Timmy Mayer

Last updated
Tim Mayer
Born(1938-02-22)February 22, 1938
Dalton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedFebruary 28, 1964(1964-02-28) (aged 26)
Longford Circuit, Tasmania, Australia
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Flag of the United States.svg American
Active years 1962
Teams Cooper
Entries1
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First entry 1962 United States Grand Prix
Last entry 1962 United States Grand Prix

Timothy Andrew Mayer (February 22, 1938 – February 28, 1964) was a racecar driver from Dalton, Pennsylvania in the United States. [1] He participated in one World Championship Formula One Grand Prix, on October 7, 1962. He retired with ignition failure and scored no championship points. [2]

Contents

Career

Mayer's older brother Teddy was one of the founders of the McLaren team, with Bruce McLaren. Both brothers travelled from the United States to Europe in the early 1960s with future Grand Prix winner Peter Revson. The McLaren team's first championship series entries were for the 1964 Tasman Series, running Timmy Mayer and team-leader McLaren in custom-built Cooper T70 cars. However, Mayer was killed in practice for the final race of the series, at Longford, Tasmania, when he lost control at over 100 mph and spun and hit a tree next to the course. [3] His car disintegrated, and wreckage narrowly missed young children who were spectators. Mayer died instantly from the impact. There was a memorial stone placed on the side of the road where Mayer had died, but it was moved, and is now to be seen, with his helmet, at the Country Club Hotel in Longford.

In his eulogy of team mate and friend Tim Mayer, Bruce McLaren wrote: "The news that he had died instantly was a terrible shock to all of us, but who is to say that he had not seen more, done more and learned more in his few years than many people do in a lifetime? To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. It would be a waste of life to do nothing with one's ability, for I feel that life is measured in achievement, not in years alone."

Racing record

SCCA National Championship Runoffs

YearTrackCarEngineClassFinishStartStatus
1962 Cooper Formula Junior 1

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789WDCPoints
1962 Cooper Car Company Cooper T53 Climax Straight-4 NED MON BEL FRA GBR GER ITA USA
Ret
RSA NC0
Source: [2]

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

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

YearTeamCarClass1234567891011Pos.PtsClass
1963 Cooper Car Co. Morris Mini Cooper S A SNE OUL GOO AIN SIL CRY SIL BRH BRH
15
OUL
13
21st118th
Austin Mini Cooper S SNE
8
Source: [4]

Complete Tasman Series results

YearCar12345678RankPoints
1964 Cooper T70 LEV
2
PUK
3
WIG
8
TER
2
SAN
4
WAR
3
LAK
Ret
LON
DNS
4th23

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References

  1. The Bradford Era page 1 Monday March 2, 1964 Bradford Pa "Timothy Mayer 26, a nephew of Gov Scranton, Mayor of Dalton, Pa was killed in a racing car accident in Australia last Friday."
  2. 1 2 Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. p. 251. ISBN   0851127029.
  3. Motor Sport page 68 March 2006 Motor Sport Magazine ltd
  4. de Jong, Frank. "British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 21 September 2022.