1978 K. Ballington Can Rossi match Agostini's MotoGP winning record? I mean I dont think people realize how difficult things like that 500 Honda and the big MVs and that would have been to ride. Mike very coolly said, I think Id rather win the race on Dunlops than get 2nd or 3rd place contingency with Goodyears.. An annual "Mike Hailwood Memorial Run" takes place in March every year. They are in my thoughts today, together. [57] He was 40 years old. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Log in --- Copyright Michael Gulett 2010 - 2023, Random Memories Of Mike Hailwood And His Iso Grifo In South Africa. 500cc 1st G. Agostini, MV Agusta, 2nd M. Hailwood, HRS and p. 50 Cesenatico race report, 500cc, 1st G. Agostini, MV Agusta, 2nd M. Hailwood, Honda Special. I had just signed with the BSA factory to ride a Rob North-framed, three-cylinder 750 that season in the AMA roadrace Nationals along with Dick Mann, David Aldana and Jim Rice. [64] He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2001. 1955 H. Mller Now he was my teammate at Daytona. 1966 M. Hailwood Now, Eric Banaan actor known for his work in The Time Traveler's Wife and 2003's Hulk is writing a screenplay for a new Hollywood film about Mike the Bike's last TT run. So perhaps more satisfying for Hailwood was that he drove a Surtees TS10 to Formula 2 championship glory. [59] The starting point was the former Norton factory in Aston, Birmingham, then on to Portway, where the accident occurred, followed by a service at the church in Tanworth-in-Arden. As this was production-based racing open to all entrants, 'official' works teams were ineligible; instead, machines were prepared and entered through well-established factory dealers. 1955 B. Lomas As per . I recognized this fascinating story by Mr Loubser, which is essentially his article we printed in our UK Club mag some years ago. Initially, Hailwood was to focus on Formula 5000 for Surtees, and he eventually racked up four wins and finished second in the 71 championship to Frank Gardner driving a works Lola. Mike Hailwood, MBE 1940 42 - 1981 323 Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood 2 . The key factors behind F1s Premier League-style managerial revolving door, The tangible steps Alpine has taken to meeting its humble F1 2023 targets, The tangible steps Alpine has taken to meeting its humble F1 2023 targets From time to time when the guys revved the Climax engine for half of London to hear a Russian lady who lived around the corner would arrive to complain and every time she would drag along her stunningly beautiful niece. "That's the symbol of a brave man, of a great man," said Stewart, who won the race. 2003 M. Poggiali Mike did the first stint and was practically last away at the Le Man's start because of his injured ankle and having to kick-start the Ducati. Hailwood's actions saved Regazzoni's life and what is astonishing in watching the footage is his return for a second go many acts of bravery happen when there is time only to act and not think. 1961 G. Hocking In April 1971 the 120 km/h limit was introduced. Just the way things were (it) made him more of regular guy, more than maybe the way the top guys would be today. Can you image Doohan or Biaggi in a tent? Mike Hailwood, the return of the legend to the Tourist Trophy HISTORY: A whisky the night before practice. Reunited at Le Mans the following year, this time in a Gulf Porsche 917, Hailwood would suffer his most embarrassing accident. He was a very kind person and he would talk to everyone from the top managers down to the mechanics; he would hang out with the mechanics. He was killed in a road accident in 1981. He led, again, only to break another motor. Motorcycling was his true love and in 1978, after more than a decade out of the sport, he got back on his bike for another go at the Isle of Man TT, a race he had first ridden as an 18-year-old in 1958. So there was potential, clearly, but it wasnt consistent. Mike talked with me like he knew me and that I was on the same level (which I knew, of course, that I wasnt). He first raced on 22 April 1957, at Oulton Park, finishing in 11th place. On March 21, 1981, Mike Hailwood and his two children, Michelle and David, were on their way to pick up fish and chips when a commercial truck driver veered into their path. I had also heard that Jaguar Heritage had bought the Yellow Iso but when I tried to phone the appropriate person the phone was mostly on voice mail. Selected Originals - Sportsmen Honour Mike Hawthorn. Unfortunately, a car crash claimed Hailwoods life on March 23, 1981, and forty years after his passing, we take a look at what made him a once-in-a-generation talent. He won the 1972 Formula Two European title and earned a podium finish at the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans. 1962 J. Redman Has Alonso chosen the right team? Riding a four-stroke, four-cylinder 250 cc Honda, Hailwood won the 1961 250cc world championship. The colourful life of motor racing legend Mike Hailwood is to be celebrated in a new BT Sport documentary airing on March 26. He is also remembered for his extraordinary success at the TT Races, scoring 14 wins . A 100mph crash brought his car career to an end at the Nurburgring circuit in 1974. . In fact his standout moment came outside the cockpit pulling Clay Regazzoni from his burning BRM after the pair collided at Kyalami, an act of bravery for which Hailwood received the UKs prestigious George Medal. Mike Hailwood (on the right) and Iso Grifo. 500cc/MotoGP world. Good thing I ignored the insurance assessor who said complete write off and decided to have the car rebuilt in the head office workshop of the Mike Hailwood Autospray System in downtown Johannesburg. Hailwood, by contrast, had a more bewildering time trying to make the conversion to F1, his hopes artificially boosted by winning two out of three Formula Junior races, and his equipment at the top level of the sport certainly not on the cutting edge as Surtees had been. 1981 A. Mang Water buffalo dont as rule walk on South African roads but there could be a chance of colliding with one in the Kruger National Park but given the low speed limits a dented fender could be the worst damage but highly unlikely! Other three hour races were at Killarney in Cape Town, Lourenco Marques, Roy Hesketh in Pietermaritzburg and Bulawayo in the then Rhodesia. Despite a life lived dicing with death on the race circuit Mike Hailwood was sadly killed in a car accident near his home in 1981. To anybody that was around or knows a bit of history of motorcycling, I would think people regard him as being the best. Hailwood died in 1981 following a road traffic accident in Warwickshire, England. 1952 E. Lorenzetti The tangible steps Alpine has taken to meeting its humble F1 2023 targets, Why "grounded" Hamilton remains confident in Mercedes' F1 recovery, Why "grounded" Hamilton remains confident in Mercedes' F1 recovery Michelle died instantly. The windscreen was so badly packed that it arrived cracked. I watched it sell at the Coys Ascot auction in 2011 for 164, 850 a record for a Grifo back then. In 2002, two decades after Mike Hailwood's fatal car crash on March 23rd 1981, The Hailwood Estate commissioned Davida UK to be the first helmet manufacturer to produce their Official Hailwood Replica helmet. The American had set a new lap record of 113.83mph when he crashed at Bishopscourt on the last lap. 1993 T. Harada They purchased Dr James Hulls huge collection of cars which included many important Jaguars. 1972 G. Agostini It was in 1980 at the Easter Match Races in England. For Murray Walker, Hailwood "Mike the Bike" as he was known was a good deal better than even that. Mike stuck the nose of the Iso to within inches of the bikes rear number plate roaring with laughter all the way. Hailwood died in 1981 following a road traffic accident in Warwickshire, England. 'An Ordinary Hero - the Mike Hailwood Story', BT Sport 1, Wednesday 26 March 9.30pm, Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Hailwood won no less than 59 races, riding in 125, 250, 350 . Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons Not just motorcycles He crashed at low speed when waving to the spectators at Governor . 1979 K. Roberts, 1980 K. Roberts In November 1968 we struck a deal in The Green Man Pub at the top of Putney Hill and the Mike Hailwood Autospray System was effectively born. There is also an inscription for each. Mike's son David Hailwood completed a demonstration lap of the Isle of Man TT course on 3 June 2002, riding Mike's Daytona 1971 BSA Rocket 3 carrying large letters 'H' instead of a race number. A bad week or the dark horse from F1 testing? The company sold respray and light body repair centres throughout the UK on a franchise basis. At his funeral Hailwood's pall bearers included James Hunt, John Surtees and Giacomo Agostini. Stirling had endorsed the Stirling Moss Paint-a-Car System, founded by a Canadian and his American partner. At the culmination of what would stand as the fastest ever GP (150.754mph) for the next 32 years, five drivers Peter Gethin, Ronnie Peterson, Francois Cevert, Hailwood and Howden Ganley passed the checkered flag covered by just 0.61sec. He was critically injured and was never able to race again. [12][13], After his successes with MV Agusta, Hailwood went back to Honda and won four more world titles in 1966 and 1967 in the 250 cc and 350 cc categories. He obviously put the Campagnolos on it some time after he took delivery. Mike was gone, killed in a road accident with his daughter Michelle. Walker was close to Hailwood but his judgement is not coloured by friendship he is just one among plenty who hold up Hailwood as the best man on two wheels, indeed one of motorsport's greats, even if he remains unknown to many beyond his sport. Fortunately the poor animal was killed instantly. F1- 1973- 03 Kyalami- Mike Hailwood Tries To Help Clay Regazzoni on fire. I suggested to Mike that as we plan to be in the car painting business together he might as well see how paint is manufactured. On My Car Quest there is a report with photos of what was allegedly Mikes Iso Grifo but with wire wheels. Towards the latter half of 1968 I found myself in a quandary. He would rush to an unconscious Regazzoni's aide, working to get him out of his fiery car, only to catch on fire himself. Hailwood was known as "Mike The Bike" because of his natural riding ability on bikes with a range of engine capacities. St. Pete IndyCar: Herta, McLaughlin top FP2, Dixon shunts, RLL drivers puzzled by underperformance in St. Pete FP1, RLL puzzled by St. Pete FP1 issues Now that would have been a million to one coincidence! At that time i never realised Bud had a bro or that he would go so far in life in the racing world! 1966 G. Agostini With David Hobbs, he finished third in a John Wyer Automotive Ford GT40 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, while in an Epstein-Cuthbert-entered Lola-Chevrolet, he finished third in the European Formula 5000 championship, winning at Brands Hatch, taking four other podium results and scoring three pole positions. You can also subscribe without commenting. He loved the camaraderie and down to earth atmosphere of bike racing. [54] After the June 1978 TT races, he again rode in Australia with Scaysbrook in the Castrol Six Hour event, followed by the 1979 Adelaide Three Hour race.[42][43]. Mike Hailwood, MBE, GM, who won 10 world motor cycle championships, died yesterday at the age of 40, as a result of injuries he had sustained in a car accident on March 21. The first five finishers were covered by only 0.61 seconds, and Hailwood was fourth, 0.18s behind the winner Peter Gethin. A bad week or the dark horse from F1 testing? Author - Paul Barden. The yellow car which he crashed in South Africa was #162/D, a 67 350hp 5 speed. Staying on at this team for 1970, he scored two more F5000 wins, a handful more top-three finishes and was fourth in the title race. Whilst placed at the head of the field the machine soon failed due to overheating. 2019 M. Mrquez, 2020 J. Mir [14] It was unable to compete in the 500cc category, the Fdration Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) deeming that it was not classified as a production machine as it had two overhead camshafts. Mike Hailwood June 1999 - Motor Sport Magazine He was a living legend on two wheels and an ever-improving racer on four when an accident ended his Grand Prix career. . We soon dropped the 24 hour slogan. The problem was that Goodyear Blue Streaks were what we had all been using up to that time over here and Goodyear also had a contingency program. After having the flames put out by a fire extinguisher, Hailwood went back again to try again. [67] In 1984, Pauline Hailwood officially opened the Mike Hailwood Centre,[68] a multi-purpose building located at the TT Grandstand in Douglas run as a refreshment outlet during TT and Manx Grand Prix motorcycle race periods. 2017 F. Morbidelli Indeed, his victory in that year's Formula 1 TT is perhaps the most famous moment in the entire history of the world-famous event. Can Rossi match Agostini's MotoGP winning record? Mike was now racing an ex John Surtees NSU in the 250cc class and was on record breaking pace with a class win in the Port Elizabeth 200, breaking the lap record in the process. 2015 J. Lorenzo He had a tent at the racetrack and he slept there a lot of the time. The gearchange on the left. The Iso had the strongest and thickest body of any car I have ever known. Would be great to catch up. 1991 W. Rainey Advertisement Latest Headlines Mikes car, as shown in some of the photos, did not have wire wheels. When I told Stirling that the Paint-a-Car concept had great potential in South Africa he got excited and suggested that we do something together. Achieving some success, he entered a 3-hour long-distance event in April 1978, as before with Australian co-rider Jim Scaysbrook. Castro and I were talking about tires with Mike and we mentioned this issue of contingency money. He remains a contender maybe the prime contender for the unofficial accolade of Greatest rider of all time, with four 500cc titles (37 wins), two 350cc titles (16 wins) and three 250cc titles (21 wins), as well as 14 wins at the Isle of Man TT. 2016 J. Zarco The Autospray corporate colour for our vehicles and the racing cars we sponsored was a bright emerald green that I chose to make a statement in an era of conservative colours. One Saturday in March 1981, driving his Rover 3500 with six-year-old son David and nine-year-old daughter Michelle on their way home from picking up a fish-'n'-chip supper, Hailwood . 1956 C. Ubbiali From the beginning of 1964 I monitored the build of the 904 on a daily basis until I delivered it to Ed and Piet in February 1964. We went down memory lane about the wonderful 1960s and the Honda sixes and at one point I mentioned the Grifo. 1983 F. Spencer But World Championship gratification was a little harder to come by. 1961 M. Hailwood [26] Hailwood again rode for BSA at the 1971 Daytona race, qualifying on the front row. Accessed 5 April 2014. Leclerc reveals reason for late F1 Bahrain GP Q3 absence, F1 qualifying results: Verstappen takes Bahrain GP pole, F1 qualifying results: Verstappen takes Bahrain GP pole Mike "The Bike" won 9 Grand Prix World Championships including four consecutive 500cc World Championships (1962 - 1965). He plans to play the lead role of Hailwood and co-direct the film alongside friend Robert Connolly. At 38 years old and 11 years removed from the sport, many doubted his winning prospects. He left the house to take a call and returned with the shattering news that Michelle, aged nine, had been killed. Unfortunately, he didnt fare as well and it marked the end of his decorated racing career. He told me that his three mechanics were South Africans, brothers Ed and Bud Rossler and Piet van Asperen. [29], Coming from a prosperous background, during his early career Hailwood had enjoyed a privileged lifestyle and even before his move from MV to Honda in 1966 was the world's highest-paid rider. 2012 M. Mrquez Last week, on Thursday April 2 to be precise, a small family group journeyed to a lovely old church in Tanworth in Arden in remembrance of their father and grandfather. [1][2] He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle world championships from 1958 to 1967 and in Formula One between 1963 and 1974. In that final Isle of Man appearance, he rode a two-stroke Suzuki RG 500 to victory in the Senior TT. Motocourse history of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy races: 1907-1989, p.156, Fdration Internationale de Motocyclisme, "AMA Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame | Mike Hailwood", "Hailwood, (Stanley) Michael Bailey (19401981), racing motorcyclist", "Mike Hailwood Isle of Man TT Race Results - iomtt.com: The World's #1 TT Website", "Dick Mann's 1970 Daytona 200 Victory | Mann & Machine", "The Collection | National Motorcycle Museum", "24 Hours of Le Mans Posters and Memorabilia Shop & Results Database", "Latest Formula 1 Breaking News - Grandprix.com", Motorcycle Classics Mike Hailwood's TT-winning Ducati, How an illustrious list of Ulster stars showed true class to leave a lasting impression on the world-famous TT, "Road Test: Mike Hailwood's Ducati 900TT1 racer", "TT 1978 Meetings - iomtt.com: The World's #1 TT Website", "700 bikers to honour memory of Solihull racer", https://www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk/archive/archive_navmain5, The Joan Seeley Pain Relief Memorial Trust About Us, "Mike Hailwood at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame", "Memorable MC: Mike Hailwood Ducati Replica", Take a record-breaking IOM TT ride with Peter Hickman, Re-think on use of centre built in honour of Hailwood, Mike Hailwood Foundation attracts 25 newcomers, Team Founds receives Mike Hailwood Foundation scholarship award, Heroes' Heroes: Murray Walker, former motor racing commentator, on Mike Hailwood, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Hailwood&oldid=1139599910, European Formula Two Championship drivers, International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees, Members of the Order of the British Empire, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the ODNB, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 23:21. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. Hailwood stated to Motorcycle Mechanics that even without suitable machinery from Honda he would not go elsewhere, preferring to retire prematurely and he would in any case finish at the end of the 1968 season. 1984 C. Sarron National Sporting Club presents a cocktail cabinet to racing driver Mike Hawthorn. Newspaper account of the Mike Hailwood fatal accident. Had I left Johannesburg about 20 minutes later I would have arrived on the scene of the accident. Still itching to race motorcycles, Hailwood returned to the Isle of Man TT in 1978. 1986 E. Lawson 1959 J. Surtees, 1960 J. Surtees From the Archivist. On Saturday March 21 tragedy struck the family when Mike set off in his car with his children, Michelle and Dave, to pick up some fish and chips. 1 Cruiser. 1953 W. Haas 1989 E. Lawson, 1990 W. Rainey Already got a Trove account. 1999 . Crivill, 2000 K. Roberts Jr. Auto Racing. Before he himself was injured, Hailwood was singled out for heroism. You know a lot of time, I mean hed come in there and hide from the crowd. Rheims Grand Prix. Limited Stock. By an eerie coincidence the damage to Mikes Rover 3500 in which he and his daughter were fatally injured in March 1981 was virtually identical to that of the Iso Grifo with head lights intact and the roof peeled off and twisted towards the left rear. We gave it serious thought and decided to give South Africa a go. Bana, a genuine car and bike enthusiast, is currently working on the screenplay for the 'Mike the Bike' movie. 1956 B. Lomas He left Formula One after being injured badly at the 1974 German Grand Prix at the Nrburgring and retired to New Zealand,[39] where he was involved with a marine engineering business together with former McLaren manager Phil Kerr. In the churchyard Mike Hailwood lies . Hennen's new record had lasted only four days when Mick Grant produced a brilliant display in the six-lap Classic. Motorsport Heroes: The Ferrari that made Massa F1 champ for 38s, F1 engine freeze could be next step to reduce costs, St. Pete IndyCar: Herta, McLaughlin top FP2, Dixon shunts, Herta tops St Pete FP2, Dixon shunts With less two-wheeled action in his diary, he could start to master the art of extracting the most from a four-wheeled machine. This bike was created by Ducati to honor the legendary racer, who was sadly killed in an auto accident the same year this particular bike was released. He married their mother, model Pauline, on 11 June 1975. I think he was the best rider. When he later returned to the pits, where Pauline was waiting, Hailwood did not tell her what he had just done. He then told her his story and said; "I will be killed by one of those damn lorries so, you see, it won't happen on a track". He participated in 50 Formula One Grands Prix, starting with an early phase between 19631965, debuting in the British Grand Prix on 20 July 1963, achieving two podium finishes and scoring a total of 29 championship points. 2004 V. Rossi 1958 T. Provini This is a short extract from the book Chasing Down a Legend. The 40-year-old was on his way to get some fish and chips with his son David and daughter. . It was just one of those things that wasnt his fault., Time shouldnt diminish Hailwoods achievements to the die-hard enthusiast, according to Kel. Leading the Formula 2 field at Rouen-les-Essarts, in 1972, the year he would clinch the championship. Hailwood, who once interrupted his own race to pull a burning competitor out of his blazing Formula One race car and save his life, would himself die tragically at age 40 along with his daughter. I mean he was the guy so to speak.. He died on 23 March 1981 after a car accident. Hailwood rushed to Regazzoni's car and tried to pull him out only for his own. Can Rossi match Agostini's MotoGP winning record? These early forays into car racing weren't convincing, his main focus still being on pummeling his GP bike opposition! In fact, Mike Hailwood owned two Grifos, the first was #081/D, a white 1966 350hp 4 speed car which was owned for many years by one of our members until quite recently. 1999 V. Rossi, 2000 O. Jacque 2022 A. Fernndez. I did, though, make the switch later and won the 1972 Daytona 200. On the Friday I went to Parys to arrange for the wreck to be railed to our head office workshop thats when I took the photos. 2021 F. Quartararo It was a wet, dark night and Mike had no chance of avoiding the collision which instantly claimed Michelle's life. Kel Carruthers has a unique perspective on Mike Hailwood. [15], Hailwood enjoyed great success at the Isle of Man TT. In 1972 Mike Hailwood had secured a fourth place at Monza . He slowed, hooked second gear, got wheelspin and as he looked in the rear view mirror he saw the severed lines arcing through the air. Up until a couple of years ago he was the workshop doorman/caretaker type guy up at the Yamaha workshop in Amsterdam and I kind of met him at the door and he was pretty upset and he told me then., Carruthers believes it ironic that Hailwood lived through a dual racing career when safety standards were shockingly bad, then to die in a street car crash after he had retired. In 1965 I met Gill who worked for Rootes in Devonshire House, Green Park, and we were married in December 1966. He had a large garage where he kept his Brabham BT8 sports racing car that he entered under the SMART banner. 2005 D. Pedrosa I had in the meantime met Mike and as he had previously raced in South Africa and owned a house in Westville near Durban he was the ideal candidate. Gives a great insight into a great character, and his involvement with Isos. [60], Hailwood retired with 76 Grand Prix victories, 112 Grand Prix podiums, 14 Isle of Man TT wins and 9 World Championships, including 37 Grand Prix wins, 48 Grand Prix podiums, 6 Isle of Man TT wins and 4 World Championships in 500cc. . It is the only photo of Carrachi in the entire shop.