Paul Hawkins
Encyclopedia
Robert Paul Hawkins was an Australian motor racing driver. The son of a racing motorcyclist-turned-church minister, Hawkins was a capable single-seater driver but really made his mark as an outstanding sports car
competitor driving Ford GT40
s and Lola T70
s. In 1969 Hawkins was included in the F.I.A.
list of graded drivers, an elite group of 27 drivers who by their achievements were rated the best in the world.
Ltd., under John Sprinzel
:
Hawkins was soon behind the wheel of an Austin-Healey Sprite, racing at the Aintree
200 meeting on 30 April 1960, and winning his class in the GT race. He then finished 38th at the 1960 Nurburgring 1000 km race, with co-driver Cyril Simson, known as Team 221, on a "miserable foggy day in May." In 1961 at Le Mans Hawkins teamed with John Colgate in an Austin-Healey Sprite, but they retired in the 8th hour with engine problems. On Whit Monday, 1962, at the Crystal Palace Hawkins drove Ian Walker's Lotus-Ford to victory in the up to 1,150 c.c. sports car race, setting lap and race records. At Le Mans
in 1965 Hawkins, with John Rhodes, finished twelfth overall, and first in class, in a 1.3-litre Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite
entered by the Donald Healey Motor Company, completing 278 laps.
Hawkins also drove single-seaters, participating in the first race run to the new Formula Two
regulations at Pau on 5 April 1964, finishing seventh in a pushrod Alexis. He was entered in a Team Alexis Alexis-Cosworth at Silverstone on 20 March 1965 but the race was abandoned due to heavy rain. He went on to win the F2 Eifelrennen race on the Nurburgring south circuit, in bad weather, in an Alexis-Cosworth Mk. 7 on 25 April 1965.
World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 1 January 1965 at the South African Grand Prix
in a pushrod Ford 1500cc-engined Brabham Formula Two
car. Like fellow-Australian Frank Gardner he started with the John Willment Automobiles team. He scored no championship points, as his best finish was ninth on his debut. He did have two podium finishes in the non-championship Rand Grand Prix
, held in South Africa. He finished second in 1964
and third in 1965
. In 1965 he also won the Cape South Easter Formula One Trophy. He was a non-starter in the 1965 British Grand Prix and retired from the German Grand Prix that year with an oil leak.
He is one of only two Formula One drivers, along with Italian Alberto Ascari
, to have crashed into the harbour in Monaco
during a Grand Prix. He did so during the 1965
race, when he spun at the chicane after 79 of the 100 laps. He escaped from the crash unhurt.
, in Sicily, teamed with Rolf Stommelen
, in the factory-entered 8-cylinder Porsche 910
. On 23 May 1967, he finished second in the Nurburgring 1000 km in a Porsche 910. He also won the Zeltweg 500 km race on 20 August 1967, in a Ford GT40. On 15 October 1967, at the end of the season Hawkins, paired with Jacky Ickx
, won the Paris 1000 km race at Montlhéry in a J.W. Automotive
Mirage
.
Then on 25 April 1968, he won the Monza 1000 km race with David Hobbs in a Ford GT40, finished second in the Watkins Glen 6-hour, again with Hobbs, and scored thirds at the Nurburgring 1000 km with Jacky Ickx and Zeltweg 500 km races. On 23 November 1968, he won the Capetown Three Hours solo in a Ferrari P4.
Hawkins was building a business as an owner/operator of racing cars, and in the spring of 1969 he moved his racing shop from North London to Slough
. He was killed when his Lola T70 MkIIIB GT crashed and burned at Island Bend during the 1969 RAC Tourist Trophy
at Oulton Park
.
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
competitor driving Ford GT40
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
s and Lola T70
Lola T70
The Lola T70 was built for sports car racing, popular in the mid to late 1960s. Developed by Lola Cars in 1965 in Great Britain, the T70 was made for endurance racing...
s. In 1969 Hawkins was included in the F.I.A.
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
list of graded drivers, an elite group of 27 drivers who by their achievements were rated the best in the world.
Early racing career
Hawkins began racing in Australia with an Austin-Healey in 1958. He left Australia and arrived in England in 1960. He found employment with the Donald Healey Motor CompanyDonald Healey Motor Company
-History:It was formed in 1945 by Donald Healey, a renowned auto engineer and successful racing driver. It was formed after Healey discussed sports car design with Achille Sampietro, a chassis specialist for high performance cars and Ben Bowden, a body engineer, when all three worked at Humber...
Ltd., under John Sprinzel
John Sprinzel
John Sprinzel is a German born British former auto racing driver. He was renowned for competing in saloon car racing and rallying. Sprinzel finished third overall in the inaugural 1958 British Saloon Car Championship season driving for his own Team Speedwell in an Austin A35. He was British Rally...
:
"I put an ad in the Evening Standard newspaper looking for
a mechanic and employed a really good guy to be our works
foreman; his name was Paul Hawkins. Paul literally came in
straight off the boat from Australia. He’d done a little bit of racing
and was a very good mechanic, very good as he knew his stuff, and
certainly knew the best parts of the English language, too."
Hawkins was soon behind the wheel of an Austin-Healey Sprite, racing at the Aintree
Aintree
Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, about north of Liverpool city centre, in North West England....
200 meeting on 30 April 1960, and winning his class in the GT race. He then finished 38th at the 1960 Nurburgring 1000 km race, with co-driver Cyril Simson, known as Team 221, on a "miserable foggy day in May." In 1961 at Le Mans Hawkins teamed with John Colgate in an Austin-Healey Sprite, but they retired in the 8th hour with engine problems. On Whit Monday, 1962, at the Crystal Palace Hawkins drove Ian Walker's Lotus-Ford to victory in the up to 1,150 c.c. sports car race, setting lap and race records. At Le Mans
1965 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 33rd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 19 and 20 1965. It was also the twelfth round of the World Sportscar Championship.-Pre-race:...
in 1965 Hawkins, with John Rhodes, finished twelfth overall, and first in class, in a 1.3-litre Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite
Sebring Sprite
The Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite was a modified version of the Austin-Healey Sprite which gained recognition by the governing body of motorsport, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, as a separate model in its own right...
entered by the Donald Healey Motor Company, completing 278 laps.
Hawkins also drove single-seaters, participating in the first race run to the new Formula Two
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...
regulations at Pau on 5 April 1964, finishing seventh in a pushrod Alexis. He was entered in a Team Alexis Alexis-Cosworth at Silverstone on 20 March 1965 but the race was abandoned due to heavy rain. He went on to win the F2 Eifelrennen race on the Nurburgring south circuit, in bad weather, in an Alexis-Cosworth Mk. 7 on 25 April 1965.
Formula One racing
Hawkins participated in three Formula OneFormula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 1 January 1965 at the South African Grand Prix
1965 South African Grand Prix
The 1965 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at East London on January 1, 1965.- Race report :Jim Clark celebrated Hogmanay by dominating the race, leading from pole and breaking the 100 mph barrier, winning by half a minute from Graham Hill and John Surtees and even had...
in a pushrod Ford 1500cc-engined Brabham Formula Two
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...
car. Like fellow-Australian Frank Gardner he started with the John Willment Automobiles team. He scored no championship points, as his best finish was ninth on his debut. He did have two podium finishes in the non-championship Rand Grand Prix
Rand Grand Prix
The Rand Grand Prix was a motor race held at various circuits in South Africa. The first event took place in 1937 but it was not held regularly until the 1960s, when it was run to Formula One rules and formed part of the non-Championship calendar...
, held in South Africa. He finished second in 1964
1964 Rand Grand Prix
The 7th Rand Grand Prix was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 12 December 1964 at Kyalami, South Africa. The race was run over two heats, each of 25 laps of the circuit, and was won overall by British driver Graham Hill in a Brabham BT11....
and third in 1965
1965 Rand Grand Prix
The 8th Rand Grand Prix was a motor race, run to Formula One-style rules, held on 4 December 1965 at Kyalami, South Africa. The race was run over 50 laps of the circuit, and was won by Australian driver Jack Brabham in a Brabham BT11....
. In 1965 he also won the Cape South Easter Formula One Trophy. He was a non-starter in the 1965 British Grand Prix and retired from the German Grand Prix that year with an oil leak.
He is one of only two Formula One drivers, along with Italian Alberto Ascari
Alberto Ascari
Alberto Ascari was an Italian racing driver and twice Formula One World Champion. He is one of only two Italian Formula One World Champions in the history of the sport, and the only one winning his two championships in a Ferrari....
, to have crashed into the harbour in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
during a Grand Prix. He did so during the 1965
1965 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1965 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 30, 1965.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: Graham Hill - 1:32.5* Fastest Lap: Graham Hill - 1:31.7 on lap 82...
race, when he spun at the chicane after 79 of the 100 laps. He escaped from the crash unhurt.
"At this point there was a bit of a furore at the chicane for
Hawkins struck the wooden barrier at the entry and spun through
the straw bales and over the edge of the quay and into the harbour.
The Lotus sank to the bottom and the rugged Australian bobbed
to the surface and struck out for shore, while boats went to his
rescue."
Sports car racing
Hawkins had some considerable success in the World Sports Car Championship. On 14 May 1967, he won the Targa FlorioTarga Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
, in Sicily, teamed with Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Johann Stommelen was a racing driver from Siegen, Germany. He participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points...
, in the factory-entered 8-cylinder Porsche 910
Porsche 910
The Porsche 910 or Carrera 10 was a race car from Porsche, based upon the Porsche 906. 15 were produced and entered in 1966 and 1967. The factory name for the 910 was the 906/10. The 910 was considered the next sequence in the 906 line...
. On 23 May 1967, he finished second in the Nurburgring 1000 km in a Porsche 910. He also won the Zeltweg 500 km race on 20 August 1967, in a Ford GT40. On 15 October 1967, at the end of the season Hawkins, paired with Jacky Ickx
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :...
, won the Paris 1000 km race at Montlhéry in a J.W. Automotive
John Wyer
John Wyer was an English automobile racing engineer and team manager. He is mainly associated with cars running in the lightblue and orange livery of his longtime sponsorship partner Gulf Oil.As team manager and team owner, Wyer won the 24 Hours of Le Mans several times...
Mirage
Mirage (race car)
The Mirage race cars were built by J.W. Automotive at Slough in England to compete in international sports car races in the colours of the Gulf Oil Corporation....
.
Then on 25 April 1968, he won the Monza 1000 km race with David Hobbs in a Ford GT40, finished second in the Watkins Glen 6-hour, again with Hobbs, and scored thirds at the Nurburgring 1000 km with Jacky Ickx and Zeltweg 500 km races. On 23 November 1968, he won the Capetown Three Hours solo in a Ferrari P4.
Hawkins was building a business as an owner/operator of racing cars, and in the spring of 1969 he moved his racing shop from North London to Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
. He was killed when his Lola T70 MkIIIB GT crashed and burned at Island Bend during the 1969 RAC Tourist Trophy
RAC Tourist Trophy
The International Tourist Trophy is an award given by the Royal Automobile Club and awarded semi-annually to the winners of a selected motor racing event each year in the United Kingdom. It was first awarded in 1905 and continues to be awarded to this day, making it the longest lasting trophy in...
at Oulton Park
Oulton Park
Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was...
.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 1965 Formula One season The 1965 Formula One season, which was the 16th season of FIA Formula One racing, featured the 16th World Championship of Drivers and the 8th International Cup for F1 Manufacturers. The two titles were contested concurrently over a ten round series which commenced on January 1 and ended on October 24... |
John Willment Automobiles | Brabham BT10 (F2) | Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... Straight-4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
RSA 1965 South African Grand Prix The 1965 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at East London on January 1, 1965.- Race report :Jim Clark celebrated Hogmanay by dominating the race, leading from pole and breaking the 100 mph barrier, winning by half a minute from Graham Hill and John Surtees and even had... 9 |
NC | 0 | |||||||||
| DW Racing Enterprises | Lotus Team Lotus Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing... 33 Lotus 33 The Lotus 33 designed by Colin Chapman, was a Formula One car built by Team Lotus. Its development was based on the earlier Lotus 25 model, taking the monocoque chassis design to new development heights. The 33 was again powered by the 1500 cc Climax engine. The 33 was almost identical to the 25,... |
Climax Coventry Climax Coventry Climax was a British forklift truck, fire pump, and speciality engine manufacturer.-History:The company was started in 1903 as Lee Stroyer, but two years later, following the departure of Stroyer, it was relocated to Paynes Lane, Coventry, and renamed to Coventry-Simplex by H... V8 V8 engine A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
MON 1965 Monaco Grand Prix The 1965 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 30, 1965.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: Graham Hill - 1:32.5* Fastest Lap: Graham Hill - 1:31.7 on lap 82... 10 |
BEL 1965 Belgian Grand Prix The 1965 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on 13 June 1965. The race was won by British driver Jim Clark who led every lap of the race driving a Lotus 33.- Classification :-Standings after the race:... |
FRA 1965 French Grand Prix The 1965 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Clermont-Ferrand on June 27, 1965.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: Jim Clark - 3:18.3* Fastest Lap: Jim Clark - 3:18.9 on lap 34* Lap Leaders: Jim Clark 40 laps .... |
GBR 1965 British Grand Prix The 1965 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on July 10, 1965.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
NED 1965 Dutch Grand Prix The 1965 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zandvoort on July 18, 1965.- Race report :Honda capitalised on their long hours of testing at Zandvoort when Ginther claimed a front-row space with Graham Hill and Clark. He shot into the lead for the first 2 laps. Hill took the lead... |
GER 1965 German Grand Prix The 1965 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Nürburgring on August 1, 1965.- Race report :Graham Hill could still theoretically overhaul Clark for the championship. However Clark became Champion with a masterful performance, leading from pole to the flag and setting fastest lap,... Ret |
ITA 1965 Italian Grand Prix The 1965 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on September 12, 1965. The race, which was the seventh round of the 1965 Formula One season, was won by Jackie Stewart who took his first Grand Prix victory whilst driving for the BRM team... |
USA 1965 United States Grand Prix The 1965 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 3, 1965 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York.__FORCETOC__-Summary:... |
MEX 1965 Mexican Grand Prix The 1965 Mexican Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Mexico City on October 24, 1965. The race, which was the tenth and final round of the 1965 Formula One season, was won by Richie Ginther who took his first victory and the first for the Honda team. after leading for the entire race... |