Rupert Keegan

Rupert Keegan
Hesketh 308E driven by Keegan
Born(1955-02-26)26 February 1955
Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England
Died23 September 2024(2024-09-23) (aged 69)
Portoferraio, Elba, Tuscany, Italy
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
Active years19771978, 1980, 1982
TeamsHesketh, Surtees, RAM, March
Entries37 (25 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1977 Spanish Grand Prix
Last entry1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix
British Formula One Championship career
Active years1979
Races13
Championships1
Wins5
Podium finishes6
Career points65
Pole positions5
Fastest laps4

Rupert Keegan (26 February 1955 – 23 September 2024) was an English racing driver. He participated in 37 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 8 May 1977. He scored no championship points.

Biography

[edit]

Keegan won the 1976 British Formula 3 Championship, which propelled him into Formula One. After seasons with Hesketh and Surtees, neither of them particularly competitive teams, he won the Aurora Formula One Championship in 1979. A return to the Formula One World Championship with RAM driving their Williams FW07B yielded little in the way of results, as did a few races with March. His best career result was 7th at the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix scored in Hesketh 308E/1.[1]

After Formula One, Keegan raced in the United States in CART, and also in endurance racing. After his retirement, he pursued business interests and also worked as a racing instructor.

Keegan died in Portoferraio after a long battle with cancer[2] on 23 September 2024, at the age of 69.[3][4]

Racing record

[edit]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

[edit]

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Pts.
1977 Penthouse Rizla Racing Hesketh 308E Ford V8 ARG BRA RSA USW ESP
Ret
MON
12
BEL
Ret
SWE
13
FRA
10
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
AUT
7
NED
Ret
ITA
9
USA
8
CAN
Ret
JPN NC 0
1978 Durex Team Surtees Surtees TS19 Ford V8 ARG
Ret
BRA
Ret
RSA
Ret
USW
DNS
MON
Ret
BEL
DNQ
NC 0
Surtees TS20 Ford V8 ESP
11
SWE
DNQ
FRA
Ret
GBR
DNQ
GER
DNQ
AUT
DNQ
NED
DNS
ITA USA CAN
1980 RAM Williams Grand Prix Engineering Williams FW07 Ford V8 ARG BRA RSA USW BEL MON FRA GBR
11
NC 0
RAM Penthouse Rizla Racing GER
DNQ
AUT
15
NED
DNQ
ITA
11
CAN
DNQ
USA
9
1982 Rothmans March Grand Prix Team March 821 Ford V8 RSA BRA USW SMR BEL MON DET CAN NED GBR FRA GER
DNQ
AUT
Ret
SUI
Ret
ITA
DNQ
CPL
12
NC 0

Complete British Formula One Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos. Points
1979 C. W. Clowes Racing Arrows A1 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ZOL OUL
11
BRH
Ret
MAL
1
SNE
1
THR
Ret
ZAN
NC
DON
1
OUL
Ret
NOG MAL
Ret
BRH
DNS
THR
1
SNE
1
SIL
2
1st 65

Indy Car World Series

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points Ref
1985 Machinists Union Racing LBH
INDY
MIL
POR
MEA
CLE
MCH
ROA
POC
MDO
19
SAN
MCH
LAG
12
PHX
MIA
10
35th 4 [5]
1986 Gohr Racing PHX LBH INDY
DNQ
MIL POR MEA CLE TOR MIC POC MDO SAN MIC ROA LAG PHX MIA NC - [6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Who were the Jewish F1 drivers: A Look at Their Careers - F1 BLAST". 24 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Obituary: Playboy F1 racer Rupert Keegan billed as 'next James Hunt'".
  3. ^ Thurgood, Julius (23 September 2024). "With the saddest heart, I write this to say that we have lost Rupert Keegan after a heroic battle with a long term illness". Instagram. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  4. ^ "In Memoriam Rupert Keegan". Autosport NL. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Rupert Keegan – 1985 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Rupert Keegan – 1986 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
[edit]
Sporting positions
Preceded by British Formula 3 Championship
BARC Series Champion

1976
Succeeded by
Preceded by British Formula One Champion
1979
Succeeded by