Mike Thackwell gets chance to become youngest Formula 1 driver

Press, 19 April 1980, Page 60

Mike Thackwell gets chance to become youngest Formula 1 driver

NZPA London The New Zealand-born teenager, Mike Thackwell, has been offered the chance to drive for the British Ensign team — a chance that could make him the youngest grand prix driver ever.

Ensign’s Formula One manager, Mo Nunn, confirmed yesterday that Ensign had offered Thackwell the drive left vacant after Clay Regazzoni’s crash last month in the United States Grand Prix (West) at Long Beach, California. /.‘I was delighted to hear from Ensign and I am seriously considering their offer,” said Thackwell. “I think I am now almost ready for Formula One and I, know that the sooner I get stuck in there and gain the necessary experience, the better. "However, I have com- , mitmerits. to my March Formula ITteam and I will have , to discuss the matter with . them before F reach a decision. “By next week I should be : in a -position to say whether j or not I will drive for the i Ensign team.” Regazzoni is in hospital in 1 Basle, Switzerland. He is re-i portedly in good spirits but < is said to have virtually no ' movement in his legs. I At 40, the Swiss was the ( oldest of the grand prix < drivers, but should Thack- < well drive for Ensign — and i conceivably he could be doing so in the . Belgian ‘ Grand Prix next month — s he would be the youngest' driver in grand prix history. 1 Thackwell turned 19 two 1 and a half weeks ago. The youngest to date is Ricardo ] Rodriguez, of Mexico, who I was 19 years and 208 days 1 when he competed in theu 1961 Italian Grand Prix. i Chris Amon, of New Zea-li

land, was a month short of his twentieth birthday when he made his debut in the 1963 Belgian Grand Prix. Thackwell is the son of a former New Zealand speedway ace and Formula Two driver, Ray Thackwell. He was born in Auckland and was eight when his family moved to Perth, Western Australia.. He soon distinguished himself in kart racing, winning the Western Australian Championship when he was only 14. Two years later he won the Hong Kong Kart Grand Prix and he made his singleseater debut in England at the end of 1977.

After winning several Formula Ford races he progressed to Formula Three, finishing third in last year’s British championship and making an impressive European debut to win the Italian Monza Lottery race. His most recent event was last Sunday’s European Formula Two. race at Hockenhein, West,. Germany, in which he set the fastest lap time as he climbed from eighteenth to second place, only to be forded out with engine trouble three laps from the finish.

Mr Nunn said yesterday: “We have studied Mike for some time and we are convinced he has the ability and the maturity necessary for Formula One success. “We watched his runaway Formula Three success at last year’s British Grand Prix meeting against much :more experienced drivers land he is very impressive lindeed.”

When Thackwell went to Brtain just over two years ago he jokingly told reporters that his ambition was to become the youngest ever world champion. Should the Ensign deal go through, he will still have five years in which to beat the record of Emerson Fitti-

paldi (Brazil), who became the world champion at the age of 25 in 1972.