From world champions to super-subs – How Ferrari’s other British drivers fared as Hamilton makes his……..read more
As the 2025 Formula 1 season approaches, Lewis Hamilton will join a select group of British drivers who have raced for Ferrari. His predecessors include a mix of world champions, Grand Prix winners, and even one-off substitutes, each with their own distinct histories at the Scuderia. Let’s take a look at how these British drivers fared during their time at Ferrari.
Mike Hawthorn was the first British driver to make a significant impact at Ferrari. After a standout 1952 season that included an F2 victory at Goodwood and a podium finish in only his second Grand Prix, Hawthorn joined the Scuderia in 1953. His early years at Ferrari saw him secure two Grand Prix wins, and he returned to the team in the late 1950s for a further stint. In 1958, Hawthorn achieved a remarkable achievement, clinching the World Championship, making him Britain’s first Formula 1 World Champion. Tragically, just months after his title, Hawthorn was killed in a road accident at the age of 29, cutting short a promising career.
Peter Collins, who raced alongside Hawthorn at Ferrari in the late 1950s, was another notable British driver. Collins joined Ferrari for the 1956 season, marking his full-time entry into Formula 1. Over the next few years, he racked up podium finishes and race victories, including a third-place finish in the 1957 World Drivers’ Championship. His most significant victory came in 1958 at the British Grand Prix, where he secured his third career win. Unfortunately, Collins’ career was tragically cut short when he was killed in a crash at the Nurburgring later that year, aged just 26.
Following the deaths of both Hawthorn and Collins, Ferrari’s next British driver was Tony Brooks, also known as the “Racing Dentist” due to his background in dentistry. Brooks joined Ferrari for the 1959 season, a year that would see him come very close to winning the World Championship. He won the French and German Grands Prix that season, and by the time the championship battle reached the final race at Sebring, Brooks was still in contention for the title. Despite a dramatic race in which his rival Jack Brabham ran out of fuel on the last lap and needed assistance to cross the finish line, Brooks ultimately lost the title to Brabham, finishing the season as a close runner-up.
These early British drivers at Ferrari were part of a golden era for the team, achieving success on the track while leaving behind tragic legacies. As Hamilton prepares to join the ranks of these drivers, he will aim to add his name to Ferrari’s storied history, following in the footsteps of Hawthorn, Collins, and Brooks.
