Peter Walker

Peter Douglas Conyers Walker (7 October 1912 – 1 March 1984) was an English racing driver. He was born in Huby, Yorkshire and died in Newtown, Worcestershire. He proved a strong driver in most disciplines, but was most adept in sports cars, winning the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and the Goodwood Nine-Hours in 1955. He effectively retired after a crash in 1956 left him with serious injuries.

Early life and pre-war racing

Peter 'Skid' Walker was born in Yorkshire in October 1912. He really started his racing career in 1935, after linking up with Peter Whitehead. He enjoyed success in both circuit racing and hillclimbing with an ERA prior to World War II, with victories at Brooklands and Donington Park. Throughout this period, he could be found racing Whitehead's ERAs. His aggressive, sliding style made him a crowd favourite and gained him a little bit of notoriety. After the hostilities finished, he returned to the sport.

Racing career

Although competitive before the war, Walker's aggressive style and experience helped him become even more successful. In fact, he was one of handful of driver who could get the ERA E-type to perform. In 1948, he was able to put together some impressive performances both in hillclimbing, but in Grand Prix Racing. One of those races was the inaugural British Grand Prix, at RAF Silverstone. However, the race did not go to plan. He entered the race driving an ERA E-type, but the manufacturer was unable to deliver the chassis in time, so Walker used his older B-type. During the race, he survived the massive attrition to finish in 11th place, 12 laps adrift of the winner, Luigi Villoresi.

Sports Car Ace

Walker performances of the hills brought him to the attention of Lofty England, the manager of Jaguar's sports car racing team, rewarded him with a drive in a Jaguar XK120 in this newly launched car's first race at Silverstone in 1949. Walker finished second, but won at same event 12 months later, in an alloy-bodied works-prepared XK120.

Still nursing his burns from the British Grand Prix, Walker dismissed them as little more than "a bit of a nuisance", he arrived at Dundrod to race a C-Type in the RAC Tourist Trophy. Jaguar cleaned up, taking all three places in the podium. As for Walker, he finished in a dutiful second behind Moss.

Walker did test and race again in 1957. In the spring, he tested for Rob Walker Racing Team, in their Connaught Type B at Goodwood, and subsequently drove the car in a one-off race, the Gran Premio di Siracusa the following season. He was classified in eighth place despite spinning and stalling the car late on.

Away from the track

After he retired from the sport, Walker took up rabbit and chinchilla farming with Lady Ripley for a while, and even designed a type of cattle grid, but both ventures came to nothing.

Walker died on 1 March 1984, after suffering from dementia and pneumonia. He is remembered today by his peers like Moss, who describes him as one of life's "great guys".

Peter Whitehead ERA B-Type Donington Grand Prix

Peter Whitehead ERA B-Type 1949 Silverstone International

Peter Walker Jaguar XK120 Goodwood Trophy

ERA E-Type 1950 Silverstone International [+2.0]

Peter Walker Jaguar XK120 1951 Les 24 Heures du Mans

Peter Walker Jaguar C-Type RAC Tourist Trophy

Jaguar Cars Jaguar C-Type 1952 Hastings Trophy

Cooper-ERA 1953 Les 24 Heures du Mans

Jaguar Cars Ltd. Jaguar C-Type BMCLCC Trophy

Cooper-ERA RAC Tourist Trophy

Jaguar Cars Ltd. Jaguar C-Type 1954 Silverstone International

Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar C-Type 1955 Snetterton International

Connaught Engineering Connaught B Type Goodwood Nine-Hours

Aston Martin Aston Martin DB3S

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Points 1950 Peter Walker ERA E-Type ERA Straight-6 GBR MON 500 SUI BEL FRA ITA NC 0 1951 BRM Ltd. BRM P15 BRM V16 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA ESP NC 01955 Stirling Moss Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 ARG MON 500 BEL NEDNC0 Rob Walker Racing Team Connaught Type B Alta Straight-4 GBR ITA

Indicates shared drive with Tony Rolt.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Complete 12 Hours of Reims results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1954 Jaguar Cars Ltd. Stirling Moss Jaguar C-Type DNF(Halfshaft)