John Surtees has been awarded the 2012 Segrave Trophy for his outstanding career in two and four-wheeled motorsport.
As the only person to have won both Formula One and a motorcycle World Championships, Surtees was an obvious candidate for a trophy that celebrates ‘the spirit of adventure’.
Upon receiving the accolade, Surtees said “I am honoured, as I approach the 50th anniversary of my Formula One World Championship title, to receive this prestigious Trophy on behalf of not only myself but also the world of two and four wheel motorsport.”
Surtees started his racing career as a passenger in his father’s sidecar. By 19, he had joined the Norton Works Team and two years later won a seat at MV Agusta, where he won the 500cc World Championship, the first of seven he achieved in just five years.
In 1960, the Surtees started racing on four wheels. Turning down a drive for Lotus in ’61, he opted for Cooper, then moved to
Ferrari in ’63. He would win his first GP with the Scuderia that year, before taking the World Championship the following season.
The trophy was commissioned by Lady Segrave in 1930 after her husband, Sir Henry Segrave, was killed after breaking the water speed record on Lake Windermere.
