# Brian Gubby

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**Brian Gubby** (born 17 April 1934 in [Epsom](/source/Epsom), [Surrey](/source/Surrey)) is a British [racehorse trainer](/source/Horse_trainer) and former [racing driver](/source/Auto_racing) from England. As a racing driver, Gubby briefly competed in [Formula One](/source/Formula_One) during the 1960s.

## Career

After completing his [national service](/source/National_service) in the 1950s, Gubby became a freelance motor trader, and throughout his career he developed his business interests to include several garages and car showrooms, a hotel and a building company.[1]

### Motor racing

Gubby started his motor sport career in [rallying](/source/Rallying), and also raced a Speedwell-tuned [Austin A30](/source/Austin_A30) and a 3.8 litre [Jaguar](/source/Jaguar_Mark_2)[2] before switching to single-seaters in [Formula Junior](/source/Formula_Junior) in the early 1960s. During this time, he raced a [Lotus Eleven](/source/Lotus_Eleven), a [Lotus 18](/source/Lotus_18), and also a rare [Ausper](/source/Ausper) T4.[2] He witnessed the death of his friend [Dennis Taylor](/source/Dennis_Taylor_(racing_driver)) at a Formula Junior race at [Monte Carlo](/source/Monte_Carlo) in 1962, later describing it as the worst accident he had seen. Taylor's car touched wheels with that of [Denis Hulme](/source/Denis_Hulme), and Taylor crashed into a tree. "I had to dodge all the wreckage and I was nearly sick in the car," Gubby remembered.[1]

Gubby subsequently progressed to [Formula Libre](/source/Formula_Libre) and bought himself a dark blue [Lotus](/source/Team_Lotus) [24](/source/Lotus_24). With this car he won the Gold Flake Trophy at Leinster and a race at [Phoenix Park](/source/Phoenix_Park#Events), and encouraged by this success, decided to move up to Formula One. He travelled to [Sicily](/source/Sicily), with a very small crew in a [VW pickup](/source/Volkswagen_Type_2), having entered the [1964 Mediterranean Grand Prix](/source/1964_Mediterranean_Grand_Prix) at the [Autodromo di Pergusa](/source/Autodromo_di_Pergusa).[3] In practice, having posted the eighth fastest time and outqualifying his closest rival [Peter Revson](/source/Peter_Revson) by a second,[4] Gubby's Lotus suffered a wheel failure and he crashed heavily through chainlink fencing. "Lotuses were always falling apart... I ended up upside down in the woods, cocooned in wire with a mouthful of leaves and grass," he recalled.[1] He was able to disconnect the battery to help prevent a fire, and some Italian mechanics arrived on the scene to cut him free, but he was unable to take part in the race.[1] The wheel that failed was one that he had obtained from the [BRP](/source/British_Racing_Partnership) team after one of his own wheels had developed a crack.[2]

Gubby's single attempt to participate in a Formula One World Championship race, the [1965 British Grand Prix](/source/1965_British_Grand_Prix) at [Silverstone](/source/Silverstone_Circuit), also ended with problems in practice. At the Woodcote corner, his Lotus jumped out of sixth gear at 170 mph, and Gubby was forced to hold the gear lever in position whilst cornering at high speeds.[1] He decided there and then to retire from the sport, and did not attend the following day's practice session. He later recalled, "I was driving on a shoestring, and I thought to myself, 'Brian, you've got a family to look after and you'll end up killing yourself.'"[1] He had entered the [1965 Mediterranean Grand Prix](/source/1965_Mediterranean_Grand_Prix), but withdrew his entry[5] and sold his Lotus to [Stirling Moss](/source/Stirling_Moss) for use by a film company working with [Steve McQueen](/source/Steve_McQueen).[1]

### Horse racing

Gubby was the son of a [jockey](/source/Jockey), and after his career in motor racing he became a racehorse trainer, based in [Bagshot](/source/Bagshot), [Surrey](/source/Surrey).[2] The most successful horse he has trained to date is the sprinter Gabitat, winner of ten races including the Group 3 [Duke of York Stakes](/source/Duke_of_York_Stakes) at [York](/source/York_Racecourse) in 1984, and the Group 3 [Goldene Peitsche](/source/Goldene_Peitsche) at Baden-Baden in 1984 and 1985.[1] Other well-known horses trained by Gubby include Easy Dollar, Omaha City and more recently Son of the Cat, which won the Stewards' Sprint Handicap at [Goodwood](/source/Goodwood_Racecourse) in July 2011.[6]

Gubby's 80-acre training facilities include a mile all-weather strip and a mile gallop, and at his peak, he kept as many as 16 horses in training, owning them all himself. Continuing into his late 70s with fewer horses, Gubby still performed most of the daily tasks himself, including driving the horsebox.[1]

## Racing record

### Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WDC Points 1965 Brian Gubby Lotus 24 Climax V8 RSA MON BEL FRA GBR DNQ NED GER ITA USA MEX NC 0

### Non-Championship Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1964 Brian Gubby Lotus 24 Climax V8 DMT NWT SYR AIN INT SOL MED DNS RAN 1965 Brian Gubby Lotus 24 Climax V8 ROC SYR SMT INT MED WD RAN

## References

1. "Interview with Brian Gubby", Steve Dennis, [Racing Post](/source/Racing_Post), 23 August 2011

1. ["Brian Gubby at www.historicracing.com"](http://www.historicracing.com/driversAlpha.cfm?tStartRow=93&AlphaIndex=G#41). www.historicracing.com. Retrieved 7 August 2011.[dead link]

1. ["The Formula One Archives: 1964 Mediterranean Grand Prix"](https://www.silhouet.com/motorsport/archive/f1/nc/1964/1964.html#med). Retrieved 7 August 2011.

1. "The Formula One Record Book", John Thompson, 1974.

1. ["The Formula One Archives: 1965 Mediterranean Grand Prix"](https://www.silhouet.com/motorsport/archive/f1/nc/1965/1965.html#med). Retrieved 7 August 2011.

1. ["Far side dominates in Stewards' Sprint"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121103091143/http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/son-of-the-cat-glorious-goodwood-goodwood-far-side-on-top-as-son-takes-stewards-sprint/892684/gloriousgoodwood/). *[Racing Post](/source/Racing_Post)*. 30 July 2011. Archived from [the original](http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/son-of-the-cat-glorious-goodwood-goodwood-far-side-on-top-as-son-takes-stewards-sprint/892684/gloriousgoodwood/) on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2011.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Brian Gubby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Gubby) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Gubby?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.
