John Rhodes (born 18 August 1927) is a British former racing driver whose career spanned Formula One, touring cars, Formula Junior and endurance racing. Best known for his success with BMC machinery, he made a single Formula One World Championship appearance while also establishing himself as one of Britain’s most versatile competitors.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | British |
| Birthplace | Wolverhampton, England, UK |
| Born | 18 August 1927 |
| First Grand Prix | 1965 British Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1965 British Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1965 |
| Current/Last Team | Privateer: Gerard Racing Cooper |
Rhodes first gained recognition in Formula Junior during the early 1960s. Driving a Cooper-BMC for the Midland Racing Partnership in 1961, he claimed victories in a long-distance race at Dublin’s Phoenix Park circuit on 22 July before adding the Dunboyne Trophy a week later. He continued racing the Cooper-BMC into 1963, despite the growing dominance of Ford-powered rivals, while also expanding into saloon car competition with the works Mini-Cooper S team.
His performances in touring cars quickly earned attention. In 1963, he partnered Rob Slotemaker to finish eighth overall in The Motor International Six-Hour Saloon Car Race at Brands Hatch. Rhodes remained closely associated with the Mini in 1965, taking an impressive fourth place against much larger-engined opposition in the Ilford Films Trophy at Brands Hatch.
Alongside his touring car commitments, Rhodes continued to compete in single-seaters. On 11 June 1962, he drove Bob Gerard’s Cooper-Ford in the 2,000 Guineas Formula One race at Mallory Park, and in 1965 he again raced one of Gerard’s cars in the BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone, although he failed to reach the finish.
His Formula One World Championship opportunity came later that year at the 1965 British Grand Prix. Driving Bob Gerard‘s Cooper T60-Climax at Silverstone, Rhodes started his only World Championship race and performed solidly until ignition problems forced his retirement on lap 39. Although he never returned to the Formula One grid, his appearance secured his place in F1 history.
Rhodes also enjoyed notable success in international endurance racing. At the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans, he shared a 1.3-litre Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite with Paul Hawkins, finishing 12th overall while claiming victory in their class after completing 278 laps. The following season, he partnered Timo Mäkinen in the famous Targa Florio, where the pair finished ninth overall and secured another class win in an MGB.
As of July 2026, Rhodes is recognised as the oldest living driver to have competed in a Formula One World Championship race, one of the last surviving links to the sport’s formative decades.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 1 |
| Race Starts | 1 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 21st |
| Best Race Finish | DNF |
| Retirements | 1 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 1 |
| 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: Gerard Racing Cooper | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 | DNF | 0 | 0 | NC |
Stats by Constructor
| Constructor | Years | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Privateer: Gerard Racing Cooper | 1965 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 | DNF | 0 | 0 |
Teammates & Qualifying Head-to-Head
| Teammate | Years | Races | Qualifying H2H |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Rollinson | 1965 | 1 | – |
