Mike Hailwood
| Mike Hailwood | |
| Nationality |  British |
|---|---|
|
|
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| Grand Prix motorcycle racing career | |
| Active years | 1958–1967 |
| Teams | Honda, MV Agusta |
| Grands Prix | 152 |
| Championships | 250cc - 1961, 1966, 1967 350cc - 1966, 1967 500cc -1962,1963,1964,1965 |
| Wins | 76 |
| Podium finishes | 112 |
| Pole positions | N/A |
| Fastest laps | N/A |
| First Grand Prix | 1958 250cc Isle of Man TT |
| First win | 1959 125cc Ulster Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1967 350cc Japanese Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1967 350cc Japanese Grand Prix |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
|---|---|
| Active years | 1963 - 1965, 1971 - 1974 |
| Teams | Lotus, Lola, Surtees, McLaren |
| Races | 50 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podium finishes | 2 |
| Career points | 29 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 1 |
| First race | 1963 British Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1974 German Grand Prix |
| Mike Hailwood | |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | Mike the Bike |
| Nationality |  English |
| TTs contested | 12 (1958 - 1967, 1978, 1979) |
| TT wins | 14 |
| First TT win | 1961 Lightweight 125 TT |
| Last TT win | 1979 Senior TT |
| Podiums | 19 |
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, MBE, GM (April 2 1940 – March 23 1981) was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He was known as "Mike The Bike" because of his natural riding ability. Later in his career he went on to compete in Formula One auto racing, becoming one of the few men to compete at the Grand Prix level on motorcycles and in auto racing.
Mike Hailwood was born at Langsmeade House Great Milton in Oxfordshire, His father, who also raced in the pre-World War II era, owned a large motorcycle distributorship and young Hailwood was raised in relative affluence. He began riding at an early age, starting on a minibike as a small boy. He learned to ride in an eight-acre field near his home and wore an oval track from the constant laps he rode on Sunday afternoons after church. He was educated at Pangbourne College, but left early and worked for a short time in the family business before his father sent him to work at Triumph motorcycles. He married Pauline Barbara Nash on 11 June, 1975 and had a son and a daughter.
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Motorcycle racing career
Hailwood first raced on 22 April 1957, at Oulton Park. Barely 17, he finished in 11th place, but was soon winning on a regular basis. By 1961, Hailwood was racing for a Japanese upstart factory named Honda. Riding a four-stroke, four-cylinder 250cc Honda, Hailwood won the 1961 250cc world championship. In 1962, Hailwood signed with MV Agusta and went on to become the first rider to win four consecutive 500cc World Championships. After his success with MV Agusta, Hailwood went back to Honda and won four more world titles in 1966 and 1967 in the 250cc and 350cc categories.
Hailwood is perhaps best known for his accomplishments at the renowned Isle of Man TT. By 1967, he had won 12 times on the infamous island mountain course including three straight wins during the 1961 event. He won what many historians consider to be the most dramatic Isle of Man race of all time, the 1967 Senior TT against his great rival, Giacomo Agostini.[1]
In 1968, Honda pulled out of Grand Prix racing, but paid Hailwood £50,000[1] (equivalent to over £620,000 or US$1.1m at 2006 prices) not to ride for another team, in expectation of keeping him as its rider upon return to competition. But Hailwood would never return to motorcycle racing on a full-time basis, instead electing to pursue a career in auto racing.
Auto racing career
While he never attained the success in cars that he had on motorcycles, Hailwood became a respected driver in Formula One and World Sports Cars. He won the 1972 Formula Two European title and earned a podium finish at the 24 Hours of LeMans. He participated in 50 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting in the British Grand Prix on July 20, 1963. He achieved two podium finishes, and scored a total of 29 championship points. Hailwood earned the admiration of fans and fellow drivers when in the 1973 South African Grand Prix, he went to pull Clay Regazzoni from his burning car after the two collided on the second lap of the race. Hailwood's driving suit caught fire, but after being extinguished by a fire marshall he returned to help rescue Regazzoni, an act for which he was awarded the George Medal, the 2nd highest gallantry award that a British civilian can be awarded. He left Formula One after being injured at the 1974 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.
Comeback
In 1978, after an 11 year hiatus from motorcycling, Hailwood performed a now legendary comeback at the Isle of Man TT. Few observers believed the 38 year old would be competitive after such a long absence. Riding on a Ducati 900SS, he was not only competitive, but managed a hugely popular win. He raced the following year at the Isle of Man TT before retiring for good at the age of 39. He retired with 76 Grand Prix victories, 14 Isle of Man TT wins and 9 World Championships.
He was awarded the Segrave Trophy in 1979.
Legacy
On Saturday, 21 March, 1981, Mike Hailwood set off in his Rover SD1 with his children Michelle and David to collect some fish and chips. He returned along the A435 Alcester Road through Portway Warwickshire near his home in Tanworth-in-Arden. A truck made an illegal turn though the barriers into the central reservation. The Rover hit it. Michelle, aged nine, was killed instantly; Mike and David were taken to hospital. Mike died two days later age 40. David survived. The lorry driver was fined £100.
An annual "Mike Hailwood Memorial Run" takes place in March every year. The start point is the former Norton factory in Aston, Birmingham. The run goes out to Portway, where the accident occurred and then onto the church in Tanworth-in-Arden where Mike and Michelle are buried. The 25th anniversary of this tragic accident was in 2006.
Today, widow Pauline and son David (whose own son, born in 2005 with wife Gloria Beltran, is named Michael David Hailwood Beltran) run the family's Web site and own the Hailwood Lodge in Malaga, Spain, with photographs of Mike's successes dominating the dining room.
The FIM named him a Grand Prix "Legend" in 2000.
He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2001.
Motorcycle Grand Prix results
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Points | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Year | Class | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Points | Rank | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 250cc | NSU | IOM 4 |
NED 3 |
W.GER |
SWE 6 |
ULS |
NAT |
13 | 4th | 0 | |||||||
| 350cc | Norton | IOM |
NED 2 |
BEL |
W.GER 3 |
SWE 4 |
ULS |
NAT |
9 | 6th | 0 | |||||||
| 1959 | 125cc | Ducati | IOM 4 |
W.GER 4 |
NED 4 |
BEL |
SWE 3 |
ULS 8 |
NAT |
20 | 3rd | 1 | ||||||
| 250cc | Mondial | IOM |
W.GER 2 |
NED 3 |
SWE 2 |
ULS 6 |
NAT |
13 | 5th | 0 | ||||||||
| 1960 | 125cc | Ducati | IOM |
NED |
BEL 1 |
ULS |
NAT |
1 | 10th | 0 | ||||||||
| 250cc | Mondial | IOM |
NED 2 |
BEL 3 |
W.GER |
ULS 3 |
NAT |
8 | 5th | 0 | ||||||||
| 500cc | Norton | FRA |
IOM 4 |
NED 2 |
BEL 3 |
W.GER |
ULS |
NAT 4 |
13 | 6th | 0 | |||||||
| 1961 | 125cc | Honda | ESP 3 |
W.GER |
FRA 3 |
IOM 8 |
NED NC |
BEL NC |
E.GER NC |
ULS 2 |
NAT |
SWE |
ARG |
16 | 6th | 1 | ||
| 250cc | Honda | ESP |
W.GER |
FRA 6 |
IOM 8 |
NED 8 |
BEL 4 |
E.GER 8 |
ULS 6 |
NAT 6 |
SWE 8 |
ARG |
44 | 1st | 4 | |||
| 350cc | MV Agusta | W.GER |
IOM |
NED |
E.GER |
ULS |
NAT 6 |
SWE |
6 | 8th | 0 | |||||||
| 500cc | Norton | W.GER 3 |
FRA 6 |
IOM 8 |
NED 6 |
BEL 6 |
E.GER 6 |
ULS 6 |
NAT 8 |
SWE 6 |
ARG |
40 | 2nd | 2 | ||||
| 1962 | 125cc | EMC | ESP 3 |
FRA |
IOM |
NED 2 |
BEL 3 |
W.GER 4 |
ULS |
E.GER |
NAT |
FIN |
ARG |
12 | 5th | 0 | ||
| 350cc | MV Agusta | IOM 8 |
NED 6 |
ULS |
E.GER 6 |
NAT |
FIN |
20 | 3rd | 1 | ||||||||
| 500cc | MV Agusta | IOM |
NED 8 |
BEL 8 |
ULS 8 |
E.GER 8 |
NAT 8 |
FIN |
ARG |
40 | 1st | 5 | ||||||
| 1963 | 250cc | MZ | ESP |
W.GER |
IOM |
NED |
BEL |
ULS |
E.GER 8 |
NAT |
ARG |
JPN |
8 | 8th | 1 | |||
| 350cc | MV Agusta | W.GER |
IOM |
NED 6 |
ULS 6 |
E.GER 8 |
FIN 8 |
NAT |
28 | 2nd | 2 | |||||||
| 500cc | MV Agusta | IOM 8 |
NED |
BEL 8 |
ULS 8 |
E.GER 8 |
FIN 8 |
NAT 8 |
ARG 8 |
56 | 1st | 7 | ||||||
| 1964 | 350cc | MV Agusta | IOM |
NED 6 |
W.GER |
E.GER |
ULS |
FIN |
NAT |
JPN 6 |
12 | 4th | 0 | |||||
| 500cc | MV Agusta | USA 8 |
IOM 8 |
NED 8 |
BEL 8 |
W.GER 8 |
E.GER 8 |
ULS |
FIN |
NAT 8 |
40 | 1st | 7 | |||||
| 1965 | 250cc | Honda | USA |
W.GER |
ESP |
FRA |
IOM |
NED |
E.GER |
CZE |
ULS |
FIN |
NAT |
JPN 8 |
8 | 10th | 1 | |
| 350cc | MV Agusta | W.GER 6 |
IOM |
NED 6 |
E.GER |
CZE |
ULS |
FIN |
NAT |
JPN 8 |
20 | 3rd | 1 | |||||
| 500cc | MV Agusta | USA 8 |
W.GER 8 |
IOM 8 |
NED 8 |
BEL 8 |
E.GER 8 |
CZE 8 |
ULS |
FIN |
NAT 8 |
48 | 1st | 8 | ||||
| 1966 | 250cc | Honda | ESP 8 |
W.GER 8 |
FRA 8 |
NED 8 |
BEL 8 |
E.GER 8 |
CZE 8 |
FIN 8 |
ULS |
IOM 8 |
NAT 8 |
JPN |
56 | 1st | 10 | |
| 350cc | Honda | W.GER 8 |
FRA 8 |
NED 8 |
BEL |
CZE 8 |
FIN 8 |
ULS 8 |
IOM |
NAT |
JPN |
48 | 1st | 6 | ||||
| 500cc | Honda | W.GER |
NED NC |
BEL NC |
E.GER NC |
CZE 8 |
FIN 6 |
ULS 8 |
IOM 8 |
NAT NC |
30 | 2nd | 3 | |||||
| 1967 | 250cc | Honda | ESP NC |
W.GER NC |
FRA 4 |
IOM 8 |
NED 8 |
BEL 6 |
E.GER NC |
CZE 4 |
FIN 8 |
ULS 8 |
NAT NC |
CAN 8 |
JPN NC |
50 | 1st | 5 |
| 350cc | Honda | W.GER 8 |
IOM 8 |
NED 8 |
E.GER 8 |
CZE 8 |
ULS |
NAT |
JPN 8 |
40 | 1st | 6 | ||||||
| 500cc | Honda | W.GER NC |
IOM 8 |
NED 8 |
BEL 6 |
E.GER NC |
CZE 8 |
FIN NC |
ULS 8 |
NAT 6 |
CAN 8 |
46 | 2nd | 5 |
Complete Formula One results
(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | WDC | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Reg Parnell Racing | Lotus 24 | Climax | MON |
BEL |
NED |
FRA |
GBR 8 |
GER |
NC | 0 | |||||||||
| Lola Mk4 | Climax | ITA 10 |
USA |
MEX |
RSA |
|||||||||||||||
| 1964 | Reg Parnell Racing | Lotus 25 | BRM | MON 6 |
NED 12 |
BEL |
FRA 8 |
GBR Ret |
GER Ret |
AUT 8 |
ITA Ret |
USA 8 |
MEX 16 |
21st | 1 | |||||
| 1965 | Reg Parnell Racing | Lotus 25 | BRM | RSA |
MON Ret |
BEL |
FRA |
GBR |
NED |
GER |
ITA |
USA |
MEX |
NC | 0 | |||||
| 1971 | Team Surtees | Surtees TS9 | Ford | RSA |
ESP |
MON |
NED |
FRA |
GBR |
GER |
AUT |
ITA 4 |
CAN |
USA 15 |
18th | 3 | ||||
| 1972 | Brooke Bond Oxo Team Surtees | Surtees TS9B | Ford | ARG |
RSA Ret |
ESP Ret |
MON Ret |
BEL 4 |
FRA 6 |
GBR Ret |
GER Ret |
AUT 4 |
ITA 2 |
CAN |
USA 17 |
8th | 13 | |||
| 1973 | Brooke Bond Oxo Team Surtees | Surtees TS14A | Ford | ARG Ret |
BRA Ret |
RSA Ret |
ESP Ret |
BEL Ret |
MON 8 |
SWE Ret |
FRA Ret |
GBR Ret |
NED Ret |
GER 14 |
AUT 10 |
ITA 7 |
CAN 9 |
USA Ret |
NC | 0 |
| 1974 | Yardley Team McLaren | McLaren M23 | Ford | ARG 4 |
BRA 5 |
RSA 3 |
ESP 9 |
BEL 7 |
MON Ret |
SWE Ret |
NED 4 |
FRA 7 |
GBR Ret |
GER 15 |
AUT |
ITA |
CAN |
USA |
11th | 12 |
References
Footnotes
- ↑ Goodwin, C. 1999. Untouchable... Unforgettable... Mike Hailwood. Motor Sport. LXXV/6, 86-93
Sources
- 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix (1st edition). Hazelton Publishing Ltd, 1999. ISBN 1-874557-83-7
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
External links
- " The Mike Hailwood Memorial Run" website
- " The Official Mike Hailwood " website
- Motorcycle Hall of Fame
- Memories of Mike Hailwood
- Mike Hailwood Videos
Langsmeade House * [2]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gary Hocking |
500cc Motorcycle World Champion 1962–1965 |
Succeeded by Giacomo Agostini |
| Preceded by Ronnie Peterson |
European Formula Two Champion 1972 |
Succeeded by Jean-Pierre Jarier |
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