Lance Macklin


Lance Noel Macklin was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 15 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1952.

Early life

Macklin's father was the automotive entrepreneur Noel Macklin, founder of both the Invicta and Railton car companies, as well as Fairmile Marine, a manufacturer of motor gun and torpedo boats during World War II. Macklin was born in Kensington, and educated at Eton College. He volunteered for service with the Royal Navy in 1939 and was assigned to work on motor gun boats.
Personal Life
Lance Macklin was married to his first wife, Shelagh Mulligan and they had two children, Patrick and Miranda.
He married his second wife, Gillian McComish and they had a son, Noel “Perry” Macklin born in 1970.

Motoring career

On demobilisation after the Second World War, Macklin followed his early ambition and became a racing driver, although an early attempt to enter a race on the Isle of Man was refused on grounds that he had no experience.
During his Grand Prix career, Macklin scored no championship points, principally due to his uncompetitive HWM cars. His best career result came when he won the non-Championship BRDC International Trophy, at Silverstone in 1952.

Role in the 1955 Le Mans disaster

In the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans he was involved in the most catastrophic accident in racing history, which killed Pierre Levegh and 83 spectators. Macklin swerved to avoid hitting the Jaguar of Mike Hawthorn, who was braking hard in a late attempt to pit, and moved into the path of Levegh's car causing it to clip his. Although Macklin's car crashed, he was uninjured. Following a later incident in the Tourist Trophy at Dundrod, in which Macklin crashed his Austin-Healey 100S avoiding an accident in which Jim Mayers and William T. Smith were killed, Macklin retired from motor sport at the urging of his then-girlfriend.

Business career

Macklin joined Facel Vega in Paris, running the export division until the company failed in 1963, when he began working for London car dealership H.R. Owen.

Later years

He later moved to Spain, but returned to England when he became ill. He died in Tenterden, Kent, four days before his 83rd birthday.

Formula One results

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789WDCPoints
1952HW Motors LtdHWMAlta Straight-4SUI
Ret		500BEL
11		FRA
9		GBR
15		GERNED
8		ITA
DNQ		NC0
1953HW Motors LtdHWMAlta Straight-4ARG500NED
Ret		BEL
Ret		FRA
Ret		GBR
Ret		GERSUI
Ret		ITA
Ret		NC0
1954HW Motors LtdHWMAlta Straight-4ARG500BELFRA
Ret		GBRGERSUIITAESPNC0
1955Stirling Moss LtdMaserati 250FMaserati Straight-6ARGMON
DNQ		500BELNEDGBR
8		ITANC0