George Abecassis

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George Abecassis
Nationality	British
World Championship Career
Active years	1951 - 1952
Team(s)	HWM
Races	2
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First race	1951 Swiss Grand Prix
Last race	1952 Swiss Grand Prix

George Abecassis (born in Chertsey, Surrey, March 21, 1913 - died in Ibstone, Nr.High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, December 18, 1991) was an English Grand Prix racer and Formula One driver who participated during the 1951 and 1952 seasons at two Swiss Grand Prix in Bremgarten with HWM car.

He began racing in 1935 in a modified Austin Seven but really made a name for himself in English club racing during the 1938 and 1939 seasons with an Alta. In 1939 he won the Imperial Grand Prix, his only career victory. When war broke out he joined the Royal Air Force and became an experienced pilot, ultimately becoming a member of the secret "Moon Squadrons", ferrying secret agents in and out of France with Lysander aircraft.

After World War II he went back to racing initially with pre-war machinery but then became a partner with John Heath in Hersham and Walton Motors Ltd. He helped develop the Alta and raced several different cars, but it was the HWMs that he raced in his only two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix. He was more successful as a sports car driver with Aston Martin and won his class at 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950, sharing with Lance Macklin. He also finished second in 12 Hours of Sebring in 1953, partnered by Reg Parnell.

In 1956 Heath was killed in an accident in the Mille Miglia and Abecassis retired from racing, turning his attention to running the HWM operations. He was also the Facel Vega importer for Britain, while his motor industry connections were aided by the fact that he was married to Angela, the daughter of Aston Martin chairman Sir David Brown. Later he opened a commercial activity in a grocery store. He died aged 78.

[edit] Complete World Championship results

(key)

Yr	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	WDC	Points
1951	HW Motors Ltd	HWM	Alta Straight-4	SUI Ret	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	ESP	-	0
1952	HW Motors Ltd	HWM	Alta Straight-4	SUI Ret	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	NED	ITA	-	0

[edit] Non-World Championship Grand Prix career highlights

Year	Grand Prix	Circuit	Car	Pos	Report
1938	Crystal Palace Grand Prix	-	Alta 12/50	2nd	Report
1938	Imperial Grand Prix	-	Alta 12/50	2nd	Report
1939	Imperial Grand Prix	-	Alta 15/20	1st	Report
1946	I Nations Grand Prix	Geneve	Alta GP	Ret	Report
1947	I J.C.C. Jersey Road Street	Saint Helier	ERA A	Ret	Report
1947	I Caracalla Grand Prix F2	Caracalla	Cisitalia-Fiat D46	2nd	Report
1947	IX British Empire Trophy	Douglas	ERA A	Ret	Report
1948	II J.C.C. Jersey Road Street	Saint Helier	Maserati 6CM	2nd	Report
1948	X British Empire Trophy	Douglas	HWM-Alta GP	Ret	Report
1949	I Richmond Trophy	Goodwood	HWM-Alta GP	6th	Report
1949	II British Grand Prix	Silverstone	HWM-Alta GP	7th	Report
1949	XXXVI French Grand Prix	Reims	HWM-Alta GP	Ret	Report
1949	II Zandvoort Grand Prix	Zandvoort	HWM-Alta GP	Ret	Report
1949	II Madgwick Cup	Goodwood	HWM-Alta GP	5th	Report
1949	III C. Petite Cyl.	Reims	Cooper-JAP	Ret	Report
1950	II Richmond Trophy	Goodwood	HWM 50-Alta	6th	Report
1950	IV Paris Grand Prix	Montlhery	HWM 50-Alta	Ret	Report
1950	III Goodwood Trophy	Goodwood	HWM 50-Alta	Ret	Report
1951	Gran Premio Centenario Colombia	Genova	HWM 51-Alta	5th	Report
1951	I Winfield Cup F2	Winfield	HWM 51-Alta	2th	Report
1952	IV Goodwood Trophy	Goodwood	HWM 51-Alta	4th	Report
1952	IV Lavant Cup	Goodwood	HWM 52-Alta	Ret	Report
1952	I Ibsley Race	New Forest	HWM 52-Alta	2nd	Report
1952	IV Daily Express Trophy	Silverstone	HWM 52-Alta	DNQ	Report