 Peter Arundell in 1968 | |
| Born | 8 November 1933 Ilford, Essex, England, UK |
|---|---|
| Died | 16 June 2009 (aged 75) near King's Lynn, Norfolk, England, UK |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  British |
| Active years | 1963–1964, 1966 |
| Teams | Lotus |
| Entries | 13 (11 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 2 |
| Career points | 12 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1963 French Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1966 Mexican Grand Prix |
Peter John Arundell (8 November 1933[1] – 16 June 2009) was a British racing driver from England, who raced in Formula One for Team Lotus. He participated in 13 World Championship Grands Prix, scoring 12 championship points.
Born in Ilford, Essex, Arundell became a professional racing driver after finishing his time in the Royal Air Force, competing in Elva and Lotus cars. He won an early Formula Junior race held in England, the John Davy Trophy at the Boxing Day Brands Hatch meeting in an Elva-D.K.W. in 1959.[2] In 1962 he won the British Formula Junior championship in a Lotus 22, and also in 1963 in a Lotus 27. He also won the Monaco Formula Junior race in 1961 and 1962. He won the last Formula Junior race held in England, the Anglo-European Formula Junior Trophy, also at Brands Hatch, in September 1963, in a Lotus 27-Ford.[3]
He marked his arrival in the Formula One World Championship in 1964 with two podium finishes. He was regarded as a strong prospect for the future and a great supporting driver for World Champion Jim Clark.[4]
In 1964, while racing in Formula Two at Reims-Gueux, he had a spin and was hit at high speed by Richie Ginther; Arundell was thrown from the car in the impact, which resulted in him missing most of the 1965 season. Lotus boss Colin Chapman saved his place in the team for 1966, with Arundell finishing third on his comeback in the non-championship South African Grand Prix at East London on 1 January 1966.[5] He did not enjoy any great success and at the end of that year he retired from Formula One, having started only 11 races.[6]
He retired from racing altogether in 1969, and later moved to Florida, where he set up a software company.
- ^ "Driver: Arundell, Peter". Autocourse Grand Prix Archive. Archived from the original on 21 February 2006. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
- ^ Motor Sport, February 1960, Page 109. See also cover photograph.
- ^ The Autocar, September 1963, Pages 514, 540.
- ^ "Peter Arundell". lastingtribute.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
- ^ Motor Sport, February 1966, Page 90.
- ^ "Peter Arundell Profile - Drivers - GP Encyclopedia - F1 History on Grandprix.com". Grandprix.com. Retrieved 9 January 2016.