Jump to content

Timmy Mayer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Ser Amantio di Nicolao (talk | contribs) at 20:05, 8 April 2016 (recat using AWB). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Tim Mayer
Born(1938-02-22)February 22, 1938
Dalton, Pennsylvania, USA
DiedFebruary 28, 1964(1964-02-28) (aged 26)
Longford Circuit, Tasmania, Australia
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityUnited States American
Active years1962
TeamsCooper
Entries1
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1962 United States Grand Prix
Last entry1962 United States Grand Prix

Timothy Andrew Mayer (February 22, 1938 – February 28, 1964) was a racecar driver from Dalton, Pennsylvania in the United States. He participated in one World Championship Formula One Grand Prix, on October 7, 1962. He retired with ignition failure and scored no championship points.

Career

Mayer's older brother Teddy was one of the founders of the McLaren team, with Bruce McLaren. Both brothers traveled from the United States to Europe in the early 1960s with future grand prix winner Peter Revson. The McLaren team's first championship series entries were for the 1964 Tasman Series, running Timmy Mayer and team-leader McLaren in custom-built Cooper T70 cars. However, Mayer was killed in practice for the final race of the series, at Longford, Tasmania, when he lost control at over 100 mph and spun and hit a tree next to the course. His car disintegrated, and wreckage narrowly missed young children who were spectators. Mayer died instantly from the impact. There was a memorial stone placed on the side of the road where Mayer had died, but it was moved, and is now to be seen, with his helmet, at the Country Club Hotel in Longford.

In his eulogy of team mate and friend Tim Mayer, Bruce McLaren wrote: "The news that he had died instantly was a terrible shock to all of us, but who is to say that he had not seen more, done more and learned more in his few years than many people do in a lifetime? To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. It would be a waste of life to do nothing with one's ability, for I feel that life is measured in achievement, not in years alone."

Racing record

SCCA National Championship Runoffs

Year Track Car Engine Class Finish Start Status
1962 Cooper Formula Junior 1

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 WDC Points
1962 Cooper Car Company Cooper T53 Climax Straight-4 NED MON BEL FRA GBR GER ITA USA
Ret
RSA NC 0

Complete Tasman Series results

Year Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points
1964 Cooper T70 LEV
2
PUK
3
WIG
8
TER
2
SAN
4
WAR
3
LAK
Ret
LON
DNS
4th 23