Roy Salvadori

Roy Francesco Salvadori (12 May 1922 – 3 June 2012) was a British racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . In endurance racing, Salvadori won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in with Aston Martin.

Born in Dovercourt to parents of Italian descent, Salvadori began competing in Grand Prix motor racing after World War II. His early career successes at tracks such as Silverstone and Snetterton earned him the nickname "King of the Airfields". He graduated to Formula One by 1952 and competed regularly until 1962 for a succession of teams including Cooper, Vanwall, BRM, Aston Martin and Connaught. Also a competitor in other formulae, he won the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans in an Aston Martin with co-driver Carroll Shelby.

In 47 starts, Salvadori achieved two F1 Championship podium finishes: third place at the 1958 British Grand Prix and second place at that year's German Grand Prix, and won non-championship races in Australia, New Zealand and England. In 1961, he was lying second in the United States Grand Prix when his Cooper's engine failed. At the end of 1962, he retired from F1, and stopped racing altogether a couple of years later to concentrate on the motor trade. He returned to the sport in 1966 to manage the Cooper-Maserati squad for two seasons, and eventually retired to Monaco.

Racing career

Early career With his ambition thwarted by World War II, Salvadori began his career in 1946, racing purely for pleasure, in minor events, in a MG and an ex-Brooklands offset Riley racer before stepping up to an ex-Tazio Nuvolari Alfa Romeo P3 in 1947. It was with this car, he raced in the 1947 Grand Prix des Frontières, where late into the race, his Alfa would remain stuck in top gear. Despite this, Salvadori still cruised home to record an impressive fifth place. He then decided to become a professional racing driver, and drove a number of different makes as his career progressed.

King of the Airfields Salvadori knew his limitations, and realized that chasing the likes of Stirling Moss at circuits like steeply cambered, high-banked Dundrod or Pescara, with its blind bends and flat-out blinds, was futile, verging on suicidal. Though he was not alone in that, he became known as "King of the Airfields", accumulating wins at Silverstone, Snetterton and flat English airfield tracks.

Salvadori twice won the Oulton Park's International Gold Cup where there were plenty of trees to hit and a lake to plunge into, which he did once driving a Jaguar Mk.II 3.8 saloon. Nor was the Le Mans Mulsanne Straight at night a place for the careless or nervous, nevertheless he scored his most notable success there in an Aston Martin DBR1/300 in 1959.

Salvadori's association with tractor magnate David Brown and his Feltham-built Aston Martin sports cars, GTs and F1 underscored his career; he joined Brown's team in mid-1953, and would label his 1963 defeat of Ferrari's 250 GTO at Monza in its DP214 in the Inter-Europa Cup, as his favourite victory.

Formula One

Salvadori recovered sufficiently from his Silverstone accident to make his first entry into Grand Prix racing in 1952 when he drove a two-litre four cylinder Ferrari 500 in the British Grand Prix for G. Caprara, finishing eighth, three laps down. He would continue to race the Ferrari, winning the Joe Fry Memorial Trophy. For the 1953 season, Salvadori joined the Connaught team and competed in five Grands Prix with the Connaught "A type" but retired from all of them. marked him out as a potential top-level driver. However, he remained particularly active in domestic motor sport and in sports cars for Aston Martin. But this all changed in 1957, when he signed with Cooper achieving only one fifth place at RAC British Grand Prix. However, 1958 (as teammate to Jack Brabham) was his most successful season, finishing fourth in the World Drivers' Championship for Cooper, behind Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks. Over the course of the season, he would earn two podium finishes, However he was not retained by Cooper for 1959 (when Brabham would win the first of his titles) but drove a privately entered Cooper, as well as the works Aston Martin, in which he achieved two sixth-place finishes. He continued with Parnell for 1962, now under the Bowmaker Racing Team name with the Lola Mk4-Climax, but eight attempts yielded seven retirements and one failure to start (as John Surtees took the car).

Sports cars Throughout his Formula One career, Salvadori continued to participate in many other classes, particularly within the United Kingdom and became very well-known domestically as a result. He would follow this victory up with another at Snetterton and Goodwood later on in the season. He impressed with his aggressive press-on attitude, when he finished second in the Internationales ADAC-1000 km Rennen Weltmeisterschaftslauf Nürburgring in an Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar C-Type, shared with Ian Stewart

Ever since he started racing sportscars in the upper levels during the 1950s, he was usually a sure bet to finish in the top five, whether it was in national or international races. However, in 1959, he would achieve a run of success of which even the best would find themselves envious. Although he only finished one race in the year to March, over the next three months Salvadori would go on an incredible run of success. The run started with a second place in the British Empire Trophy race but followed that with two straight victories in the Aintree 200 and an International race at Silverstone. And then, a pair of second-place finishes and another victory, this time at the National Open race at Crystal Palace in the middle of May. It was on to the Circuit de la Sarthe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

1959 24 Hours of Le Mans Salvadori was entered in the race by David Brown Racing Dept. in an Aston Martin DBR1/300, partnered by the same co-driver he had had at the 12 Hours of Sebring earlier on in the year, Texan Carroll Shelby. Attrition would be a constant participant and the field would be down to just 13 cars, heading the surviving cars was that of Salvadori and Shelby. The Englishman would bring the car across the finish line giving himself and Brown the Le Mans victory each had been longing for many years. This would be the high point of his sports car career, especially as Shelby was afflicted by dysentery, therefore Salvadori did the lion's share of the driving. Before the end of the season, he would score four more victories to make it his best season. 1961 would see him take two victories at Crystal Palace on the same day, plus a string of other podium finishes A year later, he spun on oil dropped by Bruce McLaren's Aston Martin DP214 during the early stages of the race and flipped his E-Type onto its roof; the car then burst into flames. Jean-Pierre Manzon in his Aerodjet LM6 hit Salvadori and stopped in the middle of the track. Christian Heins was unable to avoid the wreckage; his car swerved out of control, hit another car, spun into a lamp car, and exploded in flames. Salvadori and Manzon were both injured; Heins died instantly. The accident ultimately led to Salvadori retiring from racing in early 1965, after finished second in the Whitsun Trophy race at Goodwood, abroad a Ford GT40. His last sportscar victory came the season before in the Scott-Brown Memorial at Snetterton.

Salvadori returned to Formula One as a team manager for the Cooper racing team in 1966 and 1967.

Salvadori retired to Monaco in the late 1960s.

Family life Salvadori married Susan Hindmarsh, one of the daughters of racing driver, long distance record breaker and 'round the world' driver Violette Cordery and her husband, the racing driver and aviator John Stuart Hindmarsh.

Racing record

Career highlights

Season Series Position Team Car 1952 Joe Fry Memorial Trophy 1st G, Caprara Ferrari 500 Goodwood Nine Hours 3rd G. Caprara Ferrari 225 S Charterhall International 3rd B. Baird Ferrari 225 S 1953 WECC Trophy 1st Connaught Engineering Connaught-Les Francis Type A Madgwick Cup 1st Connaught Engineering Connaught-Les Francis Type A Lavant Cup 2nd Connaught Engineering Connaught-Les Francis Type A AMOC Trophy 2nd Connaught Engineering Connaught-Les Francis Type A Crystal Palace Trophy 2nd Connaught Engineering Connaught-Les Francis Type A Internationales ADAC-1000 km Rennen Weltmeisterschaftslauf Nürburgring 2nd Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar C-Type Newcastle Journal Trophy 1st Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F WECC Trophy 1st Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F British Empire Trophy 2nd Gilby Engineering Maserati A6GCS Lavant Cup 2nd Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Chichester Cup 2nd Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Penya Rhin Grand Prix 2nd Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar C-Type Whitsuntide Race 3rd Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Goodwood Trophy 3rd Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F 1955 Glover Trophy 1st Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Lavant Cup 1st John Young Connaught-Les Francis Type A WHDCC Trophy 1st Maserati 250F WECC Trophy 1st Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Daily Telegraph Trophy 1st Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Chichester Cup 2nd Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Silverstone International 2nd Aston Martin Aston Martin DB3S Snetterton International 2nd Gilby Eng. Maserati 250F BARC Trophy 3rd Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Aintree International 3rd Roy Salvadori Aston Martin DB3S 1956 Circuito do Porto [S1.5] 1st Cooper Car Company Cooper-Climax T39 RAC British F2 Grand Prix 1st Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T41 Vanwall Trophy 1st Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Bank Holiday F2 Race 1st Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T41 Sussex Trophy 1st Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T41 International Gold Cup 1st Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T41 Glover Trophy 2nd Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F British Empire Trophy 3rd Cooper Cooper-Climax T39 Rheinland-Pfalz Preis Nürburgring 3rd Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T39 Grand Prix de Caen 3rd Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F 1957 Woodcote Cup 1st Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T43 British Empire Trophy 2nd D. Brown (Aston Martin) Ltd. Aston Martin DBR1 Sussex Trophy 2nd Aston Martin Aston Martin DBR1 Grand Prix de Spa 2nd Aston Martin Aston Martin DBR1 London Trophy 2nd Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T43 Aintree International 2nd Aston Martin Aston Martin DBR1 Grand Prix de Caen 2nd Cooper-Climax T43 FIA Formula One World Championship 18th Owen Racing OrganisationVandervell ProductsCooper Car Company BRM P25Vanwall VW5Cooper-Climax T43 1958 Aintree 200 2nd David Brown Aston Martin DBR2 Daily Express BRDC International Trophy 2nd Cooper Car Co. Cooper-Climax T45 Großer Preis von Deutschland 2nd Cooper Car Company Cooper-Climax T45 RAC Tourist Trophy 2nd David Brown Ltd. Aston Martin DBR1/300 Glover Trophy 3rd Cooper-Climax T45 RAC British Grand Prix 3rd Cooper Car Company Cooper-Climax T45 FIA Formula One World Championship 4th Cooper Car Company Cooper-Climax T45 USAC Road Racing Championship 14th Cooper Car Company Cooper-Climax T45 1959 Aintree 200 1st John Coombs Cooper-Maserati Monaco T49 London Trophy 1st High Efficiency Motors Cooper-Climax T43 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans 1st David Brown Racing Dept. Aston Martin DBR1/300 Lavant Cup 2nd High Efficiency Motors Cooper-Climax T43 Fordwater Trophy for Saloon Cars 2nd John Coombs Racing Organisation Jaguar 3.4 Daily Express BRDC International Trophy 2nd David Brown Corporation Aston Martin DBR4/250 British Empire Trophy 2nd John Coombs Cooper-Maserati Monaco T49 John Davy Trophy 2nd High Efficiency Motors Cooper-Climax T43 BRSCC British Saloon Car Championship 9th John Coombs Racing Organisation Jaguar 3.4 1960 Sussex Trophy 1st John Coombs Cooper-Maserati Monaco T49 Aintree 200 1st John Coombs Cooper-Maserati Monaco T49 Lancashire & Cheshire C.C. F2 1st High Efficiency Motors Cooper-Climax T51 Silverstone International – Sports Cars 1st John Coombs Cooper-Maserati Monaco T49 Brands Hatch International 1st J. Coombs Cooper-Climax Monaco T49 Fordwater Trophy 2nd John Coombs Racing Organisation Jaguar Mk II RAC Tourist Trophy 2nd Essex Racing Team Aston Martin DB4 GT Oulton Park Trophy 3rd High Efficiency Motors Cooper-Climax T51 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans 3rd Border Reivers Aston Martin DBR1/300 Lavant Cup 3rd High Efficiency Motors Cooper-Climax T51 International Formula Libre Grand Prix 3rd John Coombs Cooper-Climax Monaco T49 1961 Longford Trophy 1st Ecurie Vitesse Cooper-Climax T51 Lombank Trophy 1st J. Ogier Aston Martin DB4 GT London Trophy 1st Yeoman Credit Racing Team Cooper-Climax T53 Silverstone International – Sports Car 2nd John Coombs Racing Organisation Cooper-Climax Monaco T49 Peco Trophy 2nd John Coombs Jaguar E-Type Scott-Brown Memorial Trophy 2nd John Coombs Jaguar E-Type Molyslip Trophy 2nd Jaguar E-Type Glover Trophy 3rd Yeoman Credit Racing Team Cooper-Climax T53 B.R.D.C. International Trophy 3rd Yeoman Credit Racing Team Cooper-Climax T53 Peco Trophy 3rd John Coombs Jaguar E-Type RAC Tourist Trophy 3rd Essex Racing Team Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Grote Prijs van Danske 3rd Yeoman Credit Racing Team Cooper-Climax T53 BRSCC British Saloon Car Championship 5th John Coombs Jaguar Mk II 3.8 Inter-Continental Championship 6th Yeoman Credit Racing Team Cooper-Climax T53 FIA Formula World Championship 17th Yeoman Credit Racing Team Cooper-Climax T53 1962 Lavant Cup 2nd Lola-Climax T4 Crystal Palace Trophy 2nd Lola-Climax T4 Kanonloppet 2nd Bowmaker Racing Team Lola-Climax T4 Peco Trophy 2nd John Coombs Ferrari 250 GTO 1963 Lavant Cup 1st Cooper-Climax Monaco T61 Aintree 200 1st C. T. Atkins Cooper-Climax Monaco T61 Silverstone International – Sports Cars 1st C. T. Atkins Cooper-Climax Monaco T61 The Motors 6 Hours 1st Tommy Atkins Jaguar Mk II 3.8 Coppa Inter-Europa (+2.0) 1st David Brown/Aston Martin Lagonda Aston Martin DP214 St. Mary's Trophy 2nd Tommy Atkins Jaguar Mk II 3.8 Norbury Trophy 2nd Tommy Atkins Jaguar Mk II 3.8 Guards Trophy 2nd C. T. Atkins Cooper-Climax Monaco T61 Sussex Trophy 3rd Tommy Atkins Jaguar E-Type Grovewood Trophy 3rd C. T. Atkins Jaguar E-Type Lightweight The Slip Molyslip Trophy 3rd Tommy Atkins Jaguar Mk II 3.8 RAC Tourist Trophy 3rd C. T. Atkins Jaguar E-Type Lightweight BRSCC British Saloon Car Championship 4th Tommy Atkins Jaguar Mk II 3.8 1964 Whitsun Trophy 1st Tommy Atkins Cooper-Maserati Coppa Inter-Europa 2nd Maranello Concessionaires Ferrari 250 LM 1965 Whitsun Trophy 2nd F. English Ltd. Ford GT40

Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) † Car driven, in the race, by Sergio Mantovani.

Car over 1000cc - Not eligible for points.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results

Complete 24 Hours of Daytona results

Complete 12 Hours of Reims results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1953 Tony Crook Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica S2.0 startedresult unknown 1954 Cliff Davis Maserati A6GCS DNSEngine

Complete 12 Hours of Casablanca results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class 1953 "Mike Sparken" "Mike Sparken" Aston Martin DB3 S+2.0 4th 3rd