Geoff Richardson (racing driver)

Last updated

Geoff Richardson
Nationality Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British
Born(1924-08-26)26 August 1924
Died 20 August 2007(2007-08-20) (aged 82)
Starts 23 non-Championship Formula One races
Wins 0
Poles 0
Fastest laps 0

Geoff Richardson (26 August 1924 – 20 August 2007) was a British racing driver. Although he never entered a World Championship Formula One event, he took part in the 1948 British Grand Prix, [1] participated in many non-championship Formula One and Formula Libre events from the 1940s to the 1960s, and enjoyed a varied motorsport career over several decades. He often raced self-built cars, many under the name of Richardson Racing Automobiles (RRA), among them a modified pre-war Riley, [2] and sports cars based on Aston Martins. [3] In 1953 he agreed to run a prototype Zethrin Rennsport in European events with the Belgian Jacques Swaters, but this project never got past a road-going prototype.

Formula One is the highest class of single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and owned by the Formula One Group. The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the premier forms of racing around the world since its inaugural season in 1950. The word "formula" in the name refers to the set of rules to which all participants' cars must conform. A Formula One season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, which take place worldwide on purpose-built circuits and on public roads.

1948 British Grand Prix

The Royal Automobile Club International Grand Prix was a motor race held on 2 October 1948, at Silverstone Airfield, Northamptonshire, UK. It is commonly cited as the first British Grand Prix of the modern era.

Formula Libre

Formula Libre is a form of automobile racing allowing a wide variety of types, ages and makes of purpose-built racing cars to compete "head to head". This can make for some interesting matchups, and provides the opportunity for some compelling driving performances against superior machinery. The name translates to "Free Formula" – in Formula Libre races the only regulations typically govern basics such as safety equipment.

Contents

Richardson also took part in the Targa Florio in 1955, and the Intercontinental Formula that was devised as a rival to the new official 1.5-litre Formula One series in 1961. [4]

Targa Florio

The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near the island's capital of Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973. While the first races consisted of a whole tour of the island, the track length in the race's last decades was limited to the 72 kilometres (45 mi) of the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, which was lapped 11 times.

Results

Non-Championship Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
1950 Geoff Richardson RRA ERA S6 PAU RIC SRM PAR EMP BAR JER ALB NED NAT NOT
3
ULS PES STT INT
13
GOO
10
PEN
1951 Geoff Richardson RRA ERA S6 SYR PAU RIC SRM BOR INT
13
PAR ULS
DNS
SCO NED ALB PES BAR GOO
1952 Geoff Richardson RRA Riley S6 SYR VAL RIC LAV PAU IBS MAR AST BER INT
Ret
ELA DES NAP EIF PAR SNE ALB FRO
ERA S6 ULS
Ret
MZA LAC ESS MAR SAB CAE DMT COM SCO BAU GRE MOD SKA CAD MAD AVU FRY NEW
1953 Geoff Richardson RRA Riley S6 SYR PAU LAV AST BOR INT
Ret
ELA NAP ULS
10
WIN FRO CLP SNE EIF ALB PRN ESS MID ROU CLP AVU UST LAC BRI CHE SAB NEW CAD RED SKA LON MOD MAD BER FRY CUR
1954 Geoff Richardson RRA Riley S6 SYR PAU LAV BOR INT
Ret
BAR CUR ROM FRO BRC COR CLP ROU CAE
Alta S4 AUG
Ret
COR OUL RED PES FRY CAD BER GOO DTT
1957 Geoff Richardson RRA Jaguar S6 AUS SYR PAU GLV NAP RMS CAE INT
Ret
MOD MOR
1958 Geoff Richardson Connaught Type B Alta S4 GLV
10
SYR
DNA
AIN
15
INT
12
CAE
1960 Geoff Richardson Cooper-RRA T43 Alta S4 GLV INT SIL
14
LOM
Ret
OUL
Ret

Other results

Formula One

  • 1948 Jersey Road Race – 11th (ERA-Riley)
  • 1948 British Grand Prix – Ret (Riley-ERA)
  • 1949 British Empire Trophy – 11th (RRA-ERA)
  • 1949 BRDC International Trophy – 21st (RRA-ERA)

Targa Florio

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. More than ten years after its last race, Team Lotus remained one of the most successful racing teams of all time, winning seven Formula One Constructors' titles, six Drivers' Championships, and the Indianapolis 500 in the United States between 1962 and 1978. Under the direction of founder and chief designer Colin Chapman, Lotus was responsible for many innovative and experimental developments in critical motorsport, in both technical and commercial arenas.

Intercontinental Formula

  • 1961 Lavant Cup – 9th (Cooper RRA-Alta)
  • 1961 BRDC International Trophy – Ret (Cooper-Climax)
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References

  1. "1948 British Grand Prix". Silhouet Motorsport Archive. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  2. "1952 Ulster Trophy". Oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  3. "Aston Martin Special Sporting Two-Seater". Bonhams. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  4. "1961 Finally Dawns". Atlas F1: Rear View Mirror. Retrieved 15 July 2012.