Bill Aston

William Aston (29 March 1900 – 4 March 1974) was a British racing driver who participated in three World Championship Grands Prix, in 1952 when the championship was run to Formula Two rules, for his own team Aston Butterworth.

William "Bill" Aston
Born(1900-03-29)29 March 1900
Hopton, Staffordshire, England, UK
Died4 March 1974(1974-03-04) (aged 73)
Lingfield, Surrey, England, UK
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality British
Active years1952
TeamsAston Butterworth
Entries3 (1 start)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1952 British Grand Prix
Last entry1952 Italian Grand Prix

Career

Prior to taking part in World Championship Grand Prix racing, Aston was a test pilot and motorcycle racer. He turned to four-wheel racing with a Cooper-JAP in Formula Three and later graduated into Formula Two. He came close to winning a heat race at Chimay in 1951, driving an 1,100 cc (67 cu in) Cooper, but his car failed on the last lap.[1] In the same year he set a 500 cc (31 cu in) world speed record at Montlhéry in the streamlined Cooper, fitted with a V-twin J.A.P. motor.[2]

For 1952 he teamed up with Archie Butterworth to build the Aston Butterworth, a car that raced quite well, but was unfortunately very unreliable. He entered the car in the 1952 German Grand Prix but it failed on the second lap. At the Italian Grand Prix he failed to make it through qualifying. Aston raced on into his 60s, with a Mini and a Jaguar, before he retired.

Aston Butterworth NB42 displayed at Motor Sport at the Palace Crystal Palace circuit, 25 May 2015

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Points
1952 W S Aston Aston NB 41 Butterworth Flat 4 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR
DNS
GER
Ret
NED ITA
DNQ
NC 0
Source:[3]

See also

References

  1. "Carrozzino" (June 1951). "G.P. des Frontieres (Chimay) Formula II (May 13th)". Motor Sport magazine archive. p. 40. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  2. Motor Sport, November 1951, Page 530.
  3. Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. p. 13. ISBN 0851127029.


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