John Rhodes (racing driver) explained

John Rhodes
Nationality: British
Birth Date:18 August 1927
Birth Place:Wolverhampton, England
Team(S):non-works Cooper
Races:1
Championships:0
Wins:0
Podiums:0
Points:0
Poles:0
Fastest Laps:0
First Race:1965 British Grand Prix
Last Race:1965 British Grand Prix

John Rhodes (born 18 August 1927)[1] is a British former racing driver from England, who participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, the 1965 British Grand Prix, at Silverstone on 10 July 1965, from which he retired on lap 39 with ignition problems. His Cooper-Climax T60 was provided for him by veteran racer Bob Gerard.[2]

In 1961 he drove a Cooper-B.M.C. Formula Junior car for the Midland Racing Partnership, winning a long race on the Phoenix Park circuit in Dublin on 22 July, and the Dunboyne Trophy on 29 July.[3] On 11 June 1962, he drove Bob Gerard's Cooper-Ford in the 2,000 Guineas F1 race at Mallory Park.[4] Rhodes soldiered on with the Cooper-B.M.C. FJ car in 1963 when the Ford engine was required to win.[5] That year he competed in a works Mini-Cooper 'S' type in saloon car racing,[6] finishing 8th with Rob Slotemaker in The Motor International Six-Hour Saloon-Car Race at Brands Hatch on 6 July.[7] In 1965 Rhodes continued with the Mini, taking fourth place, among the big bangers, in the Ilford Films Trophy at Brands Hatch on 13 March.[8] He failed to finish in the BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone in Bob Gerard's Cooper-Ford on 15 May 1965.[9]

At Le Mans in 1965 John Rhodes, with Paul Hawkins, finished twelfth overall, and first in class, in a 1.3-litre Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite entered by the Donald Healey Motor Company, completing 278 laps.[10] In 1966 at the Targa Florio, Rhodes partnered with Timo Mäkinen, finished ninth overall and won the class in an M.G.B.[11]

Racing record

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Complete Formula One Non-Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011121314151617181920
1962Gerard RacingCooper T59Ford L4CAPBRXLOMLAVGLVPAUAININT
NAPMAL
CLPRMSSOLKANMEDDANOULMEXRANNAT
1965Gerard RacingCooper T71/73Ford L4ROC
SYRSMT
INT
Cooper T60Climax V8MED
RAN

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

YearTeamCarClass123456789101112PtsClass
1963Cooper Car Co.Morris Mini CooperSNEOULGOO
?
AIN
?
SIL35th59th
Austin Mini Cooper SCRY
4†
SILBRHBRHOULSIL
1964Cooper Car Co.Austin Mini Cooper SSNEGOOOULAINSILCRY
3†
9th203rd
Downton Engineering Ltd.BRH
6
OUL
6
1965Cooper Car Co.Austin Mini Cooper SBRH
4
OUL
4
SNE
7
GOO
16
SIL
Ret
CRY
1†
BRH
18
OUL
5
3rd401st
1966Cooper Car Co.Austin Mini Cooper SSNE
?
GOO
?
SIL
6
CRY
1†
BRH
9
BRH
6
OUL
2†
BRH
5^
2nd501st
1967Cooper Car Co.Morris Mini Cooper SBRH
4^
SNE
?
SIL
Ret
SIL
3
MAL
1†
SIL
Ret
SIL
9
BRH
7
OUL
1†
BRH
6
3rd581st
1968Cooper Car Co.Austin Mini Cooper SBRH
5^
THR
13
SIL
7
CRY
3†
MAL
2†
BRH
6
SIL
14
CRO
Ret^
OUL
Ret
BRH
10
BRH
12
3rd501st
1969British Leyland Motor CorporationAustin Mini Cooper SBRH
Ret^
SIL
11
SNE
12
THR
22
SIL
6
CRY
4†
MAL
4†
CROSIL
8
OUL
13
BRH
10^
BRH18th185th
† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

^ Race with 2 heats - Aggregate result.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The World Championship drivers - Where are they now? . 2007-07-29 . Jenkins . Richard . OldRacingCars.com.
  2. Motor Sport, August 1965, Pages 662-664.
  3. Motor Sport, January 1962, Page 31.
  4. Motor Sport, July 1962, Page 499.
  5. Motor Sport, June 1963, Page 448.
  6. Motor Sport, July 1963, Page 509.
  7. Motor Sport, August 1963, Page 586.
  8. Motor Sport, April 1965, Page 256.
  9. Motor Sport, June 1965, Page 462.
  10. Motor Sport, July 1965, Page 565.
  11. Motor Sport, June 1966, Pages 490, 491, 500.