Ron Flockhart was a British racing driver best known for his success in endurance racing and his appearances in Formula One. He competed in 14 World Championship Grands Prix, achieving a best finish of third place, and is particularly remembered for winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans twice.
Flockhart began his racing career in 1951, driving a JP Formula 3 car. He later acquired the well-known ERA R4D from Raymond Mays and enjoyed a strong 1953 season. That year, he notably defeated a works BRM entry at Goodwood Circuit and secured podium finishes at circuits including Charterhall, Snetterton, and Crystal Palace, alongside several hill climb victories.
His best Formula One World Championship result came at the 1956 Italian Grand Prix, where he finished third driving a Connaught Type B. In 1959, at the wheel of a BRM P25, he won the Lady Wigram Trophy and delivered a dominant performance at the Silver City Trophy, taking pole position, fastest lap, and victory in the non-championship event.
Flockhart achieved his greatest successes in endurance racing with Ecurie Ecosse. He won the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside Ninian Sanderson in a Jaguar D-type. He repeated the feat in 1957 with Ivor Bueb, setting a new distance record of 2,732.8 miles (4,398.0 km).
Record flight attempts and death
In the early 1960s, Flockhart became involved in an ambitious aviation project backed by the United Dominions Trust, which aimed to break the record for the fastest flight between Sydney and London to promote its UDT Laystall racing team. For this purpose, a Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation-built Mustang fighter aircraft was acquired in Australia.
Flockhart set out from Sydney on 28 February 1961, but after delays caused by poor weather, he was forced to abandon the attempt in Athens due to engine trouble. A second attempt was planned using another Mustang aircraft.
Tragically, on 12 April 1962, while undertaking a test flight in preparation for the renewed record attempt, Flockhart crashed in poor weather near Kallista and was killed.
