# Mike Beckwith > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mike_Beckwith > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mike_Beckwith.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Beckwith > Source revision: 1341136491 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|English racing driver (born 1935)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Use British English|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox racing driver | name = Mike Beckwith | image = | image_size = | caption = | nationality = British | birth_name = Michael Geoffrey Beckwith | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1935|3|15|df=y}} | birth_place = [Hendon](/source/Hendon), London, UK | death_date = | death_place = | retired = | relatives = | last_series = | years_active = 1961–1971 | teams = | starts = | wins = | poles = | fastest_laps = | best_finish = | year = | prev_series = | prev_series_years = | titles = | title_years = | awards = | award_years = | module1 = }} '''Michael Geoffrey Beckwith''' (born 15 March 1935){{cite web|url= http://www.brdc.co.uk/Mike-Beckwith|title=Mike Beckwith|website=British Racing Drivers Club|accessdate=9 June 2019}} is a British former racing driver from England who competed in various classes in the 1960s and 1970s including non-championship [Formula One](/source/Formula_One) and the [Le Mans](/source/24_Hours_of_Le_Mans) 24-hour race. ==Early life== Beckwith was born in [Hendon](/source/Hendon), [North London](/source/North_London).{{cite web|url=https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/mike-beckwith/|title=Mike Beckwith|website=Driver Database|accessdate=13 June 2019}} ==Career== ===Early years (1962–1965)=== Beckwith began his racing career in 1961, competing in two races with a [Lotus 11](/source/Lotus_Eleven). His best finish was fourth, in his first race, at [Goodwood](/source/Goodwood_Circuit), in March.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/results/Mike-Beckwith-GB.html|title=All Results of Mike Beckwith|website=Racing Sportscars|accessdate=9 June 2019}} 1962 was Beckwith's first full season of racing. Using a [Lotus 23](/source/Lotus_23), entered by Normand, a motor dealership for whom he worked,{{cite web|url=http://www.historicracing.com/driver_detail.cfm?driverID=2992|title=Mike Beckwith|website=Historic Racing|access-date=2 February 2020}} he achieved 6 victories and 6 other podium finishes out of 15 starts. In 1963, Beckwith competed in 18 races using the Lotus 23, a [Lotus Elite](/source/Lotus_Elite) or an [Elva Mk VII](/source/Elva_(car_manufacturer)). That year, his occasional teammate was [Jim Clark](/source/Jim_Clark).{{cite web|url=https://peterwindsor.com/2013/04/06/clark-beckwith-1-2-at-oulton/|title=Clark-Beckwith 1-2 at Oulton|website=[Peter Windsor](/source/Peter_Windsor).com|date=6 April 2013|access-date=2 February 2020}} He had one failure to finish and only three other results outside the top five. The season included victories at the Prix de Paris and at [Mallory Park](/source/Mallory_Park). He also took part in the [Oulton Park Gold Cup](/source/1963_International_Gold_Cup) using a [Lotus](/source/Team_Lotus) [24](/source/Lotus_24)-[BRM](/source/BRM) entered by the [British Racing Partnership](/source/British_Racing_Partnership). He retired after an accident on lap 17.{{cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|authorlink=Denis Jenkinson|title=International Gold Cup Race: A runaway victory for Clark|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1963/39/international-gold-cup-race-runaway-victory-clark|website=[Motor Sport](/source/Motor_Sport_(magazine)) magazine archive|date=November 1963|page=39|accessdate=17 July 2019}} The race was his only [Formula One](/source/Formula_One) entry. In 1964, Beckwith won the [Marlboro 12 hour race](/source/Marlboro_Motor_Raceway) in a [Lotus Cortina](/source/Lotus_Cortina), partnered by [Jackie Stewart](/source/Jackie_Stewart).{{cite web|title=4th Marlboro 12 hour|url=http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1964%20Marlboro.html|website=Touring Car Racing|accessdate=14 December 2019}}{{cite news|title=British Team of Lotus‐Cortinas Finishes 1, 2 in 12‐Hour Marlboro Car Race; 2 Swedish Saaba Follow in Order; 22 of 28 Racers Complete; Grind—Beckwith and; Stewart Place First|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|date=17 August 1964|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/08/17/archives/british-team-of-lotuscortinas-finishes-1-2-in-12hour-marlboro-car.html|access-date=14 December 2019}} He competed in domestic series using a [Lotus Elan](/source/Lotus_Elan). Although eight entries were made, he took part in five events with a best finish of third at Mallory Park. He also acted as test-driver for [BRM](/source/BRM).{{cite web|url=https://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Mike_Beckwith|title=Mike Beckwith|website=Old Racing Cars|date =4 September 2016|access-date=2 February 2020}} In 1965, out of six entries, the two events contested both resulted in wins at the Prix de Paris. ===Formula Two and later career (1966–1971)=== In 1966, entries in the Lavant Cup at [Goodwood](/source/Goodwood_Circuit) and the Eagle Trophy at [Brands Hatch](/source/Brands_Hatch) yielded fourth place in the former. However, he also drove in [Formula Two](/source/Formula_Two) (F2), entered by 'The Chequered Flag', with a [Brabham](/source/Brabham)-[DAF](/source/VDL_Nedcar) (with [Variomatic](/source/Variomatic) transmission). 16 races yielded one third- and one second-place. The Brabham was replaced by a [Gemini](/source/Gemini_(racing_car))-DAF for 1967 and was slightly more successful with a win as well as other podium finishes. Four entries were also made by [Bob Gerard](/source/Bob_Gerard) using a [Cooper](/source/Cooper_Car_Company) T82. The same year, Beckwith participated in the [Le Mans 24 hour race](/source/1967_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans), competing in the P1.5 class using a Costin-Nathan GT, designed by [Frank Costin](/source/Frank_Costin) and Roger Nathan. Co-driven by Nathan, the car retired after five hours with an electrical fault.{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/547/Costin-Nathan-GT.html|title=Costin-Nathan GT|website=UltimateCar Page|access-date=13 October 2019}} In 1968, Beckwith drove for [A. G. Dean racing](/source/Tony_Dean_(racing_driver)). Co-driven by Dean, in the latter's [Ferrari](/source/Ferrari) [Dino 206 S](/source/Dino_206_S), he retired from the [Brands Hatch six-hour race](/source/1000_km_Brands_Hatch). At the [Tourist Trophy](/source/RAC_Tourist_Trophy), he finished 17th in Dean's [Porsche Caerrera 6](/source/Porsche_906). In Formula Two, a move to a [Tecno](/source/Tecno_(motorsport)) chassis was not successful. The Tecno was the chassis of choice in 1968 but Beckwith's rivals used conventional gearboxes. He also drove in European Formula Two for David Bridges using a [Lola T100](/source/Lola_Cars). In 1969, Beckwith was entered in the Brands Hatch six-hour race in a works [Lotus](/source/Team_Lotus) [62](/source/Lotus_62) (co-driven by [Mo Nunn](/source/Mo_Nunn)). However they did not attend. An entry alongside Nathan in the Costin-designed car (renamed as Astra RNR1 after Costin withdrew) in the [1000 km Monza](/source/1000_km_Monza) was also not fulfilled. However, co-driven by Nathan, Beckwith finished 23rd in the car at the [Nürburgring 1000 km race](/source/6_Hours_of_N%C3%BCrburgring). In 1970, Beckwith finished 16th in the Brands Hatch six-hour race in an Astra RNR2. co-driven again by Nathan, but did not finish in an [Interserie](/source/Interserie) event at [Hockenheim](/source/Hockenheimring) using a [group 7](/source/Group_7_(racing)) Allegro sports car. An entry at the Nürburgring was not fulfilled. This marked the end of Beckwith's major career, 1971 yielding only a non-finish at [Croft](/source/Croft_Circuit) in the Lotus 62. He retired to concentrate on his career in the motor trade. ===Non-championship Formula One results=== ([key](/source/%3ATemplate%3AF1_driver_results_legend_3)) {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%" ! Year ! Entrant ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 |- | [1963](/source/1963_Formula_One_season) ! [British Racing Partnership](/source/British_Racing_Partnership) ! [Lotus](/source/Team_Lotus) [24](/source/Lotus_24) ! [BRM](/source/BRM) [V8](/source/V8_engine) | [LOM](/source/1963_Lombank_Trophy) | [GLV](/source/1963_Glover_Trophy) | [PAU](/source/1963_Pau_Grand_Prix) | [IMO](/source/1963_Imola_Grand_Prix) | [SYR](/source/1963_Syracuse_Grand_Prix) | [AIN](/source/1963_Aintree_200) | [INT](/source/1963_BRDC_International_Trophy) | [ROM](/source/1963_Rome_Grand_Prix) | [SOL](/source/1963_Solitude_Grand_Prix) | [KAN](/source/1963_Kanonloppet) | [MED](/source/1963_Mediterranean_Grand_Prix) | [AUT](/source/1963_Austrian_Grand_Prix) | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [OUL](/source/1963_International_Gold_Cup)
{{small|Ret}} | [RAN](/source/1963_Rand_Grand_Prix) |} == References == {{reflist}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Beckwith, Mike}} Category:1935 births Category:Living people Category:Racing drivers from London Category:English racing drivers Category:English Formula One drivers Category:20th-century English sportsmen --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mike Beckwith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Beckwith) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Beckwith?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.