Paddy Driver

13/5/1934

Record updated 12-May-09

Paddy Driver is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and a racing driver from South Africa.

Paddy Driver
Paddy Driver was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He competed on the Grand Prix motorcycle racing circuit from 1959 to 1965. He made his name on Nortons but his best result came in 1965 when he rode a Matchless to third place in the 500cc World Championship behind Mike Hailwood and Giacomo Agostini.

He switched briefly to car racing in 1963, driving a Lotus 24. He finished seventh on aggregate in the Rand Grand Prix at Kyalami, but an 'end over end' roll in practice for the South African GP a fortnight later completely destroyed the car. Miraculously Paddy emerged shaken but unscathed and returned to motor cycle competition.

His took up racing cars again in 1969 and enjoyed success in both sports cars and single-seaters including a McLaren M10B-Chevrolet (400-16) and a Team Gunston Lotus 72. Switching to saloon cars with a Mazda, Paddy continued racing into the eighties.

He participated in 2 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, scoring no championship points. He also competed in numerous non-Championship Formula One races.



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