Bert Hawthorne
Encyclopedia
Bert Hawthorne was a New Zealand
racing driver. He was born in Derryhennett, County Armagh
, Northern Ireland
, however he immigrated to New Zealand at 13 years of age.
. After moving to Europe
to work as a racing mechanic at Ron Tauranac's Brabham factory. He planned to bring home a competitive race car which he could use. He then built a Brabham BT21 and had it shipped back to New Zealand. He returned to New Zealand himself and raced in the National Formula category for twin-cam, 1600 cm3 engines. He came close to a man named Allan McCall, who was impressed with Hawthorne's race talent.
Hawthorne then went over to the United Kingdom again, this time to race, in Formula 3 with a limited budget. Soon after, he went over to the USA, to race in the North American Formula B/Atlantic Championship, which turned out to be very successful, becoming the vice-champion of the series in 1971.
In 1972 Hawthorne won the Bogota Grand Prix, giving the Brabham BT38 its maiden victory. However he did not continue with Brabham, and decided to link up again with McCall, who was developing Formula 2, under the banner Leda Engineering.
Hawthorne's first Formula 2
race was the Jochen Rindt Memorial Trophy in Thruxton, which was valid for both the British and European Formula 2 Championship. Hawthorne won a heat race, and in the final race was putting on an impressive display, until he retired on lap 38 with a fuel pickup problem.
Gedächtnisrennen. Bert was driving Allan McCall's TUI car. He was racing with German driver Bernd Terbeck when Hawthorne's car slowed. Terbeck could not swerve and hit Hawthorne at speed, pitching it head-on against the barriers. His car skidded along the guard-rail, pulling out security uprights. It came to rest on fire. At the track, it was known that both Terbeck and Hawthorne were missing, but the incident wasn't known till two laps later, when Niki Lauda
pulled in to the pits. He then asked why nothing was apparently being done about a car on fire on the circuit. It was later confirmed that Hawthorne had been killed instantly from serious head injuries.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
racing driver. He was born in Derryhennett, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, however he immigrated to New Zealand at 13 years of age.
Racing career
Hawthorne had started racing in the mid-to-late 1960s with a Ford AngliaFord Anglia
The 1949 model, code E494A, was a makeover of the previous model with a rather more 1940s style front-end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille. Again it was a very spartan vehicle and in 1948 was Britain's lowest priced four wheel car....
. After moving to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to work as a racing mechanic at Ron Tauranac's Brabham factory. He planned to bring home a competitive race car which he could use. He then built a Brabham BT21 and had it shipped back to New Zealand. He returned to New Zealand himself and raced in the National Formula category for twin-cam, 1600 cm3 engines. He came close to a man named Allan McCall, who was impressed with Hawthorne's race talent.
Hawthorne then went over to the United Kingdom again, this time to race, in Formula 3 with a limited budget. Soon after, he went over to the USA, to race in the North American Formula B/Atlantic Championship, which turned out to be very successful, becoming the vice-champion of the series in 1971.
In 1972 Hawthorne won the Bogota Grand Prix, giving the Brabham BT38 its maiden victory. However he did not continue with Brabham, and decided to link up again with McCall, who was developing Formula 2, under the banner Leda Engineering.
Hawthorne's first Formula 2
Formula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
race was the Jochen Rindt Memorial Trophy in Thruxton, which was valid for both the British and European Formula 2 Championship. Hawthorne won a heat race, and in the final race was putting on an impressive display, until he retired on lap 38 with a fuel pickup problem.
Death
Hawthorne was killed in the following round of the European Championship, in the Jim ClarkJim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
Gedächtnisrennen. Bert was driving Allan McCall's TUI car. He was racing with German driver Bernd Terbeck when Hawthorne's car slowed. Terbeck could not swerve and hit Hawthorne at speed, pitching it head-on against the barriers. His car skidded along the guard-rail, pulling out security uprights. It came to rest on fire. At the track, it was known that both Terbeck and Hawthorne were missing, but the incident wasn't known till two laps later, when Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda
Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...
pulled in to the pits. He then asked why nothing was apparently being done about a car on fire on the circuit. It was later confirmed that Hawthorne had been killed instantly from serious head injuries.