The Sauber C8 in which Thackwell and co-driver Henri Pescarolo won the 1000km Nürburgring in 1986.
Born
(1961-03-30) 30 March 1961 (age 63) Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality
New Zealander
Active years
1980, 1984
Teams
Arrows, Tyrrell, RAM
Entries
5 (2 starts)
Championships
0
Wins
0
Podiums
0
Career points
0
Pole positions
0
Fastest laps
0
First entry
1980 Dutch Grand Prix
Last entry
1984 German Grand Prix
Michael Christopher Thackwell (born 30 March 1961)[1] is a former racing driver from New Zealand, who participated in a number of prominent racing categories, including Formula 1. The sixth youngest driver ever to qualify for a Grand Prix, he participated in five of them, making his first start on 28 September 1980 at the Canadian Grand Prix. He scored no championship points. He had previously attempted unsuccessfully to qualify for the Dutch Grand Prix which was held on 31 August 1980.
Thackwell has been described as a "teenage sensation",[2] a "maverick"[3] and as "something of a cult hero".[3] Outside Formula One, he competed successfully in Formula Three, Formula Two, Formula 3000 and sports cars, amongst other categories.
In 1984, Thackwell won the European Formula Two Championship. He was runner up in that championship in 1983, and in its successor, the International Formula 3000 Championship, in 1985. In each case, he was driving a works Ralt. Also in 1986, he won the Pau Grand Prix, again in a works Ralt. Later in the year, he combined with Henri Pescarolo to win the 1000km Nürburgring sports car race, in a Sauber C8.
Michael Christopher Thackwell (born 30 March 1961) is a former racing driver from New Zealand, who participated in a number of prominent racing categories...
lieutenant general in the British Army Lisa Thackwell (born 1964/65), New Zealand racing driver MikeThackwell (born 1961), New Zealand Formula 1 driver...
of the F3000 championship at Donington Park to clinch the title from MikeThackwell. Danner had the dubious honour of being the first in a long line of...
Dumfries set a lap record at Le Mans before retiring with gearbox failure. MikeThackwell also took pole position at Spa. Schlesser won the final race of the...
for 1981. Just over a year after winning his first race in Formula 3, MikeThackwell was driving in Formula Two and, at the Dutch Grand Prix, was granted...
Brabham (née Thackwell) is a former racing driver. She is also the wife of David Brabham, mother of Sam Brabham, sister of MikeThackwell and daughter...
Zealand drivers were absent from Formula One events from 1984 (when MikeThackwell last raced) to 2017 (when Brendon Hartley made his debut in the 2017...
able to achieve its first victory with drivers Henri Pescarolo and MikeThackwell, made all the more important by being won in front of the Mercedes-Benz...
before handing the keys back to the team's first driver Mauro Baldi. MikeThackwell was on his way to clinch the Formula 2 title in dominant fashion and...
is the son of David Brabham, nephew to Geoff Brabham, Gary Brabham, MikeThackwell, and the grandson of three time Formula One World Champion Sir Jack...
brother to Geoff Brabham and Gary Brabham. He is also brother-in-law to MikeThackwell, father to Sam Brabham and uncle to Matthew Brabham. Brabham, who was...
10th in the first race at Silverstone, before finishing second behind MikeThackwell. He retired in the second round at Hockenheim but set the fastest lap...
premature and he pulled out of the meeting. Tyrrell Racing test driver MikeThackwell stepped into the car but failed in his attempt to be the youngest ever...
"Systime"". Scalemates. Retrieved 3 May 2020. Blunsden, John (1 August 1984). "Thackwell for Tyrrell". The Times. London. p. 21 – via Gale.com. Hill, Matt. "Stefan...
de Cesaris, dropped him from contention. The Kiwi teenage sensation, MikeThackwell was also very consistent, winning four of the last eight races for the...
Brazilian Grand Prix. The team planned to enter a single updated RAM 03 for MikeThackwell (who had stood in for Palmer at the 1984 Canadian Grand Prix) for the...
Cesaris made his Grand Prix debut, as did teenage New Zealander MikeThackwell. Thackwell stepped aboard a third Tyrrell 010 breaking the record as the...
1986 Pierluigi Martini Ralt Formula 3000 Report 1985 Not held 1984 MikeThackwell Ralt Formula Two Report 1983 Jonathan Palmer Ralt Report 1982 Corrado...
Gonzalo Rodríguez Johnny Rutherford Oriol Servià Tom Sneva Danny Sullivan MikeThackwell Paul Tracy Al Unser Al Unser Jr. Bobby Unser NASCAR Justin Allgaier...
2018. Roger Penske at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Brudenell, Mike (July 23, 2015). "Penske credits humble beginnings on Automotive HOF night"...
six points. Barnard left the team after a dispute with Walkinshaw, with Mike Coughlan taking over as technical director. At this point Zakspeed tried...
from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018. Sutton, Mike (July 16, 2007). "GM, Penske Partner in VM Motori Stake". Ward's. Archived...
Gonzalo Rodríguez Johnny Rutherford Oriol Servià Tom Sneva Danny Sullivan MikeThackwell Paul Tracy Al Unser Al Unser Jr. Bobby Unser NASCAR Justin Allgaier...
event, but come qualifying two of these did not arrive in Hampshire. MikeThackwell took pole position for Ralt Racing Ltd, in their Ralt-Honda RH6, averaging...
Gonzalo Rodríguez Johnny Rutherford Oriol Servià Tom Sneva Danny Sullivan MikeThackwell Paul Tracy Al Unser Al Unser Jr. Bobby Unser NASCAR Justin Allgaier...
Surtees won the European F2 Championship in 1972 with Hart engines, driver Mike Hailwood, but most notably in the works Toleman team's cars. Dominant chassis...
qualifying, the Minardi Team withdrawn an entry, no driver was available. MikeThackwell took pole position for Ralt Racing Ltd, in their Ralt-Honda RH6, averaging...
Global Information
New Zealander