Peter Arundell

Peter John Arundell (8 November 1933 – 16 June 2009) was a British racing driver, who competed in Formula One at 13 Grands Prix between and .

Arundell participated in 13 World Championship Grands Prix for Lotus, debuting at the 1963 French Grand Prix. He scored 12 championship points and achieved two podiums, at the Monaco and Dutch Grands Prix in .

Life and career Peter John Arundell was born on 8 November 1933 in Ilford, Essex, England. Arundell became a professional racing driver after finishing his time in the Royal Air Force, competing in Elva and Lotus cars. He won an early Formula Junior race held in England, the John Davy Trophy at the Boxing Day Brands Hatch meeting in an Elva-D.K.W. in 1959. In 1962, he won the British Formula Junior championship in a Lotus 22, and also in 1963 in a Lotus 27. He also won the Monaco Formula Junior race in 1961 and 1962. He won the last Formula Junior race held in England, the Anglo-European Formula Junior Trophy, also at Brands Hatch, in September 1963, in a Lotus 27-Ford.

Arundell marked his arrival in the Formula One World Championship in 1964 with two podium finishes. He was regarded as a strong prospect for the future and a great supporting driver for World Champion Jim Clark.

In 1964, while racing in Formula Two at Reims-Gueux, Arundell had a spin and was hit at high speed by Richie Ginther; Arundell was thrown from the car in the impact, which resulted in him missing most of the 1965 season. Lotus boss Colin Chapman saved his place in the team for 1966, with Arundell finishing third on his comeback in the non-championship South African Grand Prix at East London on 1 January 1966. He did not enjoy any great success and at the end of that year he retired from Formula One, having started only 11 races.

Arundell retired from racing altogether in 1969, and later moved to Florida, where he set up a software company.

Racing record

Complete Formula One World Championship 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 WDC Points Team Lotus Lotus 25 Climax V8 MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER ITA USA MEX RSA NC 0 Team Lotus Lotus 25 Climax V8 MON NED BEL FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA MEX 8th 11 Team Lotus Lotus 43 BRM H16 MON BEL FRA 17th 1 Lotus 33 BRM V8 GBR NED GER ITA MEX Climax V8 USA

Non-Championship Formula One 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 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 1961 Team Lotus Lotus 18 Climax Straight-4 LOM GLV PAU BRX VIE AIN SYR NAP LON SIL SOL KAN DAN MOD FLG OUL LEW VAL RAN NAT RSA1962 Team Lotus Lotus 21 Climax Straight-4 CAP BRX LOMDNA LAV GLV PAU AIN INT NAP Lotus 24 Climax V8 MALDNA CLP SOLDNA KAN MEDDNA DAN OUL RAN NAT BRM V8 RMSRet1 1963 Team Lotus Lotus 25 Climax V8 LOM GLV PAU IMO SYR AIN INTDNA ROM SOL KAN MED AUT OULDNA RAN 1964 Team Lotus Lotus 25 Climax V8 DMT NWT SYR AIN INT SOL MED RAN 1966 Team Lotus Lotus 33 Climax V8 RSA SYR INT OULDNS2 1 Following problems with his own car, Jim Clark took over Arundell's car but then ran out of fuel. 2 The engine in Jim Clark's Lotus 43 blew up during practice and Clark took over Arundell's car.

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Pts Class 1964 Team Lotus Ford Cortina Lotus SNERet GOO3 OUL AIN4 SIL5 CRY2† BRH OUL 5th 24 2nd 1966 Team Lotus Ford Cortina Lotus SNE5 GOO5 SIL3 CRYRet† BRH BRH3 OUL6† BRH2 3rd 38 1st 1968 Alan Mann Racing Ford Escort TC BRH THR SIL CRYRet† MAL4† BRH SIL26 CRO OUL BRH BRH 38th 4 10th † Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.