Mike Thackwell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mike Thackwell

The Sauber C8 in which Thackwell and co-driver Henri Pescarolo won the 1000km Nürburgring in 1986.
Born	(1961-03-30) 30 March 1961 (age 64) Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	New Zealander
Active years	1980, 1984
Teams	Arrows, Tyrrell, RAM
Entries	5 (2 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1980 Dutch Grand Prix
Last entry	1984 German Grand Prix

Michael Christopher Thackwell (born 30 March 1961) is a former racing driver from New Zealand. He raced in many important types of racing, including Formula 1. He was one of the youngest drivers ever to start a Grand Prix race. He took part in five Formula 1 races, with his first start on 28 September 1980 at the Canadian Grand Prix. He did not score any championship points in Formula 1. Before this, he tried to qualify for the Dutch Grand Prix but didn't make it.

People have called Thackwell a "teenage sensation" and a "cult hero" because of his exciting driving style. Outside of Formula 1, he was very successful in other racing series like Formula Three, Formula Two, Formula 3000, and sports cars.

In 1984, Thackwell won the European Formula Two Championship. He also finished second in that championship in 1983. He was also runner-up in the International Formula 3000 Championship in 1985. For these races, he drove for the official Ralt team. In 1986, he won the Pau Grand Prix, again in a Ralt car. Later that year, he teamed up with Henri Pescarolo to win the 1000km Nürburgring sports car race in a Sauber C8.

Early Life and Racing Start

Thackwell grew up in a family that loved motor racing. His father, Ray, was a successful speedway rider and racing driver. When Mike was six, his family moved from New Zealand to Perth, Western Australia. This is where he spent his early years and began his racing journey.

From age nine, Thackwell raced motocross on motorcycles. His father, who imported racing cars, supplied these bikes. Then, Mike switched to karting. He won the Western Australian championship when he was 14. After winning the Hong Kong Kart Grand Prix in 1975 and 1976, he moved to England. There, he connected with a racing school and started his European career.

Racing Career Highlights

Starting in Europe

In 1978, Thackwell began racing in Europe in the Dunlop Star of Tomorrow Formula Ford championship in the UK. He drove a Van Diemen-Scholar RF78 car. He won five races and finished on the podium two other times. He ended up third in the championship.

The next year, 1979, Thackwell moved up to the Vandervell British Formula 3 Championship. He drove a March-Toyota 793 for the March team. He won five more races and had four other podium finishes. He again finished third in the championship. He raced against future Formula 1 stars like Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost.

In 1979, he also raced in two FIA European Formula Three Championship races. He won one race at Monza. He finished eighth overall in that championship, which was won by Alain Prost.

Formula 1 Debut

In 1980, Mike Thackwell became a test driver for the Tyrrell Formula 1 team. He was at the Dutch Grand Prix when the Arrows team boss, Jackie Oliver, asked him to drive their car. Their regular driver was injured. Even though the car was set up for someone else, Thackwell got permission to drive. He didn't qualify for the race, but he showed his speed.

A few weeks later, he made his official Formula 1 debut at the Canadian Grand Prix with Tyrrell. On the first lap, there was a big crash involving many cars. Thackwell managed to avoid the crash. However, because his teammates' cars were too damaged, he was asked to give up his car for one of them. The race was stopped and restarted. Because he didn't take part in the second start, some people say he didn't officially start the race.

Thackwell had another chance at the next race, the United States Grand Prix. But he had a problem with his car's brakes during qualifying and couldn't qualify for the race.

Success in Formula Two

After his brief Formula 1 appearances, Thackwell returned to Formula Two in 1981. He was still seen as a rising star and joined the official Ralt team. He won the International Trophy race at Silverstone. Later, he had a very serious testing accident that caused him serious injuries. Despite this, he finished the season and placed sixth in the championship.

In 1982, he struggled to find a good team because people thought he hadn't fully recovered from his accident. But with help from family and friends, he raced for smaller teams. He still managed to finish in the top three twice.

He rejoined the Ralt team in 1983. He finished second in the F2 championship that year, winning one race and getting on the podium eight other times.

The next season, 1984, he stayed with Ralt and completely dominated the championship. He won seven out of eleven races and took the title. He also had six pole positions and nine fastest laps. He led for most of the laps in the season.

Back to Formula 1 and Beyond

Because of his amazing performance in F2, Thackwell got two more chances in Formula 1 in 1984. For the Canadian Grand Prix, he replaced another driver at the RAM team. He qualified well but had to stop during the race because of a broken part. He also tried to qualify for the German Grand Prix with Tyrrell but just missed out.

After Formula 1, Thackwell explored other racing categories. He raced in sports car races and even in CART (an American open-wheel series).

In 1985, he raced in the new Formula 3000 series, which replaced F2. He won the first race at Silverstone and two more races that season. He finished second in the championship. He also raced for the TWR Jaguar team in sports cars.

In 1986, he continued to win in F3000 in Europe and Japan. He also helped Mercedes-Benz get their first modern racing win. He shared a Sauber car with Henri Pescarolo to win the Nürburgring 1000km sports car race.

In 1987, Thackwell returned to New Zealand and won the Formula Pacific championship. He then focused on sports car racing with the Kouros Racing Team. He had some bad luck, but later got a podium finish with another team.

By 1988, Mike Thackwell had become tired of motorsport. He decided to leave racing at the end of that year.

After leaving racing, he worked as a helicopter pilot and a teacher. Many people believe he was a very talented driver who just didn't get the right opportunities. As of 2020, Thackwell lives in England.

Racing Record

Career Highlights

See also

In Spanish: Mike Thackwell para niños