Henry Taylor (racing driver)

Henry Taylor (16 December 1932 – 24 October 2013)[1] was a British racing driver from England.

For other people with the same name, see Henry Taylor (disambiguation).

Henry Taylor
Born(1932-12-16)16 December 1932
Shefford, Bedfordshire, England, UK
Died24 October 2013(2013-10-24) (aged 80)
Vallauris, France
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality British
Active years1959–1961
Teamsnon-works Cooper, Lotus
Entries11 (8 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points3
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1959 British Grand Prix
Last entry1961 Italian Grand Prix

Racing career

Born in Shefford, Bedfordshire, Taylor started his career in speedway in East London before switching to a 500cc Formula Three Cooper in 1954, quickly demonstrating his talent. He won two Formula Three championships in 1955, and repeated the achievement in 1956, taking 15 wins.[2] He drove in sports car racing as well, winning in a Jaguar D-Type. Continuing his winning ways in Formula Two in 1958, while scoring several good placings in the UK and in France, he soon graduated to Grand Prix racing.

He participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, scoring three championship points, with his best result at the 1960 French Grand Prix, a fourth place in his Cooper T51. That year he also drove for Ken Tyrrell's Formula Junior team, winning twice.[2] He found less success in the following season's World Championship Grands Prix, but finished second twice in domestic Formula One races, among other strong results. Not long after a serious accident in the 1961 British Grand Prix, Taylor turned away from single-seater racing and took up rallying,[3] taking part in the Monte Carlo Rally.

For the following four seasons, Taylor rallied a Ford Anglia, drove the Ford Cortina on its rally debut,[4] and also campaigned the highly successful Lotus Cortina, which he also raced in the European Touring Car Championship in 1964. He achieved a number of top six placings in rallies with all three cars, and took two second places in ETCC races.

After retiring from rallying in 1965, he became Ford's Competition Manager. He also drove for the British Olympic bobsleigh team.[2]

Death

Taylor died on 24 October 2013 in Vallauris, France after a long battle with ill health.[1]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WDC Points
1959 RHH Parnell Cooper T51 F2 Climax Straight-4 MON 500 NED FRA GBR
11		 GER POR ITA USA NC 0
1960 Yeoman Credit Racing Team Cooper T51 Climax Straight-4 ARG MON 500 NED
7		 BEL FRA
4		 GBR
8		 POR
DNS		 ITA USA
14		 22nd 3
1961 UDT Laystall Racing Team Lotus 18 Climax Straight-4 MON
DNQ		 NED NC 0
Lotus 18/21 Climax Straight-4 BEL
DNP		 FRA
10		 GBR
Ret		 GER ITA
11		 USA

References
  1. "Henry Taylor". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  2. Peter Scherer, "50 Years of British Grand Prix Drivers", tfm, 1999, pp.88–89.
  3. "Notice of Death - Henry Taylor". British Racing Drivers Club. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  4. Steve Small, "The Grand Prix Who's Who", Guinness, 1996, p.421.


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