Eric Thompson (racing driver)
| Nationality |  British |
|---|---|
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
| Participating years | 1949–1955 |
| Teams | HRG Aston Martin Lagonda Connaught Engineering |
| Best finish | 3rd (1951) |
| Class wins | 0 |
| Born | 4 November 1919 |
|---|---|
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Active years | 1952 |
| Teams | Connaught |
| Races | 1 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 2 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First race | 1952 British Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1952 British Grand Prix |
Eric Thompson (born 4 November 1919) is a book dealer and former insurance broker and motor racing driver from Great Britain. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, scoring two championship points, but found the main part of his track success in sports car categories. He was born in Ditton Hill, Surbiton, Surrey.
Starting out in 1948 with an HRG, Thompson competed in a number of endurance sports car events, taking a class win at the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans and eighth overall. He also won two handicap races at Goodwood.[1]
Although earning the majority of his living as a broker at Lloyd's of London, Thompson was a part of the Aston Martin sports car team between 1949 and 1953, coming third at Le Mans with Lance Macklin in 1951. He won three national events in 1952, and scored high placings on several other occasions, also competing in an ERA-Delage and a Delahaye. He raced a Connaught in minor Formula Libre events, but his one GP appearance at the 1952 British Grand Prix was by far his most important single-seater race – he scored a fine fifth place, albeit three laps behind the winner.
In 1953 he partnered Reg Parnell to win the Goodwood 9 Hours and second place in the Tourist Trophy,[2] though his shared drive with Dennis Poore at Le Mans ended in retirement. He won a Formula 2 race in his Connaught, and placed well on several other occasions in many different cars at different circuits. After competing at Le Mans in 1954 and 1955 while continuing on the national scene, he virtually retired at the end of the 1955 season, only competing once in a speed trial in 1956.[3]
After retiring from the track he concentrated on his work at Lloyd's, before switching careers to become a dealer in rare motoring literature.
[edit] Complete World Championship Grand Prix results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Connaught Engineering | Connaught Type A | Lea-Francis Straight-4 | SUI |
500 |
BEL |
FRA |
GBR 5 |
GER |
NED |
ITA |
18th | 2 |
[edit] References
- "BRDC Archive Biography – Thompson, Eric". BRDC Archive. http://www.brdc.co.uk/brdcarchive.cfm/flag/2/member_id/58. Retrieved 2007-04-10.[dead link]
- "Eric Thompson – the whole story". Grand Prix Racing. http://www.gpracing.net192.com/drivers/careers/583.cfm. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
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