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Former F1 and motorcycling champ John Surtees passes away

British motor racing legend John Surtees has passed away at the age of 83. He won the Formula 1 d...
Newstalk
Newstalk

16.40 10 Mar 2017


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Former F1 and motorcycling cha...

Former F1 and motorcycling champ John Surtees passes away

Newstalk
Newstalk

16.40 10 Mar 2017


Share this article


British motor racing legend John Surtees has passed away at the age of 83.

He won the Formula 1 drivers' championship in 1964, four years after winning his fourth world title as a 500cc motorcyclist.

He remains the only man to become world champion on both two and four wheels. 

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Surtees started out in Formula 1 in 1960 after eight years in Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

By the time he began in F1 at the age of 26, four motor cycling world championships had been achieved in 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960 in the 500cc category and three titles in th 350cc ranks.

John Surtees, MV Agusta, during practice for the Ulster Grand Prix. PA/PA Wire/PA Images

During his 12 years in Formula 1 between 1960 and 1972, he raced for the likes of the Lotus, Ferrari, Cooper, Honda and BRM teams.

While with Ferrari, he edged fellow British driver and two-time world champion Graham Hill (then a one time champion from 1962) to the title in 1964.

Surtees was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1996. 


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