Mike Hawthorn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mike Hawthorn

Born	John Michael Hawthorn (1929-04-10)10 April 1929 Mexborough, Doncaster, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died	22 January 1959(1959-01-22) (aged 29) Near Onslow Village, Guildford, Surrey, England
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	British
Active years	1952–1958
Teams	Ferrari, Vanwall, BRM, non-works Cooper, non-works Maserati
Entries	47 (45 starts)
Championships	1 (1958)
Wins	3
Podiums	18
Career points	112 9⁄14 (127 9⁄14)
Pole positions	4
Fastest laps	6
First entry	1952 Belgian Grand Prix
First win	1953 French Grand Prix
Last win	1958 French Grand Prix
Last entry	1958 Moroccan Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career Years 1953, 1955–1958 Teams Jaguar Cars Scuderia Ferrari Best finish 1st (1955) Class wins 1 (1955)

John Michael Hawthorn (born April 10, 1929 – died January 22, 1959) was a famous British racing driver. He made history in 1958. That year, he became the United Kingdom's first ever Formula One World Champion.

After winning the championship, Mike Hawthorn decided to retire. This decision came shortly after his friend and teammate, Peter Collins, sadly passed away. Mike also won the tough 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans race. However, that race was marked by a terrible accident. Mike Hawthorn himself died in a car accident just three months after he retired from racing.

Early Life and Family Business

Mike Hawthorn was born in Mexborough, England. His parents were Leslie and Winifred Hawthorn. He went to school at Ardingly College and later studied at Chelsea technical college. He also did an apprenticeship with a company that made commercial vehicles.

Mike's father, Leslie, owned the Tourist Trophy Garage in Farnham. This garage sold and serviced fancy cars like Jaguar and Ferrari. His father also raced motorcycles and supported Mike's racing dreams. When his father died in a road accident in 1954, Mike took over the family business.

Mike Hawthorn's Racing Journey

Mike Hawthorn started his racing career on September 2, 1950. He drove his 1934 Riley Ulster Imp car. He won the 1,100 cc sports car class at the Brighton Speed Trials. In 1951, he won the Motor Sport Brooklands Memorial Trophy. He also won the Ulster Trophy Handicap and the Leinster Trophy that year.

First Steps in Formula One: 1952

By 1952, Mike Hawthorn began racing single-seater cars. He won his first race in a Formula Two Cooper-Bristol T20 at Goodwood. His success caught the eye of Enzo Ferrari, who invited him to join his team.

Mike made his Formula One debut at the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix in Belgium. He finished in fourth place. By the end of the season, he earned his first podium finish. He came third at the 1952 British Grand Prix.

Joining Ferrari and First Grand Prix Win: 1953

In 1953, Mike joined Scuderia Ferrari. He quickly showed his talent. He won the 1953 French Grand Prix at Reims. This was his ninth attempt at a Grand Prix win. He skillfully beat Juan Manuel Fangio in a race called 'the race of the century'. The top four drivers finished very close to each other.

This win and two other podium finishes helped him end the season fourth overall. He also won the BRDC International Trophy and the Ulster Trophy. Mike also won the 1953 Spa 24 Hours race with his Ferrari teammate Giuseppe Farina.

Challenges and Changes: 1954

In 1954, Mike Hawthorn had a serious crash. He suffered bad burns during the Syracuse Grand Prix. Despite this, he finished the year with three second-place finishes. He then won the last race of the season in Spain. This placed him third in the Drivers' Championship.

After his father's death, Mike left Ferrari for a short time. He raced for Tony Vandervell's Vanwall team. He needed to spend more time at the family garage he had inherited. But after only two races, he returned to Ferrari.

The Le Mans Tragedy: 1955

The 1955 Le Mans accident

In January 1955, Mike Hawthorn joined the Jaguar racing team. He replaced Stirling Moss. Mike won the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans race. He drove incredibly well, setting a lap record. He had a three-hour battle with Fangio early in the race.

However, the race was marked by a terrible accident. This crash killed 83 spectators and Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh. Mike Hawthorn had braked suddenly to enter the pits. This caused another car to swerve into the path of Levegh's Mercedes. The Mercedes crashed into the crowd.

Eight hours later, the Mercedes team left the race out of respect for those who died. The Jaguar team was asked to do the same but chose to continue. French newspapers showed pictures of Mike celebrating with champagne. They criticized him for celebrating after such a tragedy.

The official investigation found Mike was not responsible for the crash. It was called a racing incident. The many deaths were blamed on poor safety standards at the track. The track had not changed much since 1923, when cars were much slower. By 1955, top speeds were over 270 km/h (168 mph). The accident led to a ban on motorsports in several countries. This ban lasted until tracks could be made safer.

Later Racing Years: 1956-1957

Hawthorn leads Peter Collins in their Ferrari 801 cars, during the 1957 German Grand Prix

In 1956, Mike changed teams again, joining BRM. This was not a successful move. His only podium finish came in Argentina. He drove a Maserati 250F there. He was unhappy with the BRM team and left them.

Mike had left Ferrari because racing for the British Jaguar sports car team was his main focus. He hoped to win Le Mans again in 1956. But he lost a lot of time in the pits and finished sixth.

Later, while racing the Jaguar D-Type in Italy, Mike crashed again. He suffered very serious burns. This second bad accident made him feel tired of racing. However, he thought returning to Ferrari could help him win the championship. He rejoined the Ferrari team in 1957. He became good friends with Peter Collins, another English driver at Ferrari.

Becoming a World Champion: 1958

Hawthorn driving his Ferrari to third in the Gran Premio de la Republica Argentina

Mike Hawthorn won the 1958 Formula One Championship. He only won one race that year, the 1958 French Grand Prix at Reims. Sadly, his rival Luigi Musso was fatally injured in that same race.

Mike benefited from the sportsmanship of Stirling Moss. At the 1958 Portuguese Grand Prix, Mike was disqualified. He had bump-started his car after it stalled. Moss spoke up for Mike, and the decision was reversed. Mike then gained an extra point for the fastest lap. This extra point, plus his second-place finish, helped him win the championship.

In the final race, the 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix, Mike drove carefully. He aimed to stay ahead of Moss's teammates. In the end, Phil Hill slowed down to let Mike pass. This gave Mike enough points to win the Championship. He was the first English driver to win the Formula One World Championship.

After winning the title, Mike Hawthorn immediately announced his retirement. He had planned to write a series of children's books. The first, Carlotti Joins the Team, came out in 1958. The second, Carlotti Takes the Wheel, was published in 1959. But the series stopped because of his death.

Mike Hawthorn was known for wearing a bow tie when he raced. The French called him 'Le Papillon', which means 'The Butterfly'.

Mike Hawthorn's Personal Life

Mike Hawthorn never married. However, he had a son named Arnaud Michael Delaunay. He met Arnaud's mother, Jacqueline Delaunay, in Reims in 1953. At the time of his death, Mike was engaged to a fashion model named Jean Howarth.

Mike Hawthorn's Death

A 1959 Jaguar 3.4 Mk.1

On January 22, 1959, Mike Hawthorn died in a car accident. This was just three months after he retired from racing. The accident happened on the A3 Guildford bypass in England. He was driving his modified 1958 Jaguar 3.4-litre car.

The accident happened on a dangerous part of the road. The road was also wet. Mike was driving fast, estimated at 80 mph (129 km/h). He overtook a Mercedes-Benz 300SL driven by Rob Walker. Mike hit a 'Keep Left' sign on a bend. He lost control of his car.

The Jaguar hit an oncoming Bedford lorry. Then it crashed sideways into a tree by the road. The impact caused fatal head injuries to Mike. He was thrown onto the back seat of the car.

Hawthorn's grave in West Street Cemetery in Farnham

People wondered if Mike and Rob Walker were racing each other. Rob Walker refused to say how fast his car was going. Years later, Rob Walker admitted they had been racing. A police officer had advised him not to mention it.

The exact cause of the accident is still unknown. It could have been driver error or a medical issue. There was also a possibility of mechanical failure, but no clear fault was found. Mike had suffered from blackouts recently. This might have been due to kidney problems. He had lost one kidney to infection in 1955. Doctors thought he might only live three more years.

At the coroner's inquest on January 26, the jury ruled it an accidental death. Mike Hawthorn was buried in West Street Cemetery in Farnham.

Remembering Mike Hawthorn

In Farnham, where Mike lived, there is a street named Mike Hawthorn Drive. This is where his family garage was located. There is also a hill and a corner named after him at Brands Hatch racetrack. A corner at the Croft racing circuit is also named after him. In Towcester, near the Silverstone circuit, there is a Hawthorn Drive. A statue at Goodwood Circuit honors him as the UK's first Formula One World Champion.

Hawthorn Memorial Trophy

The Hawthorn Memorial Trophy is an award given every year. It goes to the most successful British or Commonwealth Formula 1 driver. This award has been given since 1959. Lewis Hamilton has won this trophy the most times, eleven times in total.

Racing Records

Career Highlights

Complete Formula One World Championship Results

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

* Indicates Shared Drive

Formula One Non-Championship Results

(key) (Races in bold mean pole position) (Races in italics mean fastest lap)

* Indicates shared drive with Alberto Ascari

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
1953	Scuderia Ferrari	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari 340 MM Pinin Farina Berlinetta	S5.0	12	DSQ
1955	Jaguar Cars Ltd.	Ivor Bueb	Jaguar D-Type	S5.0	307	1st	1st
1956	Jaguar Cars Ltd.	Ivor Bueb	Jaguar D-Type	S5.0	280	6th	3rd
1957	Scuderia Ferrari	Luigi Musso	Ferrari 335 S	S5.0	56	DNF (Piston)
1958	Scuderia Ferrari	Peter Collins	Ferrari 250 TR 58	S3.0	112	DNF (Clutch)

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
1955	B.S. Cunningham	Phil Walters	Jaguar D-Type	S5.0	182	1st	1st
1956	Jaguar of New York Distributors Inc.	Desmond Titterington	Jaguar D-Type	S5.0	162	DNF (Brakes)
1957	Jaguar Cars of North America	Ivor Bueb	Jaguar D-Type	S5.0	193	3rd	2nd
1958	Scuderia Ferrari	Wolfgang von Trips	Ferrari 250 TR 58	S3.0	159	DNF (Gearbox)

Complete 24 Hours of Spa Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
1953	Scuderia Ferrari	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari 375 MM Pinin Farina Berlinetta	S	260	1st	1st

Complete Mille Miglia Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Pos.	Class Pos.
1953	Ferrari Spa	Azelio Cappi	Ferrari 250 MM Vignale Spyder	S+2.0	DNF (Brakes)

Complete 12 Hours of Reims Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Pos.	Class Pos.
1956	Jaguar Cars	Paul Frère	Jaguar D-Type	S3.5	2nd	2nd

Complete 12 Hours of Pescara Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Pos.	Class Pos.
1953	Scuderia Ferrari	Umberto Maglioli	Ferrari 375 MM Pinin Farina Berlinetta	S+2.0	1st	1st

Images for kids

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  Mike Hawthorn

See also

In Spanish: Mike Hawthorn para niños