Nick Brittan

9/7/1936 - 3/11/2006

Record updated

Nick Brittan had over 30 years in motor sport first as a works race and rally driver and then in top International motorsport management in Formula One and World Championship rallying.

Nick Brittan had over 30 years in motor sport first as a works race and rally driver and then in top International motorsport management in Formula One and World Championship rallying.

Author of the hugely popular and controversial 'Private Ear' column in Autosport during the 1970s, Nick took up racing cars in 1965 after a spell of racing karts during which he won the European championship.

Perhaps best remembered for his exploits in the "Green Bean" Ford Anglia, he scored seven wins from 15 races in his first season, and collected the Peter Collins Memorial trophy, the Rootes Cold Cup and the Spring Grove Novice of the Year award.

A 'works' drive with the Alan Fraser Imp team followed in 1966, when he won the Spring Grove Saloon Car Championship. He spent the 1967 season racing a Ford-sponsored Anglia for John Young's Superspeed stable.

Brittan was also instrumental in spreading Formula Ford to continental Europe and Scandinavia and played a large part in introducing Formula Vee to the UK. He had his first drive in a Formula Vee in one of the support races for the Monaco Grand Prix in 1967. Though he failed to finish after clipping the barrier at the chicane.

The formula started in the UK in July 1967 with Nick finishing second in the first race driving a Dolling. He later ran the works Beach, winning seven out of the eleven rounds, to take the inaugural British Formula Vee championship. He also raced in Europe, taking wins in Belgium and at the 'Ring.

A some point he had a road registered Lotus 51 Formula Ford, complete with cycle wings, lights and indicators.

He became involved in driver management in the 1970s, looking after Patrick Depailler amounst others.

Later he invented modern FIA Marathon rallying and was a member of the Ford team on the 1968 London-Sydney.

His TWE Club was acknowledged as the leading organiser of long distance marathon rallies and adventure challenges.



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