Paul Hawkins (racing driver) facts for kids
Hawkins in 1966
|
|
| Born | 12 October 1937 Richmond, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
|---|---|
| Died | 26 May 1969 (aged 31) Oulton Park, Cheshire, England, UK |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Australian |
| Active years | 1965 |
| Teams | non-works Brabham and Lotus |
| Entries | 3 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1965 South African Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1965 German Grand Prix |
Robert Paul Hawkins (born October 12, 1937 – died May 26, 1969) was a super-fast Australian race car driver. His dad was a church minister who used to race motorcycles! Paul was known as Hawkeye because he was a fun and colorful person.
He was good at driving single-seater cars, but he was truly amazing in sports cars like the Ford GT40 and Lola T70. In 1969, Paul was even named one of the top 27 drivers in the world by the FIA, which is like the main group for car racing. He is also famous for being one of only two drivers ever to crash into the harbor during the Monaco Grand Prix race!
Contents
Paul Hawkins: A Racing Star
Starting His Engines: Early Career
Paul Hawkins began his racing journey in Australia in 1958, driving an Austin-Healey. In 1960, he moved to England and started working for the Donald Healey Motor Company. His boss, John Sprinzel, said Paul was a really good mechanic who knew a lot about cars.
Soon, Paul was racing an Austin-Healey Sprite. He won his class in a GT race at Aintree in April 1960. He also raced in the tough Nürburgring 1000 km race. In 1961, he raced at the famous Le Mans race with John Colgate, but their car had engine trouble. In 1962, he won a sports car race at Crystal Palace, setting new lap records. At Le Mans in 1965, Paul and John Rhodes finished 12th overall and first in their class in an Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite.
Paul also raced in single-seater cars, which are open-wheel cars designed for one driver. He won the Formula Two Eifelrennen race at the Nürburgring in bad weather in 1965.
Racing in Formula One
Paul Hawkins raced in three official Formula One World Championship races. His first race was on January 1, 1965, at the South African Grand Prix. He drove a Brabham car. He didn't score any championship points, but his best finish was ninth place in his first race.
He did very well in other Formula One races that weren't part of the championship. He finished second in the Rand Grand Prix in 1964 and third in 1965. He also won the Rhodesian Grand Prix in 1964 and the Cape South Easter Formula One Trophy in 1965.
One of the most memorable moments of his career happened at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1965. Paul spun his Lotus car and crashed through a barrier, landing in the harbor! Luckily, he was not hurt and swam to safety. He was one of only two Formula One drivers ever to do this.
Sports Car Success
Paul Hawkins had a lot of success in the World Sports Car Championship. On May 14, 1967, he won the famous Targa Florio race in Sicily with his teammate Rolf Stommelen, driving a Porsche 910. He also finished second in the Nürburgring 1000 km race that year.
He won the Zeltweg 500 km race in August 1967 in a Ford GT40. Later that year, he teamed up with Jacky Ickx to win the Paris 1000 km race in a Mirage car.
In 1968, Paul continued his winning streak. He won the Monza 1000 km race with David Hobbs in a Ford GT40. He also finished second at the Watkins Glen 6-hour race and third at the Nürburgring 1000 km. In November 1968, he won the Cape Town Three Hours race by himself in a Ferrari P4.
Paul was starting his own business where he owned and raced cars. Sadly, he passed away in May 1969 when his Lola T70 race car crashed and caught fire during a race at Oulton Park. His friend, Mike Hailwood, a famous racer, said he was shocked because Paul was so skilled and experienced.
Racing Highlights
Paul Hawkins competed in many important races. Here are some of his notable achievements:
- Formula One Non-Championship Races: He won the 1965 Cape South Easter Trophy and had podium finishes (top three) in the Rand Grand Prix in 1964 (2nd) and 1965 (3rd).
- British Saloon Car Championship: He raced in this series, driving cars like the Ford Cortina Lotus and Ford Falcon Sprint.
- 24 Hours of Le Mans: He raced in this famous endurance race five times. In 1965, he and John Rhodes won their class (P 1.3) in an Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite, finishing 12th overall.
- Bathurst 500: He also competed in this well-known Australian endurance race.
See also
- Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite
