Brian Gubby is a British racehorse trainer and former racing driver who briefly competed in Formula One during the 1960s.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | British |
| Birthplace | Epsom, England, UK |
| Born | 17 April 1934 |
| First Grand Prix | 1965 British Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1965 British Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1965 |
| Current/Last Team | Privateer: Lotus |
After completing his national service in the 1950s, Gubby became a freelance motor trader. Over time, he expanded his business interests to include garages, car showrooms, a hotel, and a building company.
Motor racing
Gubby began his motorsport career in rallying before moving into circuit racing with cars such as a Speedwell-tuned Austin A30 and a 3.8-litre Jaguar. In the early 1960s, he progressed to single-seaters in Formula Junior, driving machines including a Lotus Eleven, Lotus 18, and the rare Ausper T4.
During this period, he witnessed the fatal accident of his friend Dennis Taylor at a Formula Junior race in Monte Carlo in 1962, an event that left a lasting impression on him.
He later advanced to Formula Libre, purchasing a Lotus 24. With this car, he achieved success by winning the Gold Flake Trophy at Leinster and a race at Phoenix Park. Encouraged by these results, he attempted to step up to Formula One.
In 1964, he entered the Mediterranean Grand Prix at the Autodromo di Pergusa. After qualifying strongly, he suffered a heavy crash in practice due to a wheel failure, which ruled him out of the race.
Gubby’s only attempt to compete in a Formula One World Championship event came at the 1965 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. However, mechanical issues during practice—when his Lotus repeatedly jumped out of gear at high speed—prompted him to withdraw. Recognising the risks and limited resources available to him, he decided to retire from motor racing shortly thereafter. He later sold his Lotus to Stirling Moss for use in a film project involving Steve McQueen.
Horse racing
Following his retirement from motorsport, Gubby turned to horse racing, becoming a trainer based in Bagshot. The son of a jockey, he built a successful training career, with his most notable horse being Gabitat, a sprinter who won multiple races, including the Group 3 Duke of York Stakes and the Goldene Peitsche in the mid-1980s.
Other horses trained by Gubby include Easy Dollar, Omaha City, and Son of the Cat, the latter winning the Stewards’ Sprint Handicap at Goodwood in 2011.
Gubby developed extensive training facilities, including all-weather gallops, and remained actively involved in day-to-day operations well into later life.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 1 |
| Race Starts | 0 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | DNQ |
| Best Race Finish | DNQ |
| Retirements | 0 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 1 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 1 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 1 |
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: Lotus | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | DNQ | DNQ | 0 | 0 | Not Classified |
