A statue of one of the world’s greatest racers - John Surtees - is to be unveiled at Mallory Park on Monday 14th July.
Surtees enjoyed a distinguished career in motorsport and is still the only man to have won both motorcycle and car World Championships. He also has many connections with Mallory Park right from his early days, having competed during the1940’s as a passenger to his father on the grass track circuit that pre-dated the building of the race track in 1956.
He went on to win the first Race of the Year in 1958 aboard an MV, the same year that he took his second 500cc World Championship. Further titles and TT victories followed. In 1960, the Englishman retired from motorcycle racing as reigning World Champion, turning his attention to cars.
A works Ferrari drive followed, which gave him the1964 World Champion Driver title. Further successes were achieved in Formula 2, sports cars and Can-Am. Many Mallory Park fans will remember his astonishing victory in the soaking 1967 Guards Trophy race, which he won with a margin of three laps over the second placed man!
During the1970’s he also built, designed and raced his own Team Surtees Formula 1, Formula 2, And Formula 5000 cars.
A deep thinker with great engineering skills, his abilities helped him to turn many an uncompetitive racing machine into a winner.
Today, Surtees travels all over the world, demonstrating historic racing cars and motorbikes, many from his own collection. He also oversees the burgeoning karting career of his son.
As well as Surtees himself, there will be many personalities from the world of motorsport present including three times World Champion Sir Jack Brabham and present day F1 boss Sir Frank Williams. Such is the respect that Honda hold for Surtees, that they are sending their Nobuhiko Kawamoto and Hitoshi Dewa from Japan to be present at Mallory Park. Expect a high profile star to carry out the unveiling.
The life-size bronze John Surtees MBE statue will be the latest addition to the Mallory Park collection that includes Jim Clark, Mike Hailwood, Roger Clark and Colin Chapman.
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