David Piper (racing driver)

Last updated

David Piper
David Piper.JPG
David Piper in 2011
Born (1930-12-02) 2 December 1930 (age 94)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British
Active years 19591960
Teamsnon-works Lotus
Entries3 (2 starts)
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums0
Career points0
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.

Contents

Racing career

Early career and Formula One

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]

Later career

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]

Racing record

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine12345678910WDCPoints
1959 Dorchester Service Station Lotus 16 (F2) Climax 1.5l Straight-4 MON 500 NED FRA GBR
Ret
GER POR ITA USA NC0
1960 Robert Bodle Ltd. Lotus 16 Climax 2.5l Straight-4 ARG MON 500 NED BEL FRA
DNS
GBR
12
POR ITA USA NC0

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

YearTeamCarClass123456789101112DCPtsClass
1970 Pierre de Plessis Chevrolet Camaro Z28 D BRH
DNS
SNE
7
THR SIL CRY
2†
SIL SIL CRO BRH OUL BRH BRH 31st86th
1978 Ian Bracey Triumph Dolomite Sprint C SIL OUL THR BRH SIL DON MAL
Ret†
BRH DON BRH THR OUL NC0NC
Source: [5]

† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsPos.Class
Pos.
1963 Flag of the United States.svg North American Racing Team Flag of the United States.svg Masten Gregory Ferrari 250 GTO/LMBGT 3.03126th3rd
1964 Flag of the United States.svg North American Racing Team Flag of Austria.svg Jochen Rindt Ferrari 250 LM P 4.00DNFDNF
1965 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Maranello Concessionaires Flag of Sweden.svg Jo Bonnier Ferrari 365 P2 P 5.0101DNFDNF
1966 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Maranello Concessionaires Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Richard Attwood Ferrari 365 P2 P 5.033DNFDNF
1967 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg JW Automotive Engineering Flag of the United States.svg Dick Thompson Mirage M1 P +5.059DNFDNF
1968 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg David Piper Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Richard Attwood Ferrari 250 LM S 5.03027th2nd
1969 Flag of Italy.svg SpA Ferrari SEFAC Flag of Mexico.svg Pedro Rodriguez Ferrari 312P CoupéP 3.0223DNFDNF
1970 Flag of Finland.svg AAW Racing Team Flag of the Netherlands.svg Gijs van Lennep Porsche 917KS 5.0112DNFDNF

References

  1. 1 2 Jenkins, Richard. "The World Championship drivers - Where are they now?". OldRacingCars.com. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. p. 292. ISBN   0851127029.
  3. Widdows, Rob (August 2007). "David Piper: Forever green driving force". www.motorsportmagazine.com. No. 108. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  4. "Le Mans 24 Hours June 13, 1970 cont". www.a2zracer.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  5. de Jong, Frank. "British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 3 October 2022.