Mike Thackwell

Michael Thackwell
Born	(1961-03-30) March 30, 1961 New Zealand
Occupation	Racing driver
Years active	1978–1988
Known for	Formula One driver, European Formula Two champion (1984)

Michael Christopher Thackwell (born 30 March 1961) is a retired racing driver from New Zealand, distinguished for his participation in various elite motorsport categories, including Formula 1. He holds the distinction of being the sixth youngest competitor to qualify for a Grand Prix, taking part in five events with his debut at the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix. Although he did not score championship points, his efforts were highlighted by appearances such as the 1980 Dutch Grand Prix.

Thackwell gained acclaim as a "teenage prodigy", a "nonconformist", and a "cult figure". Outside of Formula One, he enjoyed considerable achievements in Formula Three, Formula Two, Formula 3000, and Sports car racing disciplines.

In 1984, he captured the title in the European Formula Two Championship, having finished as runner-up in 1983 and again securing second place in the 1985 International Formula 3000 Championship while driving factory-supported Ralt vehicles. Additionally, he triumphed at the 1986 Pau Grand Prix competing with Ralt and, together with Henri Pescarolo, won the 1000km Nürburgring driving a Sauber C8.

Early life

Thackwell was born into a family deeply rooted in motor racing; his father, Ray, was an internationally successful speedway competitor and racer. The family relocated from New Zealand to Perth, Western Australia when Mike was six years old, where he began his racing journey. Among his four siblings is Lisa Brabham (née Thackwell), who also engaged in motor racing.

From 1972 to 1976, he was educated at Christ Church Grammar School in Perth. Although early in his career he identified more closely with Australian nationality and accent, Thackwell represented New Zealand on the international racing stage.

His motorsport career commenced with motocross at nine years old on motorcycles provided by his father—who was an importer of high-performance racing vehicles—before transitioning to karting. At age fourteen, he clinched the Western Australian karting championship. Following successes at the Hong Kong Kart Grand Prix in both 1975 and 1976, he moved to England and became associated with Mike Eastick's Scorpion Racing Drivers School at Thruxton, Hampshire.

Entry-level formulae

Thackwell launched his European racing career in early 1978 by competing in the Dunlop Star of Tomorrow Formula Ford championship within the UK. Driving a Van Diemen-Scholar RF78 for Rushen Green, he achieved five victories and two further podium finishes, concluding the season third overall with 72 points behind Robert Zurrer (77) and Terry Gray (76).

In 1979, he progressed to the British Formula 3 Championship as part of March Engineering's factory team, piloting a March-Toyota 793 chassis. Over nineteen races, he earned five wins, four podiums, one pole position, and recorded fastest lap once. He finished third in the standings with 71 points behind Chico Serra (103) and Andrea de Cesaris (90), surpassing future Formula One stars Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost.

That same year, March entered him into two rounds of the FIA European Formula Three Championship, where he secured a victory at Monza along with fastest lap honors. He ended equal eighth overall in a championship won by Prost. Additionally, Thackwell achieved pole position and fastest lap during the non-championship RAC FOCA Trophy event at Donington Park but ultimately placed ninth.

In 1980, following Serra and de Cesaris’s footsteps, Thackwell advanced to Formula Two after brief competition in New Zealand’s Aurora AFX International Formula Pacific series driving an overweight Marlboro-backed March 792. Returning to Europe, he drove a competitive March F2 car, setting fastest laps at both Hockenheim and Nürburgring Nordschleife circuits and delivering an impressive performance at Zandvoort.

Formula One introduction

In 1980, following test sessions with Ensign and Tyrrell, Thackwell secured a position as a test driver for Tyrrell's Formula One squad while maintaining his participation in Formula Two. At the Dutch Grand Prix, Arrows team principal Jackie Oliver extended an opportunity for him to race after their regular driver sustained an injury. Although the vehicle was configured for a different driver and Thackwell did not qualify, he recorded a lap time quicker than that of Keke Rosberg.

Thackwell officially made his Formula One race debut at the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix, driving Tyrrell’s third car. During the initial lap, a collision led to a red flag stoppage, and Tyrrell instructed him to hand over his car to teammate Jean-Pierre Jarier. According to F1 rules, since he did not participate in the restarted race, he was not credited with an official start for that event. As a result, Ricardo Rodríguez maintained the distinction as the youngest Formula One starter until Jaime Alguersuari surpassed it in 2009, followed by Max Verstappen in 2015.

At the 1980 United States Grand Prix held at Watkins Glen, Thackwell was unable to qualify after experiencing a fractured brake disc during qualifying sessions.

Interim period between Formula One

Thackwell’s initial stint with Tyrrell in Formula One did not yield success, prompting a return to Formula Two competition in 1981. Recognized as a promising talent, he joined Ralt alongside teammate Geoff Lees. He secured victory at the International Trophy held at Silverstone and achieved third place at Hockenheim. However, a severe crash during testing in the factory Ralt-Honda at Thruxton resulted in a fractured heel and head trauma. Despite these injuries, he made a rapid comeback within weeks—still using crutches—to finish sixth overall in the championship.

In 1982, unable to obtain a factory-supported seat due to doubts about his full recovery, Thackwell funded his racing efforts through family support, friends, and minor sponsors with under-resourced teams Horag Racing and Bertram Schäfer Racing. Nevertheless, he managed to secure two podium finishes at the Pau and Spa-Francorchamps.

Returning to the works Ralt outfit in 1983, he concluded the season as runner-up in the F2 championship behind Jonathan Palmer, claiming victory at Jarama along with eight further podiums. The following year, Thackwell dominated the series despite strong competition from teammate Roberto Moreno, winning seven out of eleven races—including another International Trophy triumph at Silverstone—securing six pole positions, recording nine fastest laps, and leading 408 of 580 laps en route to capturing the title.

Return to Formula One

During the midpoint of his commanding 1984 Formula Two campaign, Thackwell made two brief returns to Formula One—the final appearances of his F1 career.

At the Canadian Grand Prix, he substituted for Palmer at RAM, qualifying in 25th position just ahead of teammate Philippe Alliot, but retired on lap 30 due to failure of the turbo wastegate. Palmer subsequently resumed that seat. Tyrrell approached him for the German Grand Prix when Stefan Bellof was unavailable; however, Thackwell narrowly missed qualification by only 0.055 seconds. Additionally, he participated in testing duties for Williams during that season.

Post-Formula One Career

Following his Formula One tenure, Thackwell ventured into various motorsport disciplines, participating in two events of the 1984 World Endurance Championship. At the Nürburgring 1000km, he drove a Porsche 956 for Obermaier Racing and finished in 21st place, while at the Fuji 1000km with Kremer Racing, he secured a fifth-place finish. Additionally, he stepped into CART competition for Penske Racing, piloting the Pennzoil March 84C after Rick Mears was injured. Despite not scoring points in his two appearances, the #6 car's team concluded the 1984 season third overall.

With limited opportunities to obtain competitive seats in both Formula One and CART, Thackwell transitioned to Formula 3000. He won the season opener at Silverstone and earned his third International Trophy victory. He went on to claim two further wins before ultimately finishing second in the championship behind Christian Danner. Simultaneously, he made four starts for Tom Walkinshaw Racing’s Jaguar outfit, achieving a runner-up result at Shah Alam alongside co-driver John Nielsen.

In 1986, Thackwell maintained his strong form in Formula 3000 across Europe and Japan. That year also marked Mercedes-Benz’s first modern era triumph in motorsport when he shared a Sauber with Henri Pescarolo to win the Nürburgring 1000km. During the European off-season of 1987, he returned to New Zealand and dominated the MANZ Formula Pacific International Championship by winning the initial three rounds.

Concentrating on sports car racing throughout 1987, Thackwell joined Kouros Racing’s Sauber C9 squad. He secured pole position at Spa but was forced out due to mechanical issues while leading the race. His only podium finish in the World Endurance Series that year came after switching mid-season to Britten Lloyd Racing’s Porsche 962GTi, sharing driving duties with Mauro Baldi. In 1988, he made a single Formula 3000 appearance for Ralt at Pau but retired from professional racing by year-end, citing disenchantment with the sport.

After retiring from motorsport, Thackwell pursued various careers including work as a North Sea helicopter pilot for British International Helicopters, gold mining in Western Australia, and teaching in England. Often described as a 'lost talent' because of unfortunate timing and circumstances, he currently resides on England’s South Coast. As of 2020, he lives modestly in a caravan and dedicates his time to caring for his mentally handicapped son while earning minimum wage.

Career achievements

Season	Competition	Final Standing	Vehicle	Team
1978	Dunlop Star of Tomorrow Championship	3rd	Van Diemen-Scholar RF78	Rushen Green Racing
1979	Vandervell British Formula 3 Championship	3rd	March-Toyota 793	March Racing Ltd.
	FIA European Formula 3 Championship	8th	March-Toyota 793	March Racing Ltd.
1980	European Formula Two Championship	8th	March-BMW 802	ICI Racing Team
	Japanese Formula Two Championship	8th	March-BMW 802	Walter Wolf Racing Japan
	New Zealand Formula Pacific Championship	15th	March-Ford 792	March Cars – Marlboro
	World Championship of Drivers	NC	Arrows-Cosworth A3	Warsteiner Arrows Racing Team
			Tyrrell-Cosworth 010	Candy Tyrrell Team
1981	European Formula Two Championship	6th	Ralt-Honda RH6/81	Ralt Racing Team
	Japanese Formula Two Championship	16th	March-Honda 812	KK Super Sport
			Ralt-Honda RH6/81	Ralt Racing Team
1982	European Formula Two Championship	11th	March-BMW 822	Horag Racing Team
			Maurer-BMW M82	Bertram Schäfer Racing
	Japanese Formula Two Championship	17th	Toleman-Hart TG280	Nova Engineering
			March-BMW 822	Tomei Jidousya
1983	European Formula Two Championship	2nd	Ralt-Honda RH6/83H	Ralt Racing Ltd
	Japanese Formula Two Championship	16th	Ralt-Honda RH6/83H	Ralt Racing Team
1984	European Formula Two Championship	1st	Ralt-Honda RH6	Ralt Racing Ltd]
	Japanese Formula Two Championship	16th	Ralt-Honda RH6	Ralt Racing Team
	All Japan Sports-Prototype Championship	28th	Porsche 956	Kremer Racing
	1984 World Sportscar Championship season	50th	Porsche 956	Obermaier Racing
				Kremer Racing
	1984 European Touring Car Championship season
Complete results in European Formula Two Championship (Template:Motorsport driver results legend) (Entries shown in bold indicate pole position; races in italics denote fastest lap) Template:F21980 Template:F21981 Template:F21982 Template:F21982 Template:F21983 Template:F21984 Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Position Points ICI Racing Team March 802 BMW style="background:#efcfff;"|(THR) Ret (HOC) Ret (NÜR)10 (VLL)4 (PAU)4 (SIL)3 (ZOL)6 (MUG)19 (ZAN)Ret (PER)9 (MIS)Ret HOC 8th 11 Ralt Racing Ralt RH6/81 Honda style="background:#ffffbf;"|(SIL)1 (HOC)3 THR NÜR VLL (MUG)5 (PAU)6 (PER)DSQ (SPA)Ret (DON)5 (MIS)3 (MAN)15 6th 22 Horag Hotz Racing March 822 BMW style = "background: #efcfff ;"|(SIL) Ret style = "background: #efcfff ;"|(NÜR) Ret style = "background: #cfcfff ;"|(MUG)8 style = "background: #cfcfff ;"|(VLL)9 style = "background: #ffdf9f ;"|(PAU)3 style = "background: #ffdf9f ;"(SPA)3 style = "background: #cfcfff ;"(HOC)10 style = "background: #efcfff ;"(DON) Ret 10th 8 Bertram Schäfer Racing Maurer MM82 BMW style = "background: #efcfff ;"(HOC) Ret Ralt Racing Ltd Ralt RH6/83H Honda style="background:#dfdfdf;"|(SIL)2 style="background:#dfdfdf;"(THR)2 style="background:#ffdf9f;"(HOC)3 style="background:#cfcfff;"(NÜR)7 style="background:#ffdf9f;"(VLL)3 style="background:#cfcfff;"(PAU)8 style="background:#ffffbf; "(JAR)1 style="background:#dfdfdf;"(DON)2 style="background:#efcfff;"(MIS)Ret style="background:#ffdf9f;"(PER)3 style="background:#dfdfdf;"(ZOL)2 style="background:#dfdfdf;"(MUG)2 2nd 51 Ralt Racing Ltd. Ralt RH6/84 Honda style =" background: #ffffbf; " (SIL )1 style =" background: #dfdfdf; " (HOC )2 style =" background: #ffffbf; " (THR )1 style =" background: #ffffbf; " (VLL )1 style =" background: #ffffbf; " (MUG )1 style =" background: #ffffbf; " (PAU )1 style =" background: #cfcfff; " (HOC )9 style =" background: #ffffbf; " (MIS )1 style =" background: #ffffbf; " (PER )1 style =" background: #dfffdf; " (DON )4 style =" background: #efcfff; " (BRH )Ret 1st 72 Complete International Formula 3000 results (key) (Races highlighted in bold denote pole position; those in italics signify fastest lap.) Year Team Car Power Unit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos. Points 1985 Ralt Racing Ltd Ralt RB20 Cosworth SIL 1 THR 2 EST NC NÜR C VLL Ret PAU Ret SPA 1 DIJ 2 PER 1 ÖST 9 ZAN 2 DON Ret 2nd 45 1986 Horag Hotz Racing Lola T86/50 Cosworth SIL 4 VLL PER 9 ÖST BIR BUG 8th 10.5 Ralt Racing Ltd Ralt RT20 Honda PAU 1 SPA IMO MUG JAR Ret 1988 Team Ralt Ralt RT22 Judd JER VLL PAU 7 SIL MNZ PER BRH BIR BUG ZOL DIJ NC 0 Complete Formula One results (Template:F1 driver results legend 2#key) rowspan=2| 1984 Formula One season Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "WDC" Pts 1980 Formula One season "Warsteiner Arrows Racing Team" (Arrows Grand Prix International) "Arrows A3" (Arrows Grand Prix International) "Ford Cosworth DFV" (3.0 V8) 1980 Argentine Grand Prix 1980 Brazilian Grand Prix 1980 South African Grand Prix 1980 United States Grand Prix West 1980 Belgian Grand Prix 1980 Monaco Grand Prix 1980 French Grand Prix 1980 British Grand Prix 1980 German Grand Prix 1980 Austrian Grand Prix "DNQ" (1980 Dutch Grand Prix) 1980 Italian Grand Prix NC 0 "Candy Tyrrell Team" (Tyrrell Racing) "Tyrrell 010" (Tyrrell Racing) "Ret" (1980 Canadian Grand Prix) "DNQ" (1980 United States Grand Prix) "Skoal Bandit F1 Team" (RAM Racing) "RAM 02" (RAM Racing) "Hart 415T" (1.5L L4 turbo) 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix 1984 South African Grand Prix 1984 Belgian Grand Prix 1984 San Marino Grand Prix 1984 French Grand Prix 1984 Monaco Grand Prix "Ret" (1984 Canadian Grand Prix) 1984 Detroit Grand Prix 1984 Dallas Grand Prix NC 0 "Tyrrell Racing Organisation" (Tyrrell Racing) "Tyrrell 012" (Tyrrell Racing) "Ford Cosworth DFY" (3.0 V8) American Open-Wheel racing (key) (Races shown in bold denote pole position) CART PPG Indy Car World Series Year Team No. Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos. Pts 1984 Team Penske 6 March 84C Cosworth DFX V8t LBH PHX INDY MIL POR MEA CLE MCH ROA POC MDO SAN MCH PHX LAG 18 CPL 20 NC 0 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Vehicle Category Completed Laps Pos. Class Pos. 1985 Kremer Porsche Racing Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Jean-Pierre Jarier Template:Country data AUTTemplate:Namespace detect showall Franz Konrad Porsche 962C C1 356 9th 9th 1986 Template:Country data CHETemplate:Namespace detect showall Sauber (Kouros Racing Team) Template:Country data DNKTemplate:Namespace detect showall John Nielsen Sauber-Mercedes-Benz C8 C1 61 DNF DNF 1987 Template:Country data CHETemplate:Namespace detect showall Sauber (Kouros Racing) Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Henri Pescarolo Template:Country data JPNTemplate:Namespace detect showall Hideki Okada Sauber-Mercedes-Benz C9 C1 123 DNF DNF Template:Country data CHETemplate:Namespace detect showall Sauber (Kouros Racing) Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Johnny Dumfries Chip Ganassi Sauber-Mercedes C9 C1 37 DNF DNF Template:Center External links Grandprix.com profile Mike Thackwell full biography – features photographs from F1, F2, and sports car competitions. Motorsport Flashback – Mike Thackwell: Teenage Sensation – a retrospective article by New Zealand Classic Car Magazine, April 2011.