Peter Revson

Peter Jeffrey Revson (February 27, 1939 – March 22, 1974) was an American race car driver and heir to the Revlon cosmetics fortune. He was a two-time Formula One race winner and had success at the Indianapolis 500.

Peter Revson
Revson at the 1973 German Grand Prix
Born(1939-02-27)February 27, 1939
New York City, New York
DiedMarch 22, 1974(1974-03-22) (aged 35)
Midrand, South Africa
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality American
Active years1964, 19711974
Teamsnon-works Lotus, Tyrrell, McLaren, Shadow
Entries32 (30 starts)
Championships0
Wins2
Podiums8
Career points61
Pole positions1
Fastest laps0
First entry1964 Monaco Grand Prix
First win1973 British Grand Prix
Last win1973 Canadian Grand Prix
Last entry1974 Brazilian Grand Prix
The McLaren Revson drove in the 1972 Indianapolis 500

Background

Peter Revson was born in New York City, the son of Martin Revson (1910–2016) and Julie (née Phelps) Hall (1914–2000).[1] Martin had been a founding partner (along with his brother Charles Revson) of Revlon cosmetics, but had parted ways in 1958 and become chairman of Del Laboratories in 1963.[2][3] His mother had been a nightclub singer at the time Martin met her.

A young, handsome bachelor described as a "free spirit", Peter passed up an easy life for one of competition and danger. Off the track, he lived at the same accelerated pace, Revson piloting a 32-foot (9.8 m) ChrisCraft and courting some of the most beautiful women in the world. At the time of his death, he was engaged to the 1973 Miss World, Marjorie Wallace.

Early life and racing career

Peter Revson spent his childhood in White Plains, New York, in Westchester County, attended prep schools, and lived off the fruits of his father’s million-dollar empire. He had two sisters, Jennifer and Julie Ann, as well as a younger brother Doug, who was killed in a race in Denmark in 1967. Though considered well educated, Peter never finished his college education after attending Columbia University, Cornell University, and the University of Hawaii. In 1960, while attending the University of Hawaii, Revson bought a Morgan and entered into sports car racing. In his first race, Revson placed second, but he placed first in his next race. To the dismay of his family, Revson began to turn his attention to competitive racing full time. Teaming with Cornell classmates Timmy and Teddy Mayer, Revson competed in formula junior in 1962, losing the financial aid of the Revson family as a consequence. Without support from his family, Revson embraced his independence and generated funds through his savings and education funds.

In 1963, after limited successes and with Formula 1 aspirations, Revson took the remaining money he had, around $12,000 (equivalent to $100,213 in 2019), and moved to the UK. There he was able to buy a Formula Junior Cooper and a Ford Thames van named Gilbert. He then began barnstorming around mainland Europe competing and winning against the likes of future formula stars Denny Hulme and Jochen Rindt. Sleeping in his van and earning a living from prize money he earned from races, Revson soon caught the attention of Reg Parnell, from whom Revson rented workshop space, and was offered a spot on Parnell’s planned F1 team for the 1964 season. Revson made his initial Formula 1 debut late in the 1963 season in an exhibition race at the Gold Cup in Oulton Park, England, finishing ninth. Revson teamed with fellow drivers Chris Amon and Mike Hailwood, referred to as the Ditton Road Flyers, and received more attention due to their antics and wild parties than their performances on the track. Due to a number of factors, including the sudden death of Reg Parnell, financial troubles, and an uncompetitive car in the Lotus 24, Reg Parnell/Revson Racing was doomed before it even began. After racing in four Grands Prix and five non-championship races that season, Revson's best results came at Monza, finishing 13th, as well as a fourth place finish at Solitude during a non-championship race.

Barely noticed on the European circuits due to his limited Formula 1 success, Revson accepted an offer to race back in the United States in 1965. Focusing mainly on sports car racing, including the Can-Am and Trans-Am series, Revson was able to rebound from his Formula 1 woes and quickly rebuild his reputation as a capable driver. In 1969, Revson competed in his first Indy 500, finishing an impressive 5th place after starting last. To make the feat even more impressive, Revson was racing in an underpowered Brabham BT25. At the Indy 500 the following year, Revson gained major exposure and entrance to a top team when McLaren’s Indy car team asked him to drive the race following the release of Chris Amon. That same year, while teamed with famed movie star Steve McQueen, the duo finished second in the 12 hours of Sebring behind a Ferrari driven by Mario Andretti. Though McQueen received most of the credit for driving with a broken foot, it was Revson who drove the bulk of the race in the Porsche 908/2. Revson also the finished the 1970 Can-Am season runner-up while driving a Lola T220 for the Haas team.

1971 proved to be the proverbial breakout season for Revson. During the Indy 500 that year, driving a McLaren M16, Revson qualified on pole position averaging 178.696 mph. He went on to finish second in the race behind Al Unser Sr. However, the real success came during the Can-Am series that year. Now driving for the McLaren team in the M8F, Revson rolled past the competition to a championship. In 10 races, Revson won five and placed on the podium in all but two of the races. His successes caught the attention of the Formula One teams. He was even offered a one-race drive that year with the Tyrrell team as a third driver at Watkins Glen. In 1972 Revson was offered a full-time seat racing for the McLaren Formula One team, headed by Revson's old friend and boss Teddy Mayer. Revson was now a driver in McLaren’s Indy Car, Can-Am, and Formula One teams.

Formula One career

During Revson's first year with McLaren during the 1972 season at the age of 33, Revson was able to finish 5th in the championship standing. Running 9 out of the 12 races, Revson finished on the podium four times with three third place finishes and a second place finish. Greater success was soon to follow for Revson. The following season Revson secured his only two wins during his short formula one career. Driving a McLaren M23, Revson first tasted victory during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and later the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park. Despite his growing successes as a driver, Teddy Mayer was not satisfied and they opted for the 1972 Formula One champion and Marlboro-sponsored Emerson Fittipaldi. Revson soon signed with the rather new Shadow formula 1 team for the 1974 season. In addition, Revson became engaged to 1973 Miss World Marjorie Wallace after meeting her at the Indy 500 that year. Driving a Shadow DN3, Revson retired from the first two races of the season. Despite this Revson liked the car and had high hopes about the season.

Death

Revson was killed during a test session on 22 March 1974, before the 1974 South African Grand Prix in Kyalami. While driving the Shadow DN3, he suffered a front suspension failure and crashed heavily into the Armco barrier on the outside of "Barbecue Bend". The car stood on its nose, wrapped itself around the barrier and caught fire, and although safety workers and other drivers managed to pull Revson from the wreckage, he was already dead.

Tony Southgate, designer of the DN3, (Motorsport Magazine June 2012, Pg 84.) –

Revvie was a fabulous easy-going guy, fitted in well, and a very good driver. But tragically he wasn't with us for long. He qualified on row 2 for Argentina and row 3 for Brazil. Then he and I, our chief mechanic Pete Kerr and two other mechanics went down to Kyalami for testing before the South African GP. Revvie was going very well, very happy with the car, and then he didn't come around. We rushed out to the back of the circuit and found the car buried under the Armco on the outside of a quick corner. Peter was already in the ambulance and gone. I phoned the hospital, and they told me I had to go to the morgue and identify him. When the news got out all hell let loose, journalists banging on my hotel door, then the Revson family lawyer arrived and took over. We were using titanium quite a lot on the DN3, which was quite a new material then. Titanium is finicky, it has to be machined smooth and the surface polished, and a ball joint which had some coarse machining on it had failed. There was only one layer of Armco and the car, instead of being deflected or stopped, had gone right under as far as the cockpit. I felt personally responsible. It was a very difficult time. The glamour of Formula 1 had gone, replaced by a sort of loneliness. You just had to work on. Of course I replaced all the titanium components with steel before the next race.

He was the second Revson to lose his life racing; his brother Douglas was killed in a crash in Denmark in 1967. Peter and Douglas Revson are interred together in a crypt in the community mausoleum at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York. Revson's autobiography, Speed with Style, co-written with Leon Mandel, was published posthumously by Doubleday & Company in 1974.

Revson was replaced by Tom Pryce, who died three years later at the same Grand Prix.

Awards

Revson was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America[4] in 1996 in the sports car category.

Racing record

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 WDC Pts
1964 Revson Racing Lotus 24 BRM V8 MON
DNQ
NED GER
14
AUT ITA
13
USA MEX NC 0
Reg Parnell Racing BEL
DSQ
GBR
Ret
Lotus 25 FRA
DNS
1971 Elf Team Tyrrell Tyrrell 001 Cosworth V8 RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA
Ret
NC 0
1972 Team Yardley McLaren McLaren M19A Cosworth V8 ARG
Ret
RSA
3
ESP
5
MON BEL
7
FRA GBR
3
GER 5th 23
McLaren M19C AUT
3
ITA
4
CAN
2
USA
18
1973 Team Yardley McLaren McLaren M19C Cosworth V8 ARG
8
BRA
Ret
RSA
2
5th 38
McLaren M23 ESP
4
BEL
Ret
MON
5
SWE
7
FRA GBR
1
NED
4
GER
9
AUT
Ret
ITA
3
CAN
1
USA
5
1974 UOP Shadow Racing Team Shadow DN3 Cosworth V8 ARG
Ret
BRA
Ret
RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA NC 0

Non-Championship Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1963 Reg Parnell Lotus 24 BRM V8 LOM GLV PAU IMO SYR AIN INT ROM SOL KAN MED AUT OUL
9
RAN
1964 Revson Racing Lotus 24 BRM V8 DMT
Ret
NWT
8
SYR
Ret
AIN
DNA
INT
9
SOL
4
MED
6
RAN
1971 Milestone Racing Team Surtees TS8 Chevrolet V8 ARG ROC QUE
Ret
SPR INT RIN OUL VIC
1972 Yardley Team McLaren McLaren M19A Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC
8
BRA
McLaren M19B INT
5
OUL REP VIC
1973 Yardley Team McLaren McLaren M23 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC INT
4
1974 UOP Shadow Racing Team Shadow DN3 Cosworth V8 PRE ROC
6
INT

Complete USAC Championship Car results

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Pos Points
1966 PHX
TRE
INDY
MIL
LAN
ATL
PIP IRP
LAN
SPR
MIL
DUQ
ISF
TRE
SAC
PHX
16
- 0
1967 PHX
13
TRE
DNQ
INDY
DNP
MIL
LAN
PIP MOS
MOS
IRP LAN
MTR
MTR
SPR
MIL
DUQ
ISF
TRE
SAC
HAN
PHX
RIV
- 0
1968 HAN
LVG
PHX
TRE
INDY
MIL
MOS
MOS
LAN
PIP
CDR
NAZ
IRP
IRP
LAN
LAN
MTR
MTR
SPR
MIL
DUQ
ISF
TRE
SAC
MCH
HAN
PHX
RIV
10
- 0
1969 PHX
HAN
INDY
5
MIL
LAN
PIP CDR
NAZ TRE
IRP
3
IRP
1
MIL
SPR
DOV
DUQ
ISF
BRN
BRN TRE
SAC
KEN
KEN
PHX
RIV
DNP
- 0
1970 PHX
SON TRE
INDY
22
MIL
LAN
CDR
MCH
IRP
SPR
MIL
ONT
5
DUQ ISF SED
TRE
SAC
PHX
- 0
1971 RAF
RAF
PHX
TRE
INDY
2
MIL
POC
21
MCH
MIL
ONT
7
TRE
PHX
12th 1,100
1972 PHX
TRE
INDY
31
MIL
MCH
POC
31
MIL
ONT
23
TRE
PHX
- 0
1973 TWS
TRE
TRE
INDY
31
MIL
POC
21
MCH
MIL
ONT
ONT ONT
23
MCH
MCH
TRE
TWS
PHX
- 0

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish
1969 Brabham Repco 33rd 5th
1970 McLaren Offy 16th 22nd
1971 McLaren Offy 1st 2nd
1972 McLaren Offy 2nd 31st
1973 McLaren Offy 10th 31st

See also

References

  1. "Paid Notice: Deaths REVSON, JULIE PHELPS". The New York Times. February 9, 2000.
  2. Montague-Jones, Guy (10 December 2007). "Coty acquires Del Laboratories and parent company". cosmeticsdesign.com. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  3. "Del Laboratories, Inc. -- Company History". www.company-histories.com. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  4. Peter Revson at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America

All work no playboy | Motor Sport Magazine Archive. (2014, November 27). Retrieved from https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/april-2014/98/all-work-no-playboy

Chang, R. S. (2008, May 29). McQueen's Porsche, but Memories of Another Driver. Retrieved from

(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/mus/2014/06/Peter-Revson/3739011.html

There but for fortune | Motor Sport Magazine Archive. (2014, December 23). Retrieved from https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-1994/23/there-fortune

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Jackie Stewart
Monaco Formula Three
Race Winner

1965
Succeeded by
Jean-Pierre Beltoise
Preceded by
Denny Hulme
Can-Am Champion
1971
Succeeded by
George Follmer
Preceded by
François Cevert
Formula One fatal accidents
March 22, 1974
Succeeded by
Helmut Koinigg
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