Tim Schenken Explained

Tim Schenken
Nationality: Australian
Birth Date:26 September 1943
Birth Place:Gordon, Sydney, Australia
Years:19701974
Team(S):Williams, Brabham, Surtees, Trojan, Lotus
Races:36 (34 starts)
Championships:0
Wins:0
Podiums:1
Poles:0
Fastest Laps:0
Points:7
First Race:1970 Austrian Grand Prix
Last Race:1974 United States Grand Prix

Timothy Theodore Schenken [1] (born 26 September 1943) is a former racing driver from Sydney, Australia. He participated in 36 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 16 August 1970. He achieved one career podium at the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix, and scored a total of seven championship points. He did however have two non-championship race podiums – he finished third in the 1971 BRDC International Trophy and third in the 1972 International Gold Cup.

Career

Schenken's lower formula results included winning the 1968 British Lombank Formula Three Championship, winning the 1968 Grovewood Award, winning the 1968 British Formula Ford Championship, winning the 1968 ER Hall Formula Three Trophy, winning the 1969 French Craven A Formula Three Championship, winning the 1969 Greater London Formula Three Trophy, finishing fourth in the 1971 European Formula Two Championship and finishing third in the 1972 Brazilian Formula Two International Tournament.[2]

He had a great deal of success in Sports Cars racing for Ferrari. In 1972 he won the Buenos Aires 1000 km and Nürburgring 1000 km races, finished second in the Daytona 6hour, Sebring 12hour, Brands Hatch 1000 km and the Watkins Glen 6hour, and finished third at the Monza 1000 km and Zeltweg 1000 km races. 1973 saw him finish second at the Vallelunga 6hour and Monza 1000 km races. In 1975 and 1976 he finished second in the Nürburgring 1000 km and then in 1977 he won the Nürburgring 1000 km race for a second time. At Le Mans in 1976 he finished second in the GT Class and was 16th overall. In 1975 he was runner up in the European GT Championship and finished third in the championship in 1976.

In 1974 he co-founded Tiga Race Cars in Britain with New Zealander Howden Ganley, whose cars had great success in the Sports 2000 category, and constructed cars for a number of over formulae. He is currently employed each year as the Race Director for the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series. He also is a director of Motorsport Australia, the Clerk of the Course at the Australian Grand Prix and was the Clerk of the Course for the inaugural 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.[3]

As of the 2023 season, Schenken is one of only six Australians who have stood on the podium for a Formula One Grand Prix. The others are Oscar Piastri, Grand Prix winners Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo, as well as World Champions Sir Jack Brabham and Alan Jones.

On 16 June 2016, Tim Schenken was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division as part of the Queen's Birthday honours. He is currently the Director of Race Operations for Motorsport Australia.[4]

He is married and has a son, Guido, and identical twin daughters, Laura and Natalie.

Career summary

SeasonSeriesPositionCarTeam
1968British Lombank Formula 3 Series1stBrabham BT21B Ford
Brabham BT28 Ford
Chevron B9 Ford
Sports Motors
1968British Formula Ford Championship1stMerlyn Mk.11 Ford
1969British Lombank Formula 3 Series6thBrabham BT28 FordSports Motors
1969French Craven A Formula 3 Series1stBrabham BT28 FordSports Motors
European Formula Two Championship12thBrabham BT30 FordSports Motors
1971World Drivers' Championship14thBrabham BT33 FordMotor Racing Developments
European Formula Two Championship4thBrabham BT36 FordRondel Racing
1972World Drivers' Championship19thSurtees TS9B Ford
Surtees TS14 Ford
Team Surtees
1972British Formula Two Championship11thBrabham BT38 FordRondel Racing
1975Interserie3rdPorsche 917/10 Turbo
Mirage GR8 Ford
Gelo Racing Team
1975European GT Championship2ndPorsche 911 Carrera RSRGelo Racing Team
1976European GT Championship3rdPorsche 934Gelo Racing Team
1976Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft5thPorsche 934Gelo Racing Team
1977Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft9thPorsche 935Gelo Racing Team

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789101112131415WDCPoints
1970Frank Williams Racing CarsDe Tomaso 505Cosworth V8RSA
ESP
MON
BEL
NED
FRA
GBR
GER
AUT
ITA
CAN
USA
MEX
NC0
1971Motor Racing DevelopmentsBrabham BT33Cosworth V8RSA
ESP
MON
NED
FRA
GBR
GER
AUT
ITA
CAN
USA
14th5
1972Brooke Bond Oxo Team SurteesSurtees TS9BCosworth V8ARG
RSA
CAN
19th2
Flame Out-Team SurteesFRA
GBR
Team SurteesESP
MON
BEL
GER
AUT
ITA
Surtees TS14USA
1973Frank Williams Racing CarsIso-Marlboro IRCosworth V8ARG
BRA
RSA
ESP
BEL
MON
SWE
FRA
GBR
NED
GER
AUT
ITA
CAN
USA
NC0
1974Trojan-Tauranac RacingTrojan T103Cosworth V8ARG
BRA
RSA
ESP
BEL
MON
SWE
NED
FRA
GBR
GER
AUT
ITA
CAN
NC0
John Player Team LotusLotus 76USA

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearTeamCo-driversCarClassLaps
1970 Équipe Matra-Simca Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Patrick Depailler
Matra-Simca MS650P
3.0
70DNFDNF
1973 SpA Ferrari SEFAC Carlos ReutemannS
3.0
182DNFDNF
1975 Gelo Racing Team Howden GanleyPorsche 911 Carrera RSR GT106DNFDNF
1976 Gelo Racing Team Toine HezemansGT27716th2nd
1977 Gelo Racing Team Toine Hezemans
Hans Heyer
Porsche 935Gr.515DNFDNF
Gelo Racing Team Toine Hezemans
Hans Heyer
Porsche 935Gr.5269DNFDNF

Notes and References

  1. Book: FIA Year Book of Automobile Sport 1975. 1975. Patrick Stephens Ltd.. 0-85059-195-3. true. white p. 43.
  2. Web site: Tim Schenken profile. GrandPrix.com. Inside F1. 3 June 2012.
  3. Web site: Jenkins. Richard. Where are they now: Tim Schenken. Old Racing Cars. 3 June 2012.
  4. News: FIA – TIM SCHENKEN AWARDED OAM IN QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS. 16 June 2016. FIA.com.