Tony Brooks (racing driver)

Tony Brooks
Brooks at the 1957 Monaco Grand Prix
Born	Charles Anthony Standish Brooks (1932-02-25)25 February 1932 Dukinfield, Cheshire, England
Died	3 May 2022(2022-05-03) (aged 90) Ottershaw, Surrey, England
Spouse	Pina Resegotti ​ (m. 1958)​
Children	5
Relatives	Norman Brooks (cousin)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	British
Active years	1956–1961
Teams	BRM, Vanwall, Ferrari, BRP
Entries	39 (38 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	6
Podiums	10
Career points	75
Pole positions	3
Fastest laps	3
First entry	1956 Monaco Grand Prix
First win	1957 British Grand Prix
Last win	1959 German Grand Prix
Last entry	1961 United States Grand Prix

Charles Anthony Standish "Tony" Brooks (25 February 1932 – 3 May 2022) was a British racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1956 to 1961. Nicknamed "The Racing Dentist",^[a] Brooks was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1959 with Ferrari and Vanwall, and won six Grands Prix across six seasons.

Born and raised in Dukinfield, Brooks was the son of a dental surgeon. He began racing in 1952, driving sportscars at club events until he progressed to Formula Two. Brooks debuted in Formula One machinery at the non-championship 1955 Syracuse Grand Prix with Connaught, scoring the first win by a British driver in a British car in Grand Prix motor racing since 1923. He made his championship debut at the 1956 Monaco Grand Prix with BRM, and joined Vanwall for the 1957 season. Brooks took his maiden win in Formula One at the British Grand Prix, sharing the victory with Stirling Moss. He then finished third in the World Drivers' Championship in 1958 with Vanwall, and runner-up to Jack Brabham the following season after his move to Ferrari, taking multiple victories across both seasons. Brooks joined BRP in 1960—driving a privateer Cooper T51—but was unable to finish on the podium. He took his final podium finish at the 1961 United States Grand Prix with BRM. Brooks retired at the conclusion of the 1961 season, having achieved six wins, three pole positions, three fastest laps and 10 podiums in Formula One, as well as his one non-championship race win.

Outside of Formula One, Brooks was successful in sportscar racing, winning the 1957 1000km of Nürburgring and the 1958 RAC Tourist Trophy, driving the Aston Martin DBR1. He also entered four editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1955 to 1958 with Aston Martin.

Brooks was born on 25 February 1932, in Dukinfield, Cheshire, and educated at Mount St Mary's College. He was the son of a dental surgeon, Charles Standish Brooks, and studied the practice himself. He was also a cousin of Norman Standish Brooks, a former British Olympic swimmer. He took up racing in 1952 and drove a Healey and a Frazer Nash^[2] at club events until 1955. In that same year, Brooks drove in Formula Two a Connaught at Crystal Palace and finished fourth.^[3] Later in 1955, Brooks made his first Formula One start at the non-championship Syracuse Grand Prix, winning the race. This was the first international Grand Prix win for a British car since 1924 at the San Sebastián Grand Prix.^[4]

In 1957, Brooks claimed the first victory for a British-constructed car in a World Championship race in the British Grand Prix at Aintree, which he shared with Stirling Moss. Along with Moss, Brooks is considered one of the best drivers never to have been World Champion and both Moss and three-time World Champion Jack Brabham were known to have thought highly of his ability.^[5]

In 1959, Brooks, together with Brabham and Moss, had a chance to win the title due to the retirement and subsequent death in a road accident of Mike Hawthorn and the death in the previous season of Peter Collins. Brooks started well, with a second place at the Monaco Grand Prix, behind Brabham. He failed to finish at the Dutch Grand Prix but dominantly won the French Grand Prix at Reims. Having failed to finish in a Vanwall at the British Grand Prix, which he drove due to Ferrari workers in Italy being on strike, he won the only German Grand Prix of Formula One to be held at AVUS. The race was split unusually into two heats, and he won both. He had a slow car in Portugal, qualifying 10th and finishing five laps down. He retired shortly after the start at Monza but was still in contention to win the championship. At the first ever United States Grand Prix for Formula One at Sebring, he was hit by German teammate Wolfgang von Trips and pitted to check for any damage, losing two minutes. It proved to be a waste of time but still finished in third place. He finished second in the championship with 27 points, seven behind Brabham, and one-and-a-half ahead of Moss.^[6]

Brooks won six races for Vanwall and Ferrari, secured four pole positions, achieved ten podiums, and scored a total of 75 championship points.^{[citation needed]} He drove for British Racing Motors but retired from the team at the end of 1961, just before their most successful season. He ended his career with a third place at the first ever United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.^{[citation needed]} He was also an accomplished sports car driver, winning both the 1957 1000 km Nürburgring and the 1958 RAC Tourist Trophy, with co-driver, Moss, racing an Aston Martin DBR1.^[7] He was less successful at Le Mans in 1957 due again to an accident which occurred while racing an Aston Martin DBR1 at that year's 24-hour race, which brought about a change in his racing philosophy. A crash in the 1956 British Grand Prix and the subsequent Le Mans crash both occurred in cars with mechanical problems, of which he was aware, and Brooks, being a devout Catholic, vowed he would never again risk his life in a car that was in less than sound condition.^[8] He had fewer qualms when it came to his own condition, saying: "I was lucky in the Le Mans shunt in that I didn't break anything, but I did have very severe abrasions – there was a hole in the side of my thigh I could literally have put my fist into."^[8] It was with these injuries that he went on to race in the 1957 British GP with Moss, and win. In 2007, Brooks was honoured by his home town. The Dukinfield District Assembly, part of Tameside Council, held a dinner in his honour and unveiled a plaque outside his former home on Park Lane.^{[citation needed]}

Brooks died aged 90 on 3 May 2022.^[9][10][11] As a result, in addition to Brooks becoming the last surviving Grand Prix winner from the 1950s after the death of Moss in April 2020, three-time World Champion Jackie Stewart (who first raced in the 1960s) was now the oldest Formula One Grand Prix winner.^[12]

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

* Brooks won the 1957 British Grand Prix sharing his car with Stirling Moss. Both were awarded half points for their victory (4 instead of 8).
** Brooks was also awarded one point in the 1957 Italian Grand Prix and 1959 German Grand Prix for recording the fastest lap.

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

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• Profile at grandprix.com