John Miles (auto racer)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Miles
Nationality  British
Formula One World Championship career
Active years	1969-1970
Teams	Lotus
Races	15 (12 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Career points	2
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First race	1969 French Grand Prix
Last race	1970 Italian Grand Prix

John Miles (born June 14, 1943 in London^[1]) is a British former racing driver from England. He participated in 15 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, making his debut on July 6, 1969. He scored a total of 2 championship points. He drove for Team Lotus where he was the official test driver of the Lotus 63 4-wheel drive F1 car.

Promoted to number two Lotus F1 driver behind Jochen Rindt for the 1970 Formula One season, he was thoroughly overshadowed by his team leader who earned the F1 World Championship that year. Matters came to a head at the Italian GP. Lotus cars founder and Team Lotus principal Colin Chapman ordered Miles to follow Rindt in running a new Lotus 72 without front and rear wings in order to take advantage of the Monza circuit's fast, low-downforce corners. Miles reluctantly complied but was distressed by the wingless 72's handling on the straights. His teammate Rindt was killed when one of the brakes on his new Type 72 failed and his car veered off the track, submarining the steel barrier that was placed too high for the revolutionary wedge design of the 72. Rindt, who had only recently acquiesced to wearing a simple lap belt, slid underneath and had his throat cut by the belt buckle. That was too much for Miles, who was widely regarded as too cerebral and sensitive to fit Chapman's idea of a race driver, and he left the team, being replaced by Reine Wisell. A qualified mechanical engineer, Miles later made a name for himself working for Lotus's road car division.

John Miles is the son of the actor Bernard Miles.

[edit] Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	WDC	Points
1969	Gold Leaf Team Lotus	Lotus 63	Cosworth V8	RSA	ESP	MON	NED	FRA Ret	GBR 10	GER	ITA Ret	CAN Ret	USA	MEX Ret			-	0
1970	Gold Leaf Team Lotus	Lotus 49C	Cosworth V8	RSA 5		MON DNQ											19th	2
		Lotus 72			ESP DNQ		BEL Ret	NED 7	FRA 8	GBR Ret	GER Ret
		Lotus 72C										AUT Ret	ITA DNS	CAN	USA	MEX

[edit] References