George Abecassis

Former F1 driver
Name = George Abecassis
Nationality = flagicon|UK British
Years = F1|1951 - F1|1952
Team(s) = HWM
Races = 2
Championships = 0
Wins = 0
Podiums = 0
Points = 0
Poles = 0
Fastest laps = 0
First race = 1951 Swiss Grand Prix
First win =
Last win =
Last race = 1952 Swiss Grand Prix
Le Mans drivers
Years = 24hLM|1950–24hLM|1951, 24hLM|1953
Teams = Aston Martin
Best Finish = 5th (24hLM|1950; 24hLM|1951)
Class Wins = 1 (24hLM|1950)

George Abecassis DFC (born in Chertsey, Surrey, March 21, 1913 - died in Ibstone, Nr.High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, December 18, 1991) was an English racing driver, and co-founder of the HWM Formula One team.

Pre-1946 career

George Abecassis began racing in 1935 in a modified Austin Seven. However, he made a name for himself in English club racing during the 1938 and 1939 seasons with Alta and ERA machinery. In 1939 he won the Imperial Trophy Formula Libre race at Crystal Palace, his only career victory, driving his Alta.

When World War II broke out he joined the Royal Air Force and became an experienced pilot, ultimately becoming a member of the secret "Moon Squadrons",cite web|title= Drivers: George Abecassis |url= http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-abageo.html |work= GrandPrix.com |accessdate= 2007-11-26] ferrying secret agents in and out of France with Lysander aircraft. During the course of his wartime service Abecassis was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.cite web|title= The World Championship drivers — Where are they now? |url= http://www.oldracingcars.com/drivers/watn/?Letter=A |work= OldRacingCars.com |accessdate= 2007-11-26]

Post-1946 career

After World War II Abecassis went back to racing, initially with pre-war machinery. He became a partner, with John Heath, in Hersham and Walton Motors Ltd., a motor dealership and garage in Walton-on-Thames. Building on his pre-war association with the Alta marque, Abecassis and HWM assisted in the development of the Alta GP car, designed to comply with the recently-introduced Formula One regulations.

After the failure of this enterprise Abecassis and Heath decided to construct their own cars under the HWM banner, but retaining Alta engines. Initially the HWM cars were designed to compete in the Formula Two class, but when the World Championship switched to Formula Two regulations in F1|1952 HWM cars became eligible to compete in the Grand Prix events. During their prime, HWM employed such future stars as Stirling Moss and Peter Collins, and the Belgian Johnny Claes scored their first victory, in the Grand Prix des Frontières at Chimay. Abecassis's HWM team also took a notable victory in the International Trophy race at Silverstone in 1952, this time with Lance Macklin at the wheel. With the reintroduction of Formula One cars to the World Championship in F1|1954, Abecassis and Heath attempted to produce a competitive car using the 2.5-litre version of the Alta engine but it was not a success; HWM cars only contested two further Grand Prix events after 1953.

It was with his own HWM cars that Abecassis raced in his only two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, at the Bremgarten circuit, in the 1951 and 1952 Swiss Grand Prix. He was more successful as a sports car driver with Aston Martin and won his class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 24hLM|1950, sharing his DB2 with Macklin. He also finished second in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1953, partnered by Reg Parnell. In 1953 Abecassis constructed an HWM sports car for his own personal use, powered by a Jaguar straight-6 engine, with which he successfully contested many national British races until 1956.cite web|title= Driver: Abecassis, George |url= http://www.autocoursegpa.com/driver~driver_id~11549.htm |work= Autocourse Grand Prix Archive |accessdate= 2007-11-27]

In 1956 Heath was killed in an accident in the Mille Miglia and Abecassis retired from racing, turning his attention to running the HWM operations. He was the Facel Vega importer for Britain, while his motor industry connections were aided by the fact that he was married to Angela, the daughter of Aston Martin chairman Sir David Brown. Later he opened a commercial activity in a grocery store. He died aged 78.

elected results

Formula One World Championship

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Non-Championship race highlights

References