David Piper in 2011 | |
Born | 2 December 1930 |
---|---|
Formula One World Championship career | |
Nationality | ![]() |
Active years | 1959–1960 |
Teams | non-works Lotus |
Entries | 3 (2 starts) |
Championships | 0 |
Wins | 0 |
Podiums | 0 |
Career points | 0 |
Pole positions | 0 |
Fastest laps | 0 |
First entry | 1959 British Grand Prix |
Last entry | 1960 British Grand Prix |
David Ruff Piper (born 2 December 1930) [1] is a British former Formula One and sports car racing driver from England. He participated in 3 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1959. He scored no championship points.
Piper was born in Edgware, Middlesex [1] and began his career in the mid-1950s by competing in sprints and hill-climbs, before beginning circuit racing with a Lotus Eleven. [2] He then moved up to a Lotus 16 which he used in 1959 and 1960 to compete in both Formula One and Formula Two, [2] by means of changing engines as appropriate. [2] His best result with the car was a second place in the Lady Wigram Trophy, in 1960, behind Jack Brabham in a Cooper. [2]
In 1961, Piper competed in European Formula Junior alongside Jo Siffert but drove the Gilby F1 car in the Gold Cup. [2] He also competed in non-championship races in 1962, but had become disenchanted with single-seater racing and moved into sports car racing initially with a Ferrari 250 GTO. [2]
Between 1962 and 1970, Piper raced frequently in many locations worldwide using his personally owned Ferraris and, later, Porsches. He was moderately successful and gained a reputation for reliability and consistency. [2]
Piper's personal sport cars of the period are typically painted in bright green, originally from his BP sponsor which replaced Esso after the Suez Crisis; eventually Piper liked the color and made it his own, having never liked the classic British racing green. [3]
Piper crashed a Porsche 917 during the 1970 shooting of the film Le Mans and lost part of one leg. [4]
Piper later raced his personal, green, Porsche 917 and other cars in historic events. [2]
(key)
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | WDC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1959 | Dorchester Service Station | Lotus 16 (F2) | Climax 1.5l Straight-4 | MON | 500 | NED | FRA | GBR Ret | GER | POR | ITA | USA | NC | 0 | |
1960 | Robert Bodle Ltd. | Lotus 16 | Climax 2.5l Straight-4 | ARG | MON | 500 | NED | BEL | FRA DNS | GBR 12 | POR | ITA | USA | NC | 0 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | DC | Pts | Class |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1970 | Pierre de Plessis | Chevrolet Camaro Z28 | D | BRH DNS | SNE 7 | THR | SIL | CRY 2† | SIL | SIL | CRO | BRH | OUL | BRH | BRH | 31st | 8 | 6th |
1978 | Ian Bracey | Triumph Dolomite Sprint | C | SIL | OUL | THR | BRH | SIL | DON | MAL Ret† | BRH | DON | BRH | THR | OUL | NC | 0 | NC |
Source: [5] |
† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.
Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1963 | ![]() | ![]() | Ferrari 250 GTO/LMB | GT 3.0 | 312 | 6th | 3rd |
1964 | ![]() | ![]() | Ferrari 250 LM | P 4.0 | 0 | DNF | DNF |
1965 | ![]() | ![]() | Ferrari 365 P2 | P 5.0 | 101 | DNF | DNF |
1966 | ![]() | ![]() | Ferrari 365 P2 | P 5.0 | 33 | DNF | DNF |
1967 | ![]() | ![]() | Mirage M1 | P +5.0 | 59 | DNF | DNF |
1968 | ![]() | ![]() | Ferrari 250 LM | S 5.0 | 302 | 7th | 2nd |
1969 | ![]() | ![]() | Ferrari 312P Coupé | P 3.0 | 223 | DNF | DNF |
1970 | ![]() | ![]() | Porsche 917K | S 5.0 | 112 | DNF | DNF |