View original and moving news footage reporting Mike Hawthorn’s untimely death 60 years ago
The 60th anniversary of the death of Britain’s first Formula 1 world champion Mike Hawthorn is this month. And you can watch incredible, emotional British Pathé newsreel on the tragedy.
On January 22, 1959, Hawthorn lost control of his Jaguar while driving on the A3 road near Guildford and died in the resultant accident. He was just 29 and it was a mere three months on from Hawthorn claiming his world title and then immediately retiring from racing.
There is a special cover feature paying tribute to Hawthorn in this month’s edition of Motor Sport magazine.
The Pathé reel features evocative shots of Hawthorn just 60 hours before his fatal accident being honoured at a National Sporting Club dinner, including him being presented with a cocktail cabinet which he received with his usual wit and grace.
As well as images of the accident’s aftermath the reel also includes footage of Hawthorn spinning his Ferrari at Silverstone on the way to fifth place in the 1953 British Grand Prix, as well as of Hawthorn’s Le Mans victory in the tragic 1955 race.
More:
Round 6 of the 2025 Formula 1 season takes us to the Miami International Autodrome, Florida. These are all the dates, start times and sessions you need to know about
This week Formula 1 returns to Miami, a venue where McLaren began to reap the regards of its transformation into championship contender after years of falling short
A Brawn GP F1 car – one of just three, and once owned by Jenson Button – is going up for auction this weekend at the Miami GP
In 1975, Lella Lombardi was the last — and only — woman F1 driver to finish in the points. 50 years on and we're nowhere near seeing another, says Katy Fairman. In fact, progress seems to have reversed