Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust - On this Day (January) On 22 January 1959 Mike Hawthorn, who raced for Jaguar and was the first British Grand Prix champion, was killed while driving on the Guildford bypass. Mike Hawthorn lead the Jaguar Works Team for the 1955-56 season. In 1955 Mike won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in D-type 774 RW, but was haunted by his involvement in the disastrous crash that killed over 80 spectators and injured hundreds more. He became the United Kingdom’s first Formula One World Champion driver in 1958, whereupon he announced his retirement, On 22 January 1959, only three months into his retirement, Hawthorn died in a car accident while driving his comprehensively modified 1958 Jaguar 3.4-litre saloon VDU 881 to London. While the circumstances of the accident are well documented, the precise cause remains unknown Though he had a short career from first race to World Champion in six seasons and died young, Mike Hawthorn is still remembered as one of the greatest racing drivers.
.
Mike Hawthorn’s crashed Mk I. He died from fatal head injuries 22 January 1959
On 20 January 1971 during filming at MIRA the XJ13 suffered an accidental tyre deflation at more than 150 mph and rolled several times severely damaging the car. Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis fortunately escaped unhurt.
PAGE 34
THE OFFICIAL MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE JAGUAR DRIVERS CLUB OF SA
