About Colin Davis
Lived 1933 – 2012 (aged 79). Colin Davis was a British formula One driver and engineer.
Colin Charles Houghton Davis (29 July 1933 – 19 December 2012) was a British racing driver from England, who won the 1964 Targa Florio.
Early life Davis was born in Marylebone, London, the son of "Bentley Boy" and Le Mans winner, Sammy Davis (who later became Autocar magazine's sports editor).
Davis was educated at Stowe School in the late 1930s.
Davis was an advertising executive who raced a 500cc Formula 3 Cooper before moving to Italy from where he conducted his own racing career.
Racing career Davis competed in two World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, finishing 11th in the 1959 Italian Grand Prix in a Scuderia Centro Sud Cooper-Maserati. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.
Davis finished eighth overall and a class winner in the 1960 Nürburgring 1000km, sharing a Ferrari 250GT with Carlo Abate. In the same race the following year, he finished fourth overall, again with Abate, in a Ferrari 250GT. Also in 1961, Davis finished fifth in the 4-Hours of Pescara, driving solo in a 1,600 c.c. Osca Sport. He shared the winning Porsche 904 GTS in the 1964 Targa Florio with Antonio Pucci.
Later life After Davis retired from racing, he emigrated to Cape Town and worked as a radio broadcaster. He died on 19 December 2012 after a long illness.
Racing record Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 WDC Points 1959 Scuderia Centro Sud Cooper T51 Maserati MON 500 NED FRA GBR GER POR ITA USA NC 0
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1962 Scuderia SSS Republica di Venezia Fernand Tavano Ferrari 250 GTGT3.0119DNF(Engine)
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Important facts
People in Colin Davis's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Colin Davis's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Colin Davis?
British racecar driver
When was Colin Davis born?
Colin Davis was born on 29 July 1933 in Marylebone.
When did Colin Davis die?
Colin Davis died on 23 December 2012 in Cape Town.
What was Colin Davis's occupation?
Colin Davis was a formula One driver and engineer.
What nationality was Colin Davis?
Colin Davis was British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Colin Davis (racing driver)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Colin Davis. https://biography.guide/colin-davis-formula-one-driver/
MLA: "Colin Davis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/colin-davis-formula-one-driver/.
Chicago: "Colin Davis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/colin-davis-formula-one-driver/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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