Stuart Lewis-Evans

Former F1 driver
Name = Stuart Lewis-Evans
Nationality = flagicon|UK British
Years = F1|1957 - F1|1958
Team(s) = Connaught, Vanwall
Races = 14
Championships = 0
Wins = 0
Podiums = 2
Poles = 2
Fastest laps = 0
Points = 16
First race = 1957 Monaco Grand Prix
Last race = 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix

Stuart Nigel Lewis-Evans (b. 20 April 1930, Luton, Bedfordshire - d. 25 October 1958, East Grinstead, Sussex) was a racing driver from England. He participated in 14 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 19 May 1957. He achieved two podiums, and scored a total of 16 championship points. He also achieved 2 pole positions.

Stuart bagan racing in 1951 with a Cooper 500 Formula 3 car, encouraged by and sometimes racing against his father "Pop" Lewis-Evans. His talent was clear from the start and he achieved many wins and podiums. Stuart continued to race in 500s until 1956.

In his short career Stuart Lewis-Evans made a disproportionately large impact on the world of F1. Despite his small stature and slight frame, Lewis-Evans was a prodigious talent behind the wheel of a racing car. In his first ever Formula One Grand Prix event - driving an inferior Connaught Type-B in the 1957 Monaco Grand Prix - he finished an impressive 4th, beaten only by multiple winners Fangio and Brooks, and Masten Gregory in one of the dominant Maserati 250F cars. This performance brought him to the attention of Tony Vandervell, owner of the rising Vanwall team, and by the next Grand Prix Lewis-Evans was filling the driving seat in the third Vanwall car. Unfortunately, the 1957 Vanwall proved not to be as reliable as it could have been, although it was fast when its engine held together. Lewis-Evans took his first F1 win at the non-championship Moroccan Grand Prix, and pole position at the final World Championship event, the 1957 Italian Grand Prix.

1958's Formula One season would prove to be a much better year, at least initially, for the entire Vanwall team. Principal drivers Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks took three victories each, and Stuart Lewis-Evans added to the team's points haul with podium finishes in the Belgian and Portuguese events. He also took pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix, but unfortunately failed to finish in the race. This was not his only retirement of the year - indeed his only other finish, although points-scoring, was a 4th place at the British Grand Prix.

Lewis-Evans crashed heavily at the dusty Ain-Diab circuit during the season finale 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix. His Vanwall engine seized and sent him lurching into barriers at high speed, and his car burst into flames. He was airlifted back to the UK, but died in hospital of his burn injuries six days after the accident.

His death cast a pall over Vanwall's victory in the 1958 Constructors' Championship, a feat heavily dependent on reliable team driving from Lewis-Evans. Tony Vandervell never fully recovered from the death of his new, up-and-coming driver and withdrew from motorsport at the end of 1958.

Stuart's father, Lewis Evans of Plumsted, created the double-barrel surname [ [http://tredelyn.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html The Radnorian] ] .

Complete Formula One Grand Prix results

(; Grands Prix in bold indicate pole position)

References

External links

* [http://www.500race.org/Men/men.htm The 500 Owners Association]
* [http://www.forix.com/8w/connaught.html Story of Lewis-Evans's first Grand Prix at 8W]
* [http://www.gpracing.net192.com/drivers/careers/349.cfm Career synopsis at gpracing.net]
* [http://f1-facts.com/gallery/p/Lewis-Evans Gallery of images at f1-facts.com]