Fans of the hugely popular racing sport known as Formula 1 woke up to tragic news this week as it was announced that a legend in the game had passed away.
According to the BBC, Tony Brooks, winner of six Formula 1 grands prix, and described as a “defining” driver in the sport, has died at the age of 90. His daughter, Giulia, confirmed his death on Tuesday, sparking waves of tributes to one of the greatest racers in the history of the sport.
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Tony Brooks
F1’s last surviving race winner of the 1950s, Brooks was one of the earliest pioneers of the sport we love.
Our thoughts are with his loved ones pic.twitter.com/9hhY6MlmWZ
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 3, 2022
Brooks, alongside drivers Juan Manuel Fangio, Alberto Ascari and Stirling Moss, was considered one of the best drivers of his era, and is regarded as the best British driver to never win an F1 title.
“Brooks was a tremendous driver, the greatest – if he’ll forgive me saying this – ‘unknown’ racing driver there’s ever been. He was far better than several people who won the world championship,” said the late driver Stirling Moss, who died two years ago at the age of 90. Moss and Brooks were known to be the best British racers of their eras.
“Brooks, who had been the last surviving F1 race winner of the 1950s, left a considerable mark on the sport – between 1956 and 1959, he won 46% of the races he finished, in an era when mechanical reliability was a significant feature in motorsport,” the BBC noted in its reporting.
The British driver clearly touched the lives of many young racers and fans, as an outpouring of tributes to the late driver poured in across social media on Tuesday.
So incredibly sad to learn of the death of Tony Brooks. Totally unassuming, but one of the finest British Grand Prix drivers of all time. I will always cherish our chat on the phone in 2019. He was so very supportive & such a gentleman. Rest well sir. Pic from Revs Institute. pic.twitter.com/87V8G5c0QO
— Richard Jenkins (@Richard25231452) May 3, 2022
Brooks will clearly be missed and never forgotten by legions of F1 racing fans and former colleagues who were influenced by Brooks’ career.