Robin Michael Widdows is a British former racing driver whose career uniquely combined top-level motorsport with Olympic competition. Active across Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Three, endurance racing, and even bobsleigh, Widdows built a reputation as one of Britain’s most versatile sporting figures of the 1960s.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | British |
| Birthplace | Cowley, England, UK |
| Born | 27 May 1942 |
| First Grand Prix | 1968 British Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1968 British Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1968 |
| Current/Last Team | Cooper |
Racing career
Widdows began his racing journey in modest machinery, competing in an MG Midget and later a Lotus 23. His talent quickly became apparent, and in 1965 he captured the Autosport Class C Championship.
The following year, he stepped into Formula Three before progressing to Formula Two in 1967 with a Brabham BT23. That season brought one of his most significant victories when he won the Rhine Cup at Hockenheimring.
In 1968, Widdows joined The Chequered Flag to drive a McLaren M4A and also made his lone Formula One World Championship appearance. Racing for Cooper Car Company at the 1968 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, he retired with ignition trouble before reaching the finish.
Though brief, his Formula One appearance placed him among the elite drivers of his era.
Formula Two and sports cars
Following his Formula One outing, Widdows returned to Formula Two in 1969 with Bob Gerard’s team while also competing in sports car racing for Matra, including appearances at endurance events such as 24 Hours of Le Mans.
He continued in Formula Two during 1970 with a Brabham before stepping away from professional motorsport midway through the season.
Olympic athlete
Outside racing, Widdows achieved something remarkably rare: he competed in the Olympic Games as a bobsledder, representing Great Britain in both 1964 and 1968.
This places him in an exclusive group of just a handful of athletes to have competed in both a Formula One World Championship race and the Olympics.
Speed beyond the racetrack
Widdows also made his mark on the legendary Cresta Run in Switzerland. On 17 January 1965, he became the fastest Englishman to complete the famous course from Junction, recording a time of 44.14 seconds in the Harjes Cartier Silver Chip handicap race.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 1 |
| Race Starts | 1 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 18th |
| Best Race Finish | – |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Cooper | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | NC | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper | 1968 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | NC | 0 | 0 |
Teammates & Qualifying Head-to-Head
| Teammate | Years | Races | Qualifying H2H |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vic Elford | 1968 | 1 | – |
