Louis Thomas Stanley (6 January 1912 – 8 January 2004)
[ was the chair of the ]Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
team BRM.[
]
Biography
Stanley studied theology at Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer to Elizabeth I. The site on which the college sits was once a priory for Dominican mo ...
. He worked as a journalist for ''Queen'' magazine[ and was a manager at ]The Dorchester
The Dorchester is a five-star hotel located on Park Lane and Deanery Street in London, to the east of Hyde Park. It is one of the world's most prestigious hotels. The Dorchester opened on 18 April 1931, and it still retains its 1930s furnis ...
Hotel in London. He attended the 1959 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1959 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Circuit de Monaco on 10 May 1959. It was race 1 of 9 in the 1959 World Championship of Drivers and race 1 of 8 in the 1959 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. It w ...
with his wife, and as a result became interested in motor racing.[ After the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix, in which a spectator, in a prohibited area, died after ]Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney (April 13, 1931 – January 14, 2018) was an American racing driver, engineer and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of motorspo ...
crashed his BRM, Stanley re-organised the team, easing disquiet felt by the drivers.[ His subsequent promotion of Tony Rudd proved a positive move as BRM secured the Constructors' Championship in 1962, together with the ]World Drivers' Championship
Formula One, abbreviated to F1, is the highest class of open-wheeled auto racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body. The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which a ...
for Graham Hill
Norman Graham Hill (15 February 1929 – 29 November 1975) was a British racing driver, rower and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "Mr. Monaco", Hill won two Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles ...
.[ This however, was a high point in the team's existence and it could not compete with the ]Cosworth
Cosworth is a British automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in high-performance internal combustion engines, powertrain, and electronics for auto racing, automobile racing (motorsport) and mainstream Automotiv ...
-powered cars of the later 1960s and 1970s.[ In the 1970s, the team competed as Stanley-BRM, after the Owen Organisation withdrew its support,]Marlboro
Marlboro (, ) is an American brand of cigarettes owned and manufactured by Philip Morris USA (a branch of Altria) within the United States and by Philip Morris International (PMI, now separate from Altria) in most global territories outside the ...
and Yardley, Stanley could not arrest the team's decline.[
Stanley was instrumental in establishing the Formula One mobile medical unit which for the first time provided good standard medical facilities at circuits.][ When ]Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young "Jackie" Stewart (born 11 June 1939) is a British former racing driver, sports broadcasting, broadcaster and motorsport executive from Scotland, who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "the Flying Scottish people, Scot" ...
was injured, driving for BRM, in 1966, both he and Stanley were unimpressed with the medical help available at the circuit.[ Stanley became a strong ally of Stewart in his campaign to improve safety and created the International Grand Prix Medical Service in 1967. Stanley himself funded the mobile medical unit, which was made available to GP circuits in Europe.][ After ]Jo Siffert
Joseph Siffert (; 7 July 1936 – 24 October 1971) was a Swiss racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Siffert won two Formula One Grands Prix across 10 seasons.
Affectionately known as "Seppi" to his family and friends, Siffert ...
was killed whilst driving for BRM at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit in West Kingsdown, Kent, England, United Kingdom. Originally used as a grasstrack motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently hosts ...
in 1971, Stanley personally tested fireproof suits and oversaw the training of fire marshalls.[
Stanley was honorary secretary and treasurer of the ]Grand Prix Drivers' Association
The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) is the trade union of Formula One drivers. Founded in 1961 and refounded in 1994, it has organised several drivers' strikes and boycotts over the years, primarily in response to unsafe circuits on th ...
in its original form[
]
Personal life
Stanley was married twice; firstly, to Kate Furness (two sons) from whom he was divorced in 1949.[ In 1955 he married Jean Baber (née Owen) who had four children from her previous marriage. Jean Stanley died in June 2002.]Trumpington
Trumpington is a village in Cambridgeshire, England, mostly located in Cambridge, with a small southern area of the village extending into the South Cambridgeshire district. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 UK census, the village had ...
, Cambridgeshire following a stroke.[
]
References
Further reading
External links
Interview
with ''Motor Sport'' magazine
Profile at peterwindsor.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanley, Louis
1912 births
2004 deaths
English motorsport people
Formula One team owners
Formula One team principals
People from Cambridgeshire
People from Wallasey
Louis
Louis may refer to:
People
* Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name
* Louis (surname)
* Louis (singer), Serbian singer
Other uses
* Louis (coin), a French coin
* HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy
See also
...