About Shane Summers
Lived 1936 – 1961 (aged 24). Shane Summers was a British racing automobile driver and formula One driver.
Shane Lister Summers (23 June 1936 – 1 June 1961) was a British racing driver, born in Rossett, Denbighshire, Wales. Although he raced in Formula One, he never participated in a World Championship event. He was the son of the Conservative politician Spencer Summers.
In 1960, Summers had a successful season racing a Lotus 15 sports car prepared by Terry Bartram, and for the following season, he and Bartram decided to enter Formula One with a new Cooper T53, chassis number F1-8-61.
At the season opener, the non-Championship Lombank Trophy, 24-year-old Summers qualified tenth of the 14 runners, and finished eighth and last. The following week he crashed out of the Glover Trophy after again qualifying tenth. Travelling to Europe for the next two races, he was refused a start at the 1961 Brussels Grand Prix despite posting the 12th fastest time in qualifying, but started from the front row at the Vienna Grand Prix. From second on the grid, he ran near the front until his suspension failed.
Returning to the UK, Summers entered the Aintree 200, qualifying 13th of 28 starters, and finishing 12th. A month later he achieved his best result, finishing fourth in the London Trophy. However, during practice in the rain for the Silver City Trophy race at Brands Hatch, Summers was killed when he spun at Paddock Hill Bend and crashed into a concrete wall at the pit tunnel entrance.
Non-championship Formula One results (key) 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 Terry Bartram Cooper T53 Climax Str-4 LOM8 GLVRet PAU BRXDNQ VIERet AIN12 SYR NAP LON4 SILDNS SOL KAN DAN MOD FLG OUL LEW VAL RAN NAT RSA
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Important facts
People in Shane Summers's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Shane Summers's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Shane Summers?
British racing driver
When was Shane Summers born?
Shane Summers was born on 23 June 1936 in Rossett.
When did Shane Summers die?
Shane Summers died on 1 June 1961 in Brands Hatch.
What was Shane Summers's occupation?
Shane Summers was a racing automobile driver and formula One driver.
What nationality was Shane Summers?
Shane Summers was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Shane Summers. https://biography.guide/shane-summers/
MLA: "Shane Summers." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/shane-summers/.
Chicago: "Shane Summers." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/shane-summers/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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