Sunday, February 11, 2018

John Surtees Born In Tatsfield, England - February 11, 1934

February 11, 1934 - March 10, 2017
John Surtees
(Photo: Stefan Baudy via photopin cc)
Born In Tatsfield, Surrey, England
He was a four-time 500cc motorcycle World Champion, winning that title in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960. He won the Formula One World Champion in 1964, and remains the only person to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels. He founded the Surtees Racing Organisation team that competed as a constructor in Formula One, Formula 2 and Formula 5000 from 1970 to 1978. He was also the ambassador of the Racing Steps Foundation.

In 1996, Surtees was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. The FIM honoured him as a Grand Prix "Legend" in 2003. Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2008 Birthday Honours.

In 2013 he was awarded the Segrave Trophy in recognition of multiple world championships, and being the only person to win world titles on 2 and 4 wheels.

Following the death of Australian Sir Jack Brabham on May 19, 2014 at the age of 88, Surtees was the oldest surviving Formula One World Champion. He is also the second oldest surviving 500cc/MotoGP World Champion behind fellow Englishman Geoff Duke who was born on March 29, 1923.

Surtees died of respiratory failure on 10 March 2017 at St George's Hospital in London, at the age of 83.

For more see; "Remembering" John Surtees.

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