At 21 he was a lieutenant in the rifle brigade which was part of the british expeditionary force in france when the german invasion occurred. Click on the year to see the standings for that year. H is name was major anthony peter roylance tony rolt, he was born in bordon, hampshire and got education from eton college. Tony rolt, who has died at the age of 89, was one of the grandees of the british motor racing community and the last surviving member of the prestigious british racing drivers club to have. But after a brief prewar career as racing driver, he then entered the sandhurst military academy and in 1939 got commissioned in the rifle brigade. The ferguson 4wd project he was involved in paid off with spectacular results, and he was involved in other engineering projects. The fledgling motor racing career of tony rolt, that began at the age of. Rare original race posters often feature in our collections as we source them for enthusiasts, investors and collectors. Rob walker was not a good racing driver unique cars and. Les became a cooper works driver in 1953 winning the british f3 championship in 1954. Here an xk 120 model is unveiled by british racing driver stirling moss. The last survivor of the 1950 british grand prix when he died in 2008, tony rolt was an influential motor racing industrialist who was also a prominent member of the british racing drivers club. He won the 1953 24 hours of le mans and participated in three formula one world championship grands prix.
Details of the drama surrounding the victory have been denied by rolt and a few others but fiction or just seemingly so, it makes for a remarkably entertaining story and one that, in the modern era, would be impossible to replicate. Tony rolt was arguably britains most promising upcoming racing driver before he joined the ranks of those whose best years were stolen by. Rolt was a very gifted amateur driver who in 1938 bought prince chulas erab known as remus and at an age of 19 he won the british empire trophy at donington. Page 1 of 2 major tony rolt mc merged posted in historical research, in memory of david mckinney. The race gave britain first, second and fourth places with jaguar cars, with the winning car being driven by duncan hamilton and tony rolt at a new record average speed of 105. Drivers with last names starting with r racingreference. A war hero, rolt maintained a long connection with the sport, albeit behind the scenes. The central thread, though, is one of wellorganised, understated british amateurism with a wellhidden sense of competitiveness. Tony rolt, who drove the jaguar ctype to le mans victory in 1953 and helped design sterling moss 1961 grand prixwinning f1 car, has died aged 89. Or indeed, the tale of how duncan hamilton and tony rolt won the 1953 le mans 24 hours. Guy mairesse racing career profile driver database. Definitions of duncan hamilton racing driver, synonyms, antonyms, derivatives of duncan hamilton racing driver, analogical dictionary of duncan hamilton racing driver english. Very sadly, i understand that major tony rolt passed away this morning.
Rob walker, who has died aged 84, was one of the most respected personalities in the world of motorracing. Incidentally, along with his prewar mechanic freddy dixon, colditz pow camp hero and 1953 le mans winner tony rolt through their company dixonrolt developments, which later became ff developments pioneered the viscous coupling 4wd system that was to form the basis of the ferguson p99 allwheel drive system, the nearwinner of the 1967 indy. Duncan hamilton racing driver jump to navigation jump to search this articles tone or style may. Anthony peter roylance rolt, racing driver, soldier and engineer, born. He was born in huby, yorkshire and died in newtown, worcestershire. Rob walker was not a good racing driver rob walker was not a good racing driver. In 1952, they became jaguar works drivers which paved the way to. Major anthony peter roylance tony rolt 16 october 1918 6 february 2008 was a british formula one driver and soldier.
Tony rolt 1918 2008 was a british racing driver who was active between 1935 and 1955, mostly in the sports car racing but also participating in three formula 1 championship races, including the firstever championship race, the 1950 british grand prix. When the cost of running his own grand prix car became too much at the end of 1970. Tony rolt was arguably britains most promising upcoming racing driver before he joined the ranks of those whose best years were stolen by the second world war, a conflict in which he distinguished. Tony rolt, the british wwii hero who won le mans aco. Tony rolt was not only a gifted racing driver but also pioneered development of the use of four wheel drive and was one of the most determined and ingenious escapees from the legendary colditz pow camp. Le mans 24 hours winner, grand prix driver, decorated war veteran and true gentleman, tony rolt has died aged 89. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. The former grand prix driver had a spectacular career both as a soldier and later in racing and in business. The last survivor of the 1950 british grand prix when he died in 2008, tony rolt was an influential motor racing. He won the 24 hours of le mans in 1953 he was the longest surviving participant of the first ever world championship grand prix at silverstone in 1950. And some, such as cliff allison, noel cunninghamreid, john miles and tony rolt, went on to become topflight international drivers in f1 and at le mans. Rolt, a young officer in the rifle brigade, had been captured at the end of the battle for calais in may 1940, just before the dunkirk evacuation. Victory in the 1953 le mans 24 hours was the highest profile success of his racing career.
A war hero, major rolt mc maintained a long connection with the sport, albeit behind the scenes. Anthony peter roylance tony rolt gb 16 oct 1918 6 feb 2008 bordon, hampshire warwick, warwickshire. Duncan hamilton, gentleman driver classic driver magazine. He effectively retired after a crash in 1956 left him with serious injuries.
Before the outbreak of wwii, rolt was one of britains most promising amateur drivers, racing one of the exotic triumph dolomites and winning. Tony rolt, who died on wednesday aged 89, was among the bestknown figures in british motor racing. It is with regret that the club has to announce the death of life member, les leston. The ferguson 4wd project he was involved in paid off with spectacular results, a. Rolt was trapped in calais where the small british force helped to hold back the advance of a panzer. Instead he became an entrant whose superblyprepared machines were driven by such wellknown drivers as tony rolt, reg parnell, stirling moss, tony brooks, maurice trintignant, jack brabham, jo bonnier, jo siffert and graham hill. F1 news, drivers, results formula 1 live online sky sports. Born alfred lazarus fingleston, les began racing a jaguar ss100 in 1949 then switched to formula 3 in the 1950s, winning 16 races in 1952 in his own les leston special.
Prnewswire saxton 4x4, one of uks largest 4x4 dealership, have announced that social media influencer and professional racing driver archie hamilton has. He proved a strong driver in most disciplines, but was most adept in sports cars, winning the 1951 24 hours of le mans race, and the goodwood ninehours in 1955. He contested seven times at le mans 24 hours, winning the race in 1953 and finishing second in 1954, both times driving jaguars. The pair finished fourth at their first attempt in the 1950 race and sixth in 1951, both times in a specialbodied. Rolt was an ideal endurance race driver, and won the 1953 le mans 24hour classic. Duncan hamilton, centre, poses alongside his codriver tony rolt and their wives, in their winning jaguar, after winning the le mans 24 race, june 15,1953. Prewar era star, winner of the military cross for his role in the rearguard action around calais in 1940, incorrigible escaper from german pow camps, one of the masterminds behind the glider which the pows designed and. Despite his allconsuming involvement with fourwheeldrive systems, tony rolt remains an ardent motor racing enthusiast and a great supporter of his son, stuart, who has just started in group 1 with a 3litre capri.
He won the 1953 24 hours of le mans and participated in three formula one world championship grands prix without scoring a championship point. Before the outbreak of wwii, rolt was one of britains most promising amateur drivers, racing one of the exotic triumph dolomites and winning the 1939 british empire trophy at donington in era remus. Professional racing driver archie hamilton choses saxton. One of the most famous racing driver fighter pilots was the leader of the peugeot team at the french gp, unfortunately his name escapes me for the moment. Tony rolt prints posters and paintings historic car art.
Tony rolt also planned to fly, being one of the constructors of the colditz glider. Soldier, racing driver and engineer who did much for the development of british motor sport. Our tony rolt art collection celebrates the drives of this acclaimed racing driver with limited edition prints and original paintings from top motoring artists. Peter douglas conyers walker 7 october 1912 1 march 1984 was an english racing driver. Tony rolt was arguably britains most promising upcoming racing driver before he joined the ranks of those whose best years were stolen by the second world war, a conflict in which he. Formula 1 on sky sports get the latest f1 news, results, standings, videos and photos, plus watch live races in hd and read about top drivers. Born in county cork, ireland, he was educated at brighton college. Really, i find saloons rather more stimulating than formula cars nowadays, he remarked. The ferguson 4wd project he was involved in paid off with spectacular. The pair finished fourth at their first attempt in the 1950 race and sixth in 1951, both times in a specialbodied nashhealey coupe.