George Abecassis

George Edgar Abecassis He began circuit racing in 1935 in a modified Austin Seven which became known as The Einsitzer. After taking 1937 as a year away from the track, he acquired an Alta and made a name for himself in English national racing during the 1938 and 1939 seasons. In 1939, he won the Imperial Trophy Formula Libre race at Crystal Palace, driving his Alta, defeating Prince Bira, in the E.R.A. known as Romulus, in a wet race, "that being the only time it was beaten by a car in the British Isles."

At one point, Abecassis held the Campbell circuit lap record at Brooklands at On 3 July 1938 Abecassis broke the Prescott Hill Climb record with a climb of 47.85 seconds in his supercharged 1½-litre Alta.

When World War II broke out, Abecassis joined the Royal Air Force, as a member of the Volunteer Reserves, and became an experienced pilot, ultimately becoming a member of the secret "Moon Squadrons", ferrying secret agents in and out of occupied countries in Europe with specially-modified Halifax and Stirling aircraft. During the course of his wartime service, Abecassis was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and was mentioned in dispatches

Abecassis achieved the rank of squadron leader, In 1947, Abecassis finished second in the Swedish Grand Prix, held on a frozen lake at Vallentuna, driving an E.R.A. In 1948, he finished second to Bob Gerard in the Jersey International Road Race. He became a partner, with John Heath, in Hersham and Walton Motors Ltd., a motor dealership and garage in Walton-on-Thames. Building on his pre-war association with the Alta marque, Abecassis and HWM assisted in the development of the Alta GP car,

In 1955 Mille Miglia, Abecassis drove a red Austin Healey 100S (AHS3804) very fast in the last "Rome section" to an outstanding position close to the speeds of Stirling Moss with the Mercedes SLR and finished 11th overall.

In 1956, Heath was killed in an accident in the Mille Miglia and Abecassis retired from racing, turning his attention to running the HWM operations. He was the Facel Vega importer for Britain, while his motor industry connections were aided by the fact that he was married to Angela, the daughter of Aston Martin chairman Sir David Brown. He died aged 78, in Ibstone, near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

In September 2010, his son David Abecassis published a comprehensive biography of his father under the title A Passion for Speed.

His grandson, Jonathan Abecassis, has an active interest in vintage sports car racing. He competes in the Fifties Sports Car Racing Club ("FISCAR") series, driving an Austin Healey 100/4.

Racing record

Career highlights

Season Series Team Car 1935 Aston Clinton Speed Trails 1st Austin 7 "Einsitzer" 1936 Lands End Trial Premier Award 1934 Wolseley Hornet Special AXK 777 1938 Easter Road Race 2nd Alta 12/50 Crystal Palace Plate 1st George Abecassis Alta 2.0 s/c Crystal Palace Plate 2nd Alta 1947 Bo'ness Hill Climb 1st Bugatti Type 59 British Hill Climb Championship 2nd Bugatti Type 59 SAK Stockholm Grand Prix 2nd ERA A-Type Prix de Rome 2nd Cisitalia-Fiat D46 Gransden Trophy 3rd ERA A-Type Ulster Trophy 3rd ERA A-Type Craigantlet Hillclimb 2nd Maserati 6CM 1951 Winfield Formula 2 Cup 2nd H. W. Motors Ltd. HWM-Alta 51 Madgwick Cup 3rd H. W. Motors Ltd. HWM 1952 Ibsley Grand Prix 2nd H. W. Motors Ltd. HWM-Alta 52 Silverstone International 1st H. W. Motors HWM-Jaguar Grand Prix, 12 Hours of Sebring 2nd Aston Martin Ltd. Aston Martin DB3 1954 Silverstone International 1st H. W. Motors HWM-Jaguar BM Trophy 1st H. W. Motors HWM-Jaguar RedeX Trophy 1st H. W. Motors HWM-Jaguar Brighton Speed Trials 2nd H. W. Motors HWM-Jaguar

Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Points 1951 HW Motors Ltd HWM Alta Straight-4 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA ESP NC 0 1952 HW Motors Ltd HWM Alta Straight-4 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER NED ITA NC 0

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1950 Aston Martin Ltd. Lance Macklin Aston Martin DB2 S3.0 249 5th 1st 1951 Aston Martin Ltd. Brian Shawe-Taylor Aston Martin DB2 S3.0 5th 2nd 1953 Aston Martin Ltd. Roy Salvadori Aston Martin DB3S S3.0 74 DNF DNF

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1953 Aston Martin, Ltd. Reg Parnell Aston Martin DB3 S3.0 172 2nd 1st

Complete Mille Miglia results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class 1952 Aston Martin Ltd. Pat Griffith Aston Martin DB2 GT+2.0 DNF DNF 1953 Aston Martin Lagonda Pat Griffith Aston Martin DB3 S+2.0 DNF DNF 1954 H.W. Motors Denis Jenkinson HWM-Jaguar S+2.0 DNF DNF 1955 Donald Healey Motor Company Austin-Healey 100S S+2.0 11th 5th

Complete 24 Hours of Spa results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1948 John Heath Alta S2.0 172 DNF DNF

Complete 12 Hours of Reims results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1953 H.W. Motors Paul Frère HWM-Jaguar S+2.0 DNF DNF 1954 H.W. Motors Lance Macklin HWM-Jaguar S+2.0 DNF DNF

Complete 12 Hours of Hyères results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1954 H.W. Motors Tony Gaze HWM-Jaguar DSQ DSQ