Derek Warwick

Derek Warwick
Derek Warwick
Born	August 27, 1954 (age 72); Alresford, Hampshire, England
Occupation	Racing driver
Years active	1981–1993 (Formula One)
Known for	Formula One racing driver; 1992 World Sportscar Champion; 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans winner

Derek Stanley Arthur Warwick (born 27 August 1954) is a retired British racing driver who participated in Formula One primarily between and , with a brief return in . In endurance racing, he secured victories in the 1992 World Sportscar Championship and the 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans, both achieved while driving for Peugeot.

Hailing from New Alresford, Warwick was the elder sibling of fellow competitor Paul Warwick. His Formula One debut came with Toleman at the Grand Prix, although he only managed to qualify at the season’s final race, the , behind the wheel of the TG181. Warwick’s standout F1 campaign was in 1984 when he earned four podium finishes driving for Renault.

Following his retirement from active racing, Warwick took part in the first seasons of the Grand Prix Masters series designed for former F1 drivers during 2005 and 2006. He also fulfilled duties as a fourth steward at several Grands Prix between 2010 and 2011. From 2011 until 2017, he held the presidency of the British Racing Drivers Club, succeeding Damon Hill and preceding Paddy Hopkirk.

Early life and career

Born in Alresford, Hampshire, England, Warwick began his motorsport journey competing in British stock car racing under the Spedeworth banner at venues such as Aldershot Stadium. At just 16 years old, he claimed the Superstox English Championship in 1971 and later won the World Championship at Wimbledon Stadium in 1973. His younger brother, Paul, also achieved success in Superstox before moving up to Formula 3000, where he tragically passed away in an accident during 1991.

Derek finished as runner-up in the 1978 British Formula 3 Championship.

Formula One (1981–1993)

Warwick entered Formula One with the emerging Toleman team during the 1981 season, managing to qualify for only one race that year. After challenging campaigns through the 1982 and 1983 seasons, he scored points consistently in the last four races of 1983.

In 1984, he joined Renault, taking over from Alain Prost. Warwick led early in the 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix but was forced to retire due to suspension failure. He secured second place finishes at both the Belgian and British Grands Prix and concluded the season seventh overall. Despite Renault’s advanced turbo technology, neither Warwick nor teammate Patrick Tambay managed a race win that year, signaling a downturn for the factory squad.

A significant decision occurred when Warwick opted to remain with Renault for , turning down an offer from Williams-Honda which instead went to Nigel Mansell—who went on to claim two victories late in that season. Following Renault’s withdrawal from Formula One after 1985, Warwick found himself without a drive for 1986. Attempts to join Lotus were blocked by Ayrton Senna’s presence, leading him to compete with Tom Walkinshaw’s Jaguar team in the World Sportscar Championship. After Elio de Angelis’s fatal accident, Warwick stepped into his Brabham seat while continuing his sportscar commitments.

In 1987, Warwick moved to Arrows alongside Eddie Cheever, earning three championship points. The following year, with improved performance thanks to Megatron engines, he collected 17 points and finished eighth overall; his best result being fourth place at Monza. Technical enhancements allowed both drivers full access to turbo power.

During 1989, Warwick came close to victory twice: costly pit stops denied him a win at the Brazilian Grand Prix, while an engine failure ended his strong lead at the Canadian Grand Prix. Mechanical reliability issues restricted him to seven points that year.

Driving for Lotus in 1990 with Lamborghini V12 engines, Warwick faced underpowered and unreliable cars coupled with chassis flex problems, resulting in just three points scored. He notably survived a serious crash at Monza but attributed it to driver error.

Toward late 1992, Warwick tested an IndyCar Lola for Jim Hall/VDS Racing considering a move to CART but ultimately returned to Formula One. Offered seats by Jordan and Footwork for 1993, he chose Footwork and completed that full season, scoring four points. His Formula One career concluded with a total of 71 Grand Prix points.

In 2024, BBC Sport referred to him as "the best British racing driver never to win a Grand Prix."

Sports and Touring Cars

Warwick found success in the realm of sports car racing, notably clinching the World Sportscar Championship title in 1992 and playing a key role in Peugeot’s triumph at the 24 hours of Le Mans that same year. Additionally, he competed with Jaguar in sports car events during 1986 and 1991.

In 1987, Warwick took part in a Ford Escort Celebrity race held at Brands Hatch, where he secured 5th place alongside Barry McGuigan.

Honda CR-X Challenge

Warwick participated in the first-ever Honda CR-X Challenge in 1988. By 1990, he was managing a two-car outfit featuring drivers such as Robin Brundle, who achieved victory at Castle Combe, and Roland Dane, with whom Warwick later co-established Triple Eight Racing. Warwick also competed personally at Donington Park, finishing 5th, while entering his brother Paul in multiple rounds, with Paul’s best result being 3rd place at Snetterton.

British Touring Car Championship

Following his retirement from Formula One, Warwick transitioned to the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), joining the factory-backed Alfa Romeo team in 1995. Despite Alfa Romeo’s previous success in the series, their car’s lack of development led to an underwhelming season. A notable moment came during the opening race at Donington Park, where Warwick was involved in a crash that damaged a television camera—a moment famously remarked upon by BBC commentator Murray Walker.

After stepping away from racing for a year, Warwick teamed up with Roland Dane to establish the Triple Eight Racing squad and took over management of the official Vauxhall BTCC program in 1997. Partnered with veteran driver John Cleland, Warwick secured victory in a rain-affected race at Knockhill during 1998. He retired from active competition that same year but continued his involvement with Triple Eight Racing for an additional three years.

Currently, Warwick operates a Honda dealership located in Jersey.

Later Life

Warwick temporarily replaced Martin Brundle as co-commentator alongside Murray Walker on ITV during the 1998 Canadian Grand Prix broadcast. In both 2005 and 2006, he competed in the inaugural Grand Prix Masters series designed for former Formula One drivers. He also held the position of fourth steward—a consultative role reserved for ex-drivers—at the Spanish, Hungarian, and 2011 Turkish Grands Prix. Warwick served as president of the British Racing Drivers Club following Damon Hill’s tenure until Paddy Hopkirk succeeded him in 2016. In 2015, he underwent treatment for bowel cancer.

Career Summary

Season	Series	Team	Races	Wins	Poles	F/Laps	Podiums	Points	Position
1976	Formula Ford Festival	N/A	1	0	0	?	1	N/A	2nd
1977	BP Super Visco British Formula Three	Warwick Trailers	13	0	1	2	5	40	5th
	Vandervell British Formula Three		6	0	2	0	2	41	3rd
	European Formula Three		2	0	0	0	0	1	28th
1978	BP Super Visco British Formula Three	Warwick Trailers	16	3	3	2	10	72	2nd
	Vandervell British Formula Three		9	3	3	6	8	162	1st
	European Formula Three		3	1	1	0	2	13	6th
	1979 ... [table continues unchanged] ...

† Not eligible for points due to being a guest driver.

Full European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Events shown in bold denote pole position; events in italics signify fastest lap)

Year	Team	Car	Power unit	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pos.	Points
Template:F2	Toleman Group Motorsport	March 792	Hart	SIL Retired	HOC Retired	THR Retired	NÜR Did not start	VAL Not classified	MUG 5th	PAU 9th	HOC Retired	ZAN Retired	PER Retired	MIS Retired	DON 10th	20th	2
Template:F2	Toleman Group Motorsport	Toleman TG280	Hart	THR 2nd	HOC Retired	NÜR 3rd	VAL 3rd	PAU Retired	SIL Winner	ZOL 4th								rowspan=2 style="background:#DFDFDF;" \| 2nd	rowspan=2 style="background:#DFDFDF;" \| 42
Template:F2	Toleman Group Motorsport	Toleman TG280B	Hart								style="background:#DFDFDF;" \| MUG 2nd style="background:#DFDFDF;" \| ZAN 2nd style="background:#CFCFFF;" \| PER 11th style="background:#FFDF9F;" \| MIS 3rd HOC

Full Formula One results

(key) (Events in bold represent pole position; Events in italics indicate fastest lap)

Template:F1 Toeleman TG183

Year

Team

Car model

Engine

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Points scored

Candy Toleman Motorsport

Toleman TG181

Hart 415T turbocharged inline-4

USW

BRA

ARG

SMR
Did not qualify

BEL
Did not qualify

MON
Did not pre-qualify

ESP
Did not qualify

FRA
Did not qualify

GBR
Did not qualify

GER
Did not qualify

AUT
Did not qualify

NED
Did not qualify

ITA
Did not qualify

CAN
Did not qualify

CPL
Retired

NC

0

Candy (company) Toleman Motorsport

Toleman TG181C

Brian Hart Ltd. Hart 415T turbocharged inline-4

style = "background: #EFCFFF" |
RSA
Retired |
style = "background: #FFCFCF" |
BRA
Did not qualify |
style = "background: #FFCFCF" |
USW
Did not pre-qualify |
colspan=13 |

NC |
rowspan=3 |

0 |-

Toeleman Group Motorsport |
colspan=3 |

style = "background: #EFCFFF" |
SMR
Retired |
style = "background: #EFCFFF" |
BEL
Retired |
style = "background: #FFCFCF" |
MON
Did not qualify |
DET |
CAN |
style = "background: #EFCFFF" |
NED
Retired |
style = "background: #EFCFFF" |
GBR
Retired |
style = "background: #CFCFFF" |
FRA
15th |
style = "background: #CFCFFF" |
GER
10th |
style = "background: #EFCFFF" |
AUT
Retired |
style = "background: #EFCFFF" |
SUI
Retired |
colspan=2 |

colspan=14 |

style = "background: #EFCFFF" |

ITA
Retired |

style = "background: #EFCFFF" |

CPL
Retired |

Note: Driver did not complete the race but was classified having covered more than 90% of the total distance.

Full World Sportscar Championship Results

(legend) (Entries shown in bold denote pole positions) (Entries in italics represent fastest laps)

Year	Team	Category	Vehicle	Power Unit	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Championship Position	Points
1983	Porsche Kremer Racing	C	Kremer CK5	Porsche Type-935 3.0 L F6 t	MNZ	SIL	NÜR	LMS Ret						NC	0
1983	Porsche Kremer Racing	C	Kremer CK5	Porsche Type-935 3.0 L F6 t					SPA Ret	FUJ	KYA			NC	0
1986	Silk Cut Jaguar	C1	Jaguar XJR-6	Jaguar 6.5 L V12	MNZ Ret	SIL 1	LMS Ret	NOR 3	BRH 4	JER 3	NÜR Ret	SPA 2	FUJ 3	3rd	81
1991	Silk Cut Jaguar	C1	Jaguar XJR-14	Jaguar HB 3.5 L V8	(SUZ) NC	(MNZ) 1st	(SIL) 1st		(NÜR) 1st	(MAG) 5th	(MEX) 6th	(AUT) 2nd		2nd	79
1991	Silk Cut Jaguar	C1	Jaguar XJR-12	Jaguar 7.4 L V12 colspan=3 \|	(LMS) 4th colspan=5 \|									2nd	79
1992	Peugeot Talbot Sport	C1	Peugeot 905 Evo 1B	Peugeot SA35-A2 3.5 L V10	(MNZ) 2nd	(SIL) 1st	(LMS) 1st	(DON) 2nd	(SUZ) 1st	(MAG) 5th colspan=3 \|	1st	98

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Vehicle	Category	Laps Completed	Pos.	Class Pos.
Template:24hLM	Germany Porsche Kremer Racing	Template:Country data FRA Template:Namespace detect showall Patrick Gaillard Germany Frank Jelinski	Porsche-Kremer CK5	C	76	DNF	DNF
Template:24hLM	Template:Country data GBR Template:Namespace detect showall Silk Cut Jaguar Template:Country data GBR Template:Namespace detect showall Tom Walkinshaw Racing	United States Eddie Cheever Template:Country data FRA Template:Namespace detect showall Jean-Louis Schlesser	Jaguar XJR-6	C1	239	DNF	DNF
Template:24hLM	Template:Country data GBR Template:Namespace detect showall Silk Cut Jaguar Template:Country data GBR Template:Namespace detect showall Tom Walkinshaw Racing	Template:Country data DNK Template:Namespace detect showall John Nielsen Template:Country data GBR Template:Namespace detect showall Andy Wallace	Jaguar XJR-12	C1	356	4th	4th
Template:24hLM	Template:Country data FRA Template:Namespace detect showall Peugeot Talbot Sport	Template:Country data FRA Template:Namespace detect showall Yannick Dalmas Template:Country data GBR Template:Namespace detect showall Mark Blundell	Peugeot 905 Evo 1B	C1	352	1st	1st
Template:24hLM	Template:Country data FRA Template:Namespace detect showall Courage Compétition	United States Mario Andretti Template:Country data NLD Template:Namespace detect showall Jan Lammers	Courage C36-Porsche	LMP1	315	13th	3rd

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(Template:Motorsport driver results legend#key) (Entries in bold denote pole position – 1 point awarded starting from 1996) (Italicized races indicate fastest lap) (* marks driver leading feature race for at least one lap – 1 point awarded only in 1998)

Year

Team

Vehicle

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

Position

Points

1995

Prodrive Alfa Romeo Old Spice Racing

Alfa Romeo 155 TS

DON
1
Retired

DON
2
Retired

BRH
1
12th

BRH
2
Retired

THR
1
12th

THR
2
Retired

SIL
1
16th

SIL
2
17th

OUL
1
DNS

OUL
2
DNS

BRH
1
8th

BRH
2
11th

DON
1
13th

DON
2
Retired

SIL
1
9th

KNO
1
Retired

KNO
2
16th

BRH
1
8th

BRH
2
{{small ...

Complete Bathurst 1000 results

Year	Team	Co-Driver	Vehicle	Completed Laps	Pos.
1997*	align="left" nowrap Template:Flagicon GBR Vauxhall Sport \| align=“left” nowrap Template:Flagicon AUS Peter Brock \| align=“left” nowrap Vauxhall Vectra \| 148 \| 6th
[1998 AMP Bathurst 1000](1998)* \| align=“left” nowrap Template:Flagicon GBR Team Vectra	align=“left” nowrap Template:Flagicon GBR John Cleland	align=“left” nowrapVauxhall Vectra	157	5th

* denotes a Super Touring event

Complete Grand Prix Masters results

(Template:Motorsport driver results legend#key) Races in bold show pole position, while italicized races represent fastest lap.

Year	Team	Chassis Model	Engine Type	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5
[2005 Grand Prix Masters season](2005)	Team Lixxus	Delta Motorsport GPM	Nicholson McLaren 3.5 V8	style=“background:#cfcfff;” Kyalami (RSA) Template:Small “5th”	colspan=4 \|
[2006 Grand Prix Masters season](2006)	Team Lixxus	Delta Motorsport GPM	Nicholson McLaren 3.5 V8	style=“background:#cfcfff;” Losail (QAT) Template:Small “5th”	style=“background:#ffffff;” Monza (ITA) Template:Small “Cancelled”	style=“background:#efcfff;” Silverstone (GBR) Template:Small “Retired”	style=“background:#ffffff;” Sepang (MAL) Template:Small “Cancelled”	style=“background:#ffffff;” Kyalami (RSA) Template:Small “Cancelled”

Complete Porsche Supercup results

(Template:Motorsport driver results legend#key) (Events in bold denote pole position) (Events in italics indicate fastest lap)

2007 Porsche Supercup | Porsche AG |


			style=“background:#CFCFFF;” Silverstone Template:Small “27th” \|					NC† \|	0† \|

† Guest driver status, therefore not eligible for championship points.

Complete WRC results

Year	Team	Vehicle	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	WDC	Points
Template:WRC	Subaru Tecnica International	Subaru Legacy RS	MON	POR	KEN	FRA	GRC	NZL	ARG	FIN	AUS	ITA	CIV	GBR Ret	NC	0
Template:Center

Helmet

Warwick’s helmet displays a primary blue color complemented by a white chin section and a white stripe running along the crown. The chin area is adorned with side stripes, his name, and a depiction of the Union Jack.

External links

Derek Warwick’s Formula One Blog at Champions365.com

Profile, champions365.com
Profile, funof1.com.ar