Tom Pryce facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tom Pryce

Pryce at Brands Hatch in 1974
Born	Thomas Maldwyn Pryce (1949-06-11)11 June 1949 Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales
Died	5 March 1977(1977-03-05) (aged 27) Midrand, South Africa
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	British
Active years	1974–1977
Teams	Token, Shadow
Entries	42
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	2
Career points	19
Pole positions	1
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1974 Belgian Grand Prix
Last entry	1977 South African Grand Prix

Thomas Maldwyn Pryce (born June 11, 1949 – died March 5, 1977) was a British racing driver from Wales. He was famous for winning the Brands Hatch Race of Champions in 1975. This was a special Formula One race that was not part of the championship.

Tom Pryce is the only Welsh driver to have won a Formula One race. He is also the only Welshman to lead a Formula One World Championship Grand Prix. He led for two laps at the 1975 British Grand Prix.

Pryce started his Formula One career with a small team called Token. He then joined the Shadow team. He earned his first points in only his fourth race. Tom Pryce achieved two podium finishes, meaning he finished in the top three. His first was in Austria in 1975, and his second was in Brazil a year later. His team thought he was a great driver, especially in wet weather.

In his four years in Formula One, from 1974 to 1977, many believed Pryce could become a future race winner and even a world champion. His car was sometimes unreliable, but it was also fast enough to get attention.

During a practice session for the 1977 South African Grand Prix, which was held in the rain, Pryce was the fastest driver. He was even faster than world champions like Niki Lauda and James Hunt. Sadly, during the race, he had a high-speed accident with a safety marshal, Frederik Jansen van Vuuren. Both men died in the accident. A memorial for Tom Pryce was put up in his hometown of Ruthin in 2009.

Tom Pryce: Early Life

Tom Pryce was born in Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales, on June 11, 1949. His parents were Jack and Gwyneth Pryce. His father, Jack, was a police officer. His mother, Gwyneth, was a nurse. Tom was an only child for most of his childhood.

Tom became interested in cars when he was just 10 years old. He was driving a baker's van at the time. He told his parents he wanted to be a racing driver. When he was 16, his mother wanted him to learn a trade. So, he became an apprentice tractor mechanic. This was a backup plan if his racing career did not work out.

In 1975, Tom married Fenella, who was known as Nella. They met in 1973. After Tom's death, Nella moved to France.

Tom Pryce: Helmet Design

Tom Pryce's helmet design was simple. At first, his helmet was plain white. In 1970, his father asked him to make it stand out more. This way, his father could easily spot him during races.

Pryce added five black vertical lines to his helmet, just above his visor. In 1974, he added a Welsh flag to the side of his helmet. This was the only other change he made to his design.

Tom Pryce: Racing Career

Before Formula One

Early Years: 1969–1971

Tom Pryce started his motor racing journey at the Mallory Park circuit when he was 20. He competed in the Daily Express Crusader Championship. This series used Lotus 51 Formula Ford cars. Pryce remembered selling his Mini car to help pay for the races. His parents also gave him a lot of support.

The winner of the series received a new Lola T200 Formula Ford car. The final race was held in the rain. Pryce loved racing in the rain. He won the race by a good amount and received his new Lola car.

Pryce moved to a guest house near the Brands Hatch circuit. He continued to race and won a new Sportscar category called Formula F100. He then moved up to Formula Super Vee and later made his Formula Three debut.

Lower Racing Levels: 1972–1973

In 1972, Pryce won a Formula Three race at Brands Hatch. He was driving a Royale RP11 car. He beat many experienced drivers. Later that year, during practice for the 1972 Monaco Grand Prix support race, his car stopped. When he got out to fix it, another car hit his. Pryce was knocked into a shop window and broke his leg.

Despite his injury, he was back racing two weeks later. Pryce also won the Formula SuperVee series easily. He also raced in Formula Atlantic, winning three races in 1973.

Pryce then got a chance to race in the Formula Two series with Ron Dennis's Rondel Racing team. His best result was leading a race until his brakes failed. At the end of 1973, Pryce won the Grovewood Award for his racing achievements.

Formula One

Token Team: 1974

At 25, Tom Pryce moved up to Formula One, the highest level of racing. He joined the new Token Racing team. Pryce got the spot because of his sponsors and his clear talent.

His first Formula One race was at the 1974 Belgian Grand Prix. He started in 20th place. He had to stop the race after a crash. Pryce was not allowed to race in the 1974 Monaco Grand Prix because he was thought to be "inexperienced." To prove them wrong, he raced in the supporting Formula Three race and won it by a lot.

Shadow Team: 1974–1977

1974 Season

After his win in Monaco, Pryce joined the Shadow team. His first race for Shadow was in Holland. He started in 11th place but crashed on the first lap. In his second race for Shadow, in France, he started in third place. But he crashed again on the first corner.

Later in the season, Pryce showed his speed. He was the fastest in a practice session for the 1974 British Grand Prix. He earned his first championship point in Germany, finishing 6th. This was at the very difficult Nürburgring track. He finished the season tied for 18th place in the Drivers' Championship.

1975 Season

Pryce drives his Shadow at the 1975 US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen

At the start of the 1975 Formula One season, there were rumors that Pryce might join the Lotus team. But the deal did not happen.

Pryce got a new car, the Shadow DN5, for the third race of the season. The team's next race was the non-championship 1975 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch. Pryce started in pole position (first place). He went on to win the race, becoming the first Welshman to win a Formula One race.

Pryce also showed great skill in other races. He started on the front row of the grid in Monaco and Silverstone, even getting pole position in Britain. He achieved his first World Championship podium finish in very wet conditions in Austria. He also finished in the points four more times. In Germany, he finished fourth even though fuel was leaking into his car's cockpit. This caused his skin to burn and fumes almost blinded him. For this brave effort, he received a special award.

1976 Season

Pryce driving a 1976-specification Shadow DN5 at Brands Hatch

The 1976 Formula One season started well for Pryce. He got his second podium finish in Brazil. New car rules and different tires made his car less competitive. However, he still scored points in Britain.

The new Shadow DN8 car was introduced later in the season. At Zandvoort, Pryce qualified third and finished fourth. This was his last time scoring points in his career. He finished the season 12th in the Drivers' Championship.

1977 Season

Before the 1977 Formula One season, there were strong rumors that Pryce would join the Lotus team in 1978. His contract with Shadow was ending.

Pryce started the first race of 1977 in Argentina in ninth place. He was doing well until a gear problem forced him to stop. In the second race in Brazil, he started 12th. He was running in second place when his engine failed, and he had to retire from the race.

Tom Pryce: Death

Tom Pryce's last race was the 1977 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. On the first practice day, which was wet, Pryce set the fastest time. He was a full second faster than the future world champion, Niki Lauda.

Pryce had a bad start to the Grand Prix and was in last place after the first lap. But he quickly started to move up the field. By lap 18, he had moved from 22nd to 13th place.

The pit straight after The Kink is where Pryce had his accident.

On lap 22, his teammate Renzo Zorzi pulled off the track because his car was on fire. Two marshals ran across the track to help. One marshal, 19-year-old Frederik Jansen van Vuuren, was carrying a heavy fire extinguisher.

As the marshals crossed the track, Tom Pryce and Hans-Joachim Stuck came over a hill. Stuck saw the marshal and moved to avoid him. Pryce was right behind Stuck and could not see Jansen van Vuuren. Pryce hit the marshal at about 270 kilometers per hour (170 mph). Both Tom Pryce and Frederik Jansen van Vuuren died instantly.

Niki Lauda won the race. He first said it was his greatest victory. But when he learned about Pryce's death, he said there was "no joy after that."

After the Accident

Tom Pryce's death brought great sadness to his family and the Shadow team. He was buried in the same church where he had married his wife, Nella, two years earlier.

Tom Pryce was highly respected in Formula One for his driving skills. An award, called the Tom Pryce Award or Tom Pryce Trophy, is now given each year to Welsh people who have made a great contribution to motoring or transport.

The Anglesey Circuit in North Wales named a straight section of their track the "Tom Pryce Straight." In 2009, a memorial plaque was unveiled in his hometown of Ruthin on what would have been his 60th birthday.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; small number denotes finishing position)

Non-championship Formula One results

Pryce on his way to victory at the 1975 Race of Champions

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; small number denotes finishing position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

See also

In Spanish: Tom Pryce para niños