Mike Hawthorn

British racing driver who became the country's first Formula 1 World Champion in 1958, immediately retiring after the death of his teammate Peter Collins, before dying in a road accident three months later.

Born on 10 April 1929 in Mexborough, Yorkshire, Mike Hawthorn made his Formula 1 debut in 1952 and joined Ferrari the following year, winning his first Grand Prix at Reims in a thrilling finish against Juan Manuel Fangio. Known for his flaxen hair, spotted bow tie and love of a pint of bitter, Hawthorn — nicknamed 'Le Papillon' (the butterfly) by French fans — became one of the sport's most charismatic figures. Hawthorn's 1958 World Championship victory was won by a single point over Stirling Moss, aided in part by Moss himself intervening on Hawthorn's behalf in a dispute over a race penalty. The season was marked by tragedy, with three drivers losing their lives, including Hawthorn's close friend and Ferrari teammate Peter Collins, who died at the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. Devastated by Collins's death, Hawthorn announced his retirement from racing immediately after clinching the championship at the season's final round, becoming Britain's first Formula 1 World Champion. Tragically, just three months later, on 22 January 1959, Hawthorn was killed in a road accident on the A3 near Guildford, Surrey, driving his Jaguar 3.4 Litre in wet conditions, at age 29. Hawthorn also won the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans for Jaguar, a race overshadowed by the deadliest accident in motorsport history. The Mike Hawthorn Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the most successful British or Commonwealth Formula 1 driver, was established in his memory.

Bold, fast racer with a flair for close, hard-fought finishes

A charismatic pioneer remembered as the first of Britain's many Formula 1 World Champions