peter Collins. He won the 1958 Formula One Championship despite achieving only one win, against four by Moss. He announced his retirement upon his triumph, having been profoundly affected by the death of his teammate and friend Peter Collins two months earlier. Three months after retiring, Hawthorn died in a road accident in Guildford, driving his Jaguar 3.4 Litre.

In Their Own Story

The climax of Hawthorn's career arrived at the 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix, the season finale. Driving conservatively, his goal was simply to stay ahead of Stirling Moss and his Vanwall teammates to secure the title. The race saw Tony Brooks, a teammate in the fight for second place, suffer a broken car, leaving Hawthorn to manage the gap against Moss's superior pace. Hawthorn crossed the finish line knowing he had secured the championship by a single point, beating Moss 42 to 41. However, the victory was hollowed out by grief; Peter Collins had died just two months prior in Germany. Deeply affected, Hawthorn announced his retirement from racing immediately after this triumph, ending his career at the very peak of success before tragedy struck again only three months later when he died driving his Jaguar 3.4 Litre near Guildford.

Reader's Guide

Hawthorn's first drive for Scuderia Ferrari was in 1953, not 1957. He also drove for Ferrari in 1954 before leaving and rejoining in 1957. The D50 chassis was driven by Hawthorn from 1956 to 1958, not introduced after his departure. At the 1958 French Grand Prix, Luigi Musso was fatally injured while in second place during the race, not while finishing second.

Did You Know?

• Hawthorn became the first of 11 British Formula One World Champions in 1958, beating Stirling Moss to the title by one point.
• The Hawthorn Memorial Trophy was established in his honour by the RAC in 1959, awarded to the most successful British or Commonwealth driver in Formula One each year.
• Hawthorn inherited his father's garage business after his father died in a road accident in 1954.

Championship Victory and Retirement

In 1958, John Michael Hawthorn became the first British Formula One World Champion, defeating Stirling Moss by exactly one point. The season was marked by a single victory for Hawthorn at the French Grand Prix, while his main rival Moss secured four wins. A pivotal moment occurred at the Portuguese Grand Prix where Hawthorn was initially disqualified for bump-starting his car; Stirling Moss interceded on his behalf, leading to the reversal of the decision. This allowed Hawthorn to gain an extra point for fastest lap after accelerating back through the field while Moss failed to respond to the challenge. Despite winning the title, Hawthorn retired immediately due to being profoundly affected by the death of his friend and teammate Peter Collins two months earlier at the German Grand Prix.

The Shadow of Le Mans 1955

Before his F1 success with Ferrari, Hawthorn achieved significant endurance racing victories in 1955, winning both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring driving for Jaguar. At Le Mans, he set a lap record of 4 minutes and 6.6 seconds during a three-hour duel with Juan Manuel Fangio. However, the race is historically defined by the worst disaster in motor racing history, where a crash killed 83 spectators and Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh. The accident occurred after Hawthorn braked suddenly to enter the pits, causing Lance Macklin to swerve into the path of Levegh's car. Although an official inquiry ruled Hawthorn not responsible, citing it as a racing incident caused by inadequate safety standards, he faced scorn from the French press for celebrating with champagne while 83 people lay dead.

Early Life and Career Foundations

Born in Mexborough, West Riding of Yorkshire, on 10 April 1929, Hawthorn was educated at Ardingly College and Chelsea Technical College. His father owned the Tourist Trophy Garage in Farnham, which serviced high-performance brands including Jaguar and Ferrari. After his father died in a road accident in 1954, Hawthorn inherited the business. He made his competition debut on 2 September 1950 at the Brighton Speed Trials, winning the 1,100 cc sports car class in his Riley Ulster Imp. By 1952, he had switched to single-seaters, winning his first race in a Formula Two Cooper-Bristol T20 at Goodwood. His performance caught Enzo Ferrari's attention, leading to a works drive and his F1 debut at the 1952 Grote Prijs van Belgie.

Legacy and Posthumous Impact

Three months after retiring from racing in late 1958, Hawthorn died in a road accident in Guildford while driving his Jaguar 3.4 Litre on 22 January 1959. His death occurred at age 29, just as he had become the first of 11 British Formula One World Champions. This award is given annually to the most successful British or Commonwealth driver in Formula One. Throughout his seven-season career, Hawthorn won three Grands Prix and secured the 1958 World Drivers' Championship with Ferrari.