Pointless observation; Where British F1 drivers come from.
Discussion
I fully concede this thread serves no purpose other than curiosity but such is the product of a solo overnight trip for work!
I was watching something on You Tube about some old F1 race and the commentator mentioned "Roy Salvadori from Essex" - I never knew that. Came from Colchester. That led me on a bit of a rabbit hole and have determined that the counties of Essex and Surrey have generated a disproportionate number of British F1 drivers.
Essex has given us 10:
Ollie Bearman
Johnny Herbert
Perry McCarthy
Jackie Oliver
Rupert Keegan
Richard Robarts
Roy Salvadori
Will Stevens
Piers Courage
Peter Arundell
Surrey has provided five:
Max Chilton
Peter Gethin
Mike Spence
John Surtees
Jack Fairman
I know that the place where someone is born is pretty irrelevant in the scheme of things but nonetheless, I'm wondering what it is about Essex and Surrey that might explain this. Neither has a race circuit (well, there was Brooklands, sort of in Surrey and Boreham was used as a circuit for a few years post WW2). Ford was of course a dominant force in Essex. Despite the best efforts of Basildon and Harlow, Essex, like Surrey has a great deal of wealth - but not any more or less than Kent, or Berkshire.... etc.
Given the motor industry grew and remains centred around the midlands, and from which Motor Sport Valley emerged along the A40, its surprising so few drivers have come from there.
So, what's the question? I don't know there is one. But I guess we could ask why Suffolk, Cornwall and others lack a F1 driver amongst their great and good.
I was watching something on You Tube about some old F1 race and the commentator mentioned "Roy Salvadori from Essex" - I never knew that. Came from Colchester. That led me on a bit of a rabbit hole and have determined that the counties of Essex and Surrey have generated a disproportionate number of British F1 drivers.
Essex has given us 10:
Ollie Bearman
Johnny Herbert
Perry McCarthy
Jackie Oliver
Rupert Keegan
Richard Robarts
Roy Salvadori
Will Stevens
Piers Courage
Peter Arundell
Surrey has provided five:
Max Chilton
Peter Gethin
Mike Spence
John Surtees
Jack Fairman
I know that the place where someone is born is pretty irrelevant in the scheme of things but nonetheless, I'm wondering what it is about Essex and Surrey that might explain this. Neither has a race circuit (well, there was Brooklands, sort of in Surrey and Boreham was used as a circuit for a few years post WW2). Ford was of course a dominant force in Essex. Despite the best efforts of Basildon and Harlow, Essex, like Surrey has a great deal of wealth - but not any more or less than Kent, or Berkshire.... etc.
Given the motor industry grew and remains centred around the midlands, and from which Motor Sport Valley emerged along the A40, its surprising so few drivers have come from there.
So, what's the question? I don't know there is one. But I guess we could ask why Suffolk, Cornwall and others lack a F1 driver amongst their great and good.
Cornwall has been represented !
Chris Craft was born in Porthleven. Super quick in tin tops and sports cars but he made just a sole GP start at the US GP at Watkins Glen in 1971.
His privateer Brabham BT33 ran at the back & ultimately retired. The car was chopped up and was resurrected as the Duckhams Special at Le Mans the following year. Craft & Alain de Cadenet had the car up to 4th at one stage in the race.
Chris Craft was born in Porthleven. Super quick in tin tops and sports cars but he made just a sole GP start at the US GP at Watkins Glen in 1971.
His privateer Brabham BT33 ran at the back & ultimately retired. The car was chopped up and was resurrected as the Duckhams Special at Le Mans the following year. Craft & Alain de Cadenet had the car up to 4th at one stage in the race.
Affluence and access at a guess.
I wouldn’t discount the importance of Brooklands. Motorsport fanned out from there and I would say the importance of the clubs (such as Brooklands Auto Racing Club) would have more to do with allowing drivers to access and race in the early days.
Post war, club racing moved to ex airfields, the majority of which were also around the Home Counties.
If you were to look at f1 drivers up to 1980 and post 1980 I would imagine there is a much wider geographical scattering in the second group.
I wouldn’t discount the importance of Brooklands. Motorsport fanned out from there and I would say the importance of the clubs (such as Brooklands Auto Racing Club) would have more to do with allowing drivers to access and race in the early days.
Post war, club racing moved to ex airfields, the majority of which were also around the Home Counties.
If you were to look at f1 drivers up to 1980 and post 1980 I would imagine there is a much wider geographical scattering in the second group.
Its money.
You can sugar coat it many ways, and there are of course exceptions, but its money.
Britains best footballers come from all 4 corners, the estates and boroughs all over. Because football is cheap.
Motor racing is expensive, and thus the drivers only come from places where people can afford it.
You can sugar coat it many ways, and there are of course exceptions, but its money.
Britains best footballers come from all 4 corners, the estates and boroughs all over. Because football is cheap.
Motor racing is expensive, and thus the drivers only come from places where people can afford it.
Not F1 but county-related.
BMW ran a County Championship in 1980 for a field of TWR prepared 323is.
Martin Brundle won the championship in (appropriately) the Norfolk car. Kent was represented by Nick (brother of Charlie) Whiting - fair enough. However the 2nd Kent batsman was Brian Muir which stretched the geographical imagination somewhat…
BMW ran a County Championship in 1980 for a field of TWR prepared 323is.
Martin Brundle won the championship in (appropriately) the Norfolk car. Kent was represented by Nick (brother of Charlie) Whiting - fair enough. However the 2nd Kent batsman was Brian Muir which stretched the geographical imagination somewhat…
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