Timothy Theodore Schenken (born 26 September 1943) is a former

racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various sorts were organise ...

from Sydney, Australia. He participated in 36

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship ...

World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 16 August 1970. He achieved one career podium at the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix, and scored a total of seven championship points. He did however have two non-championship race podiums – he finished third in the

1971 BRDC International Trophy The 23rd BRDC International Trophy meeting - formally the GEN/ Daily Express BRDC International Trophy - was held on 8 May 1971 at the Silverstone Circuit, England. The race was run to Formula One and Formula 5000 regulations, and was held over ...

and third in the 1972 International Gold Cup.

Career

Schenken's lower formula results included winning the 1968 British Lombank Formula Three Championship, winning the 1968

Grovewood Award The Grovewood Awards (later becoming the Cellnet Awards and then the McLaren Autosport BRDC Awards) were a series of British motor racing awards presented each year in the United Kingdom to the year's up-and-coming British and Commonwealth of Nation ...

, winning the 1968 British Formula Ford Championship, winning the 1968 ER Hall Formula Three Trophy, winning the 1969 French Craven A Formula Three Championship, winning the 1969 Greater London Formula Three Trophy, finishing fourth in the 1971 European Formula Two Championship and finishing third in the 1972 Brazilian Formula Two International Tournament. He had a great deal of success in Sports Cars racing for Ferrari. In 1972 he won the Buenos Aires 1000 km and Nürburgring 1000 km races, finished second in the Daytona 6hour, Sebring 12hour, Brands Hatch 1000 km and the Watkins Glen 6hour, and finished third at the Monza 1000 km and Zeltweg 1000 km races. 1973 saw him finish second at the Vallelunga 6hour and Monza 1000 km races. In 1975 and 1976 he finished second in the Nürburgring 1000 km and then in 1977 he won the Nürburgring 1000 km race for a second time. At Le Mans in 1976 he finished second in the GT Class and was 16th overall. In 1975 he was runner up in the European GT Championship and finished third in the championship in 1976. In 1974 he co-founded

Tiga Race Cars Tiga Race Cars Ltd. was a British auto racing constructor and team. The company was founded in 1974 by two former Formula 1 drivers, Australian Tim Schenken and New Zealander Howden Ganley. The company's name was formed by the first two letters ...

in Britain with New Zealander

Howden Ganley James Howden Ganley (born 24 December 1941 in Hamilton) is a former racing driver from New Zealand. From 1971 to 1974 he participated in 41 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix. He placed 4th twice and scored points 5 times for a total of ...

, whose cars had great success in the Sports 2000 category, and constructed cars for a number of over formulae. He is currently employed each year as the Race Director for the Australian

V8 Supercar The Supercars Championship is a touring car racing category in Australia, running as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regulations, governing the sport. Supercars events take place in all Australian ...

Championship Series. He also is a director of

Motorsport Australia Motorsport Australia, formerly the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS), is the nationally recognised governing and sanctioning body for four-wheeled motorsport in Australia. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de l'A ...

, the Clerk of the Course at the

Australian Grand Prix The Australian Grand Prix is an annual motor racing event which is under contract to host Formula One until 2035. One of the oldest surviving motorsport competitions held in Australia, the Grand Prix has moved frequently with 23 different venu ...

and was the Clerk of the Course for the inaugural

2008 Singapore Grand Prix The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, formally known as the 2008 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, was a Formula One race held on 28 September 2008 at 20:00 SST at the newly built Marina Bay Street Circuit in Marina Bay, Singapore. It was the 15 ...

. As of the 2020 season, Schenken is one of only five Australians who have stood on the podium for a Formula One Grand Prix. The others are Grand Prix winners Mark Webber and

Daniel Ricciardo Daniel Joseph Ricciardo ( "Ricardo", ; born 1 July 1989) is an Italian-Australian racing driver who last raced in Formula One driving for McLaren, under the Australian flag. He made his debut at the 2011 British Grand Prix with the HR ...

, as well as World Champions

Sir Jack Brabham Sir John Arthur Brabham (2 April 1926 – 19 May 2014) was an Australian racing driver who was Formula One World Champion in , , and . He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name. Brabham was a Ro ...

and Alan Jones. On 16 June 2016, Tim Schenken was awarded the

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Go ...

in the General Division as part of the Queen's Birthday honours. He is currently the Director of Race Operations for

. He is married and has a son, Guido, and identical twin daughters, Laura and Natalie.

Career summary

Complete Formula One World Championship results

( key)

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schenken, Tim Australian Formula One drivers European Formula Two Championship drivers Grovewood Award winners British Formula Three Championship drivers Australian Formula 2 drivers 1943 births Living people 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers Australian people of German descent Racing drivers from Sydney Williams Formula One drivers Brabham Formula One drivers Surtees Formula One drivers Trojan Formula One drivers Team Lotus Formula One drivers World Sportscar Championship drivers Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia