Alan William Rollinson was a British racing driver who competed during one of the most competitive eras of post-war single-seater racing. Though his Formula One World Championship career amounted to a single attempted entry, Rollinson built a respected reputation across the wider racing scene, particularly in junior categories and later Formula 5000.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | British |
| Birthplace | Walsall, England, UK |
| Born | 15 May 1943 |
| Died | 2 June 2019 |
| First Grand Prix | 1965 British Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1965 British Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1965 |
| Current/Last Team | Privateer: Cooper |
Born in England, Rollinson belonged to the generation of British drivers who emerged during the 1960s boom, when the United Kingdom became the centre of world motorsport engineering and talent.
Racing career
Chasing Formula One
Rollinson’s one World Championship opportunity came at the 1965 British Grand Prix. Entered by Gerard Racing in a Cooper T71/73, he attempted to qualify against a deep field packed with established stars and factory-backed machinery.
He did not make the grid, but in the mid-1960s, that was no disgrace. Formula One qualifying was fiercely selective, and many talented drivers never reached the start despite having the speed to compete.
Simply earning an entry into a Grand Prix at that time placed Rollinson among a highly capable class of racers fighting for limited opportunities.
Success beyond Formula One
Like many drivers of his era, Rollinson’s strongest results came outside the World Championship spotlight. He competed successfully in a variety of categories, proving his versatility and staying power.
Most notably, he raced in Formula 5000, the thunderous category that became famous for combining lightweight single-seater chassis with large-capacity V8 engines. It demanded courage, finesse and mechanical sympathy—qualities Rollinson possessed in abundance.
Formula 5000 was often filled with former Formula One drivers, rising stars and experienced specialists, making it one of the toughest proving grounds in international racing.
The working racer
Rollinson represented a classic motorsport type: the professional competitor whose career was built not on headlines, but on persistence. Drivers like him kept grids full, pushed elite names hard, and formed the backbone of British and European racing in the 1960s and 1970s.
While the record books may show only one Formula One attempt, those inside the sport knew the value of racers who could adapt to different machinery and remain competitive wherever they appeared.
Death
Alan Rollinson died of cancer on 2 June 2019, aged 76.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 1 |
| Race Starts | 0 |
| Did Not Start | 1 |
| Best Race Start | – |
| Best Race Finish | DNS |
| Retirements | 0 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 0 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Privateer: Cooper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Unknown | DNS | 0 | 0 | Not classified |
Stats by Constructor
| Constructor | Years | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Privateer: Cooper | 1965 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Unknown | DNS | 0 | 0 |
Teammates & Qualifying Head-to-Head
| Teammate | Years | Races | Qualifying H2H |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Rhodes | 1965 | 1 | Unknown |
