Keith Holland

Keith Holland (born 6 December 1935) is a British former racing driver from England who competed in various classes of racing in the 1960s and 1970s. He is known for winning the 1969 Madrid Grand Prix in a Formula 5000 car in a field which contained several Formula One entries. He was also a regular competitor in the European Formula 5000 Championship finishing third in the title standings on two occasions.

Racing career

Early career

Holland's career began in 1961, with a Lotus 11, yielding a third-place finish in the Boxing Day meeting at Brands Hatch. He continued in 1962, with a GSM Delta competing in only three national level, or above, races. He achieved a best finish of fourth at a 500km race at the Nürburgring in September. The race was originally intended as a full-scale Grand Prix-type event as the Spanish Grand Prix had been moved to Barcelona. However, a clash of dates meant that a relatively small mixed field of F5000 and F1 cars took part. Holland led early in the race, after Tony Dean (BRM P261) spun at the start, but was passed by Peter Gethin in an F5000 McLaren-Chevrolet. Towards the end, Holland had to drop back slightly due to water temperature issues, but on the last lap, Gethin's Chevrolet engine broke a connecting-rod and despite spinning on his own final lap, Holland was able to win the race.

In 1970, Holland entered the Australian Grand Prix (at that time run to F5000 rules) in a McLaren M10B-Chevrolet. He qualified in eighth position but retired after nine laps with an oil-pump problem.

Holland entered the 1972 International Gold Cup with the McLaren-Chevrolet. He did not finish, retiring after 31 laps with broken engine mountings. He subsequently participated in the Rothmans 50,000 race at Brands Hatch with a Lola T190 (F5000) entered by Chris Featherstone. He qualified in 29th position and thus took part in the main race, for the first 30 qualifiers, where he finished 13th but 12 laps behind. At the John Player Challenge Trophy, Holland finished 11th in a Chevron B24 entered by Sid Taylor Racing. In the 1972 British F5000 championship, Holland competed in eight races and was classified eighth in the championship with 16 points. He achieved two podium finishes and two fastest laps. and Mondello Park, each with the Trojan. He had one further podium finish together with two pole positions and two fastest laps.

In the 1974 Rothmans 5000 European Championship, Holland dropped to 19th in the title standings with 20 points from eight races, including two podium finishes, and used both a Trojan T102 and a Lola T332.

Holland began the 1977 series with a second place at Mallory Park but achieved only one other podium-finish and dropped to eighth in the championship with 63 points.

In 1978, Holland competed in the Rothmans International Series which was part of the Australian Formula 1 category and at that time included cars to F5000 specification. He finished 10th in the championship with 3 points from four races.

Racing record

Complete European F5000 Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Complete Formula One non-championship results (key)

Complete Shellsport International Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts 1976 E. L. Gibbs Ltd. Racing Lola T400 Chevrolet 5.0 V8 MAL SNE OUL BRH THR BRH MAL SNE BRH THR OUL BRH BRH 3rd 95 1977 E. L. Gibbs Racing Lola T332C Chevrolet 5.0 V8 MAL SNE OUL BRH MAL THR BRH OUL MAL DON 8th 63 Chris Featherstone McRae GM1 BRH THR SNE BRH