Eric Thompson (racing driver) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Eric Thompson

Born	(1919-11-04)4 November 1919 Ditton Hill, Surbiton, Surrey, England, UK
Died	22 August 2015(2015-08-22) (aged 95) Guildford, Surrey
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	British
Active years	1952
Teams	Connaught Engineering
Entries	1
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	2
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1952 British Grand Prix
Last entry	1952 British Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career Years 1949–1955 Teams HRG Aston Martin Lagonda Connaught Engineering Best finish 3rd (1951) Class wins 2 (1949 & 1951)

Eric David Thompson (born November 4, 1919 – died August 22, 2015) was a British race car driver. He also worked as a book dealer and an insurance broker. He raced sports cars from 1949 to 1955. His biggest achievement was finishing third in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1951. He also competed in one Formula One race, the 1952 British Grand Prix.

Thompson worked as a broker for Lloyd's of London, a big insurance company. He started his racing career in 1948 with HRG cars. He won the 1.5-litre class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949. Later, driving an Aston Martin DB2 for Aston Martin, he took third place overall in the 1951 Le Mans race. He also raced in other events like Formula Libre and Formula Two. In his only Formula One race, the 1952 British Grand Prix, he finished fifth. After 1955, he stopped racing to focus on his work at Lloyd's. In the 1980s, Thompson left Lloyd's and became a dealer of rare books about motorsport.

Eric Thompson's Life and Racing Journey

Early Years

Eric Thompson was born on November 4, 1919, in Ditton Hill, Surrey, England. From a young age, he loved motorsport. He was a big fan of the famous driver Richard Seaman.

After finishing school, Thompson got a job at Lloyd's of London. He worked as a broker, which meant he helped arrange insurance deals. This job paid well, but it needed a lot of hard work and long hours. Thompson won many awards for his dedication. He also served in the military during the Second World War.

Starting His Racing Career

After the war, Thompson decided to follow his dream of motor racing. He started racing in 1948 when he was 28 years old. He had enough money to support his racing hobby. He continued to work at Lloyd's, using his holiday time and every third weekend off for races.

His first race was the 12 Hours of Paris in France. He shared an HRG car with Robin Richards. They finished fourth in their class and 17th overall.

Le Mans Success and Aston Martin

In 1949, Thompson raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time. He drove with Jack Fairman in an HRG. They won their 1.5-litre class and finished eighth overall. They also won their class at the 24 Hours of Belgium race. Thompson also won two handicap races at Goodwood.

In 1950, he joined the Aston Martin team. He supported their main drivers like Reg Parnell and Peter Collins. His first race for Aston Martin was at Silverstone, where he finished fourth in his class. He also raced in the 1950 Le Mans race with John Gordon, but their car had engine trouble and had to stop.

Open-Wheel Racing and More Success

In 1951, Thompson started racing more in open-wheel cars, which are cars with exposed wheels, like Formula One cars. He drove a Cooper at Goodwood and finished fifth. He also raced in sports car events with an Aston Martin DB2.

For the Aston Martin factory team, Thompson drove a DB2 with Lance Macklin in the 1951 Le Mans race. They won the 3-litre class and finished an amazing third place overall!

In 1952, Thompson raced in his third Le Mans race with Reg Parnell in an Aston Martin DB3. They had to stop due to problems with the car's transmission. Later that year, during the Goodwood Nine Hours race, Thompson's car started smoking. Parnell quickly pulled him out of the car just before it caught fire!

Eric Thompson's Formula One Debut

In 1952, Eric Thompson got to race in his only Formula One event. He drove a Connaught car with a Lea-Francis engine for the factory team. This was at the 1952 British Grand Prix. He started the race in ninth place.

During the race, he moved up one spot when another driver had to stop. Thompson finished in fifth place, which was a great result for his first and only Formula One race. He finished ahead of a former World Champion, Giuseppe Farina, and right behind his teammate Dennis Poore.

Life After Formula One Racing

Continuing Sports Car Racing

After his Formula One race, Thompson kept racing sports cars. In 1953, he raced in the Le Mans race again with Dennis Poore in an Aston Martin DB3S. They had to stop early due to ignition problems.

Later that year, Thompson and Reg Parnell won the Goodwood Nine Hours race. They also finished second in the Tourist Trophy race. Thompson also won two races at Snetterton in a Connaught A-Type car.

Retirement from Racing

In 1954, Thompson raced less often. He competed in the Le Mans race in a Lagonda DP115 with Dennis Poore, but they crashed and had to retire.

In 1955, Eric Thompson decided to retire from motor racing. This was because of the demands of his job. He raced in his final Le Mans race, but his car had engine problems and stopped after 60 laps. His very last competitive race was in 1956 at the CUAC Speed Trials.

Later Life and Legacy

After retiring from racing, Thompson focused on his work at Lloyd's. In the 1980s, he left his job there and opened a bookshop near Guildford. He sold rare books about the history of motor racing.

Eric Thompson also sometimes appeared at historic racing events. In 2013, he became the first driver to be added to the Le Mans Drivers Hall of Fame. This shows how important he was in the history of racing.

Racing Record

Career Highlights

Complete World Championship Grand Prix Results

(key)

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
1949	Ecurie Lapin Blanc	Jack Fairman	HRG Lightweight	S1.5	202	8th	1st
1950	Aston Martin Ltd.	John Gordon	Aston Martin DB2	S3.0	8	DNF Engine
1951	Aston Martin Ltd.	Lance Macklin	Aston Martin DB2	S3.0	257	3rd	1st
1952	Aston Martin Ltd.	Reg Parnell	Aston Martin DB3S	S3.0		DNF Transmission
1953	Aston Martin Ltd.	Dennis Poore	Aston Martin DB3S	S3.0	182	DNF Ignition
1954	David Brown	Dennis Poore	Lagonda DP115	S5.0	26	DNF Accident
1955	Connaught Engineering	Kenneth McAlpine	Connaught AL/SR	S1.5	60	DNF Engine

Complete 24 Hours of Spa Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
1949	Ecurie Lapin Blanc	Jack Fairman	HRG Lightweight	S1.5		10th	1st

Complete 12 Hours of Paris Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Pos.	Class Pos.
1948	Ecurie Lapin Blanc	Robin Richards	HRG-Singer 1100	1.1	17th	4th