Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood (2 April 1940 – 23 March 1981) was a British racing driver and motorcycle road racer, who competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from to , and Formula One between and . Nicknamed "the Bike", Hailwood was a nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion, with four titles in the premier 500cc class with MV Agusta, and won 76 motorcycle Grands Prix across 10 seasons.
Hailwood's rivalry with Giacomo Agostini early in his career dominated Grand Prix motorcycle racing in the 1960s and culminated in their dramatic duel for the 1967 World Championship. Hailwood took 14 victories at the Isle of Man TT. After his motorcycle racing career concluded, he went on to compete in Formula One and other classes of car racing, becoming one of the few men to compete at Grand Prix level in both motorcycle and car racing. He returned to motorcycle racing at the age of 38, taking victory at the 1978 Isle of Man TT.
Hailwood died in 1981 following a road traffic collision in Warwickshire, England.
Early life Hailwood was born at Langsmeade House, Great Milton in Oxfordshire, the only son and elder child of Stanley William Bailey Hailwood, a millionaire businessman and managing director of a motorcar sales company as well as a successful motorcycle dealer who had raced motorcycles in the pre-World War II era. Hailwood had a comfortable upbringing; he learned to ride at a young age on a minibike as a small boy in a field near his home. He was educated at Purton Stoke Preparatory School, Kintbury, and Pangbourne Nautical College where he wore an RN cadet uniform, but left early and worked for a short time in the family business before his father sent him to work at Triumph motorcycles.
Motorcycle racing career Hailwood saw his first race at the age of ten with his father, and first spectated at the Isle of Man TT races in 1956.Motorcycle News, The First Ten Years Anniversary Supplement, March 1966, pp. 6 & 12. Retrieved 25 April 2014
Hailwood's first raced on 22 April 1957, at Oulton Park, finishing in 11th place. In 1958 he won ACU Stars at 125 cc, 250 cc, and 350 cc classes, earning him the Pinhard Prize, an accolade awarded yearly to a young motorcyclist under 21, who is adjudged to have made the most meritorious achievement in motorcycle sport during the preceding year. He teamed with Dan Shorey to win the Thruxton 500 endurance race and finished in four classes of TT race with one podium.
By 1961, Hailwood was racing for up-and-coming Japanese factory Honda. In June 1961, he became the first man in the history of the Isle of Man TT to win three races in one week when he won in the 125 cc, 250 cc and 500 cc categories. He lost the chance at winning a fourth race when his 350 AJS failed with a broken gudgeon pin whilst leading. Riding a four-stroke, four-cylinder 250 cc Honda RC162, Hailwood won the 1961 250cc world championship.
In 1962, Hailwood signed with MV Agusta and went on to become the first rider to win four consecutive 500cc World Championships.
In February 1964 during preparations for the US Grand Prix, Hailwood set a new one-hour speed record on the MV 500 cc recording an average speed of on the oval-shaped, banked speed-bowl at the Daytona circuit. The previous record of was set by Bob McIntyre on a 350 cc Gilera at Monza in 1957. Hailwood then went on to win the GP race, which carried World Championship points, in the afternoon of the same day.Carrick, Peter Motor Cycle Racing Hamlyn Publishing, 1969, p. 95/96 A day at Daytona Accessed 23 March 2014
During 1965, Hailwood entered selected UK events riding for the Tom Kirby Team. In heavy rain, Hailwood won the 1965 Hutchinson 100 Production race at the Silverstone circuit on a BSA Lightning Clubman entered by dealer Tom Kirby, beating the Triumph Bonnevilles entered by Syd Lawton.Motor Cycle, 19 August 1965. p. 2a BSA Triumph factory full-page advert. "BSA win Hutchinson '100' production machine class. !st. Mike Hailwood, BSA Lightning (Entered by T.W Kirby Ltd), 2nd Phil Read Triumph Bonneville, 3rd Percy Tait (Entered by Lawton and Wilson Ltd)." Accessed 30 March 2014 The 'Hutch' was a main production race of the season along with the Thruxton 500, so it was very important for manufacturers to establish the racing potential of their recent models. As this was production-based racing open to all entrants, 'official' works teams were ineligible; instead, machines were prepared and entered through well-established factory dealers. BSA Lightning Clubmans were ridden by Hailwood (carrying number 1 on the fairing) and factory rider Tony Smith, whilst Triumph Bonnevilles were ridden by World Champion Phil Read and works employee Percy Tait. Conditions were poor and Smith retired from the race at slippery Stowe Corner. Hailwood lapped at to establish his winning lead.Motor Cycle, 19 August 1965. p. 242/244. Hutchinson '100' race report Accessed 30 March 2014
After his successes with MV Agusta, Hailwood went back to Honda and won four more world titles in 1966 and 1967 in the 250 cc and 350 cc categories. At the 'Motor Cycle' 500 race at Brands Hatch in 1966, Hailwood demonstrated a Honda CB450 Black Bomber fitted with a sports fairing.Motor Cycle, 7 July 1966. p. 22/23 Scratcher's Marathon. Motor Cycle's 500—mile race. "A plane was specially chartered to fly riders back from the previous day's Dutch Grand Prix. One who took advantage of this was Mike Hailwood and here [pictured] he brakes as he completes demonstration laps on a Honda CB450 before racing begins" Accessed 1 April 2014 It was unable to compete in the 500cc category, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) deeming that it was not classified as a production machine as it had two overhead camshafts.Motor Cycle, 19 May 1966, p. 664 Racing Line by David Dixon. "The Honda CB450 is not yet regarded as a 'production' machine...the CSI decided not to change the rules—under which machines with two overhead camshafts are barred—as it would be 'unfair to make a chance in mid season'.". Accessed 1 April 2014
Hailwood enjoyed great success at the Isle of Man TT. By 1967, he had won 12 times on the island mountain course. He won what many historians consider to be the most dramatic Isle of Man race of all time, the 1967 Senior TT against his great rival, Giacomo Agostini.50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix (1st edition). Hazelton Publishing Ltd, 1999. In that race he set a lap record of on the Honda RC181, that stood for the next eight years.
After suffering breakdowns in 1967, Hailwood had intended to re-sign for Honda provided the 1968 machinery was to his satisfaction, and had relocated to South Africa where he started a building business with former motorcycle Grand Prix rider Frank Perris, completing their first house in October 1967, also selling one to ex-racer Jim Redman. Hailwood stated to Motorcycle Mechanics that even without suitable machinery from Honda he would not go elsewhere, preferring to retire prematurely and he would in any case finish at the end of the 1968 season.Motorcycle Mechanics, February 1968, p. 23/25. Mike Hailwood Talks! 20 Questions: Interview with Mike Hailwood by Brian Smith. Accessed 15 March 2014
For 1968, Honda pulled out of Grand Prix racing, but paid Hailwood £50,000 (equivalent to over £870,000 at 2020 value) not to ride for another team, in expectation of keeping him as its rider upon return to competition.Goodwin, C. 1999. Untouchable... Unforgettable... Mike Hailwood. Motor Sport. LXXV/6, 86-93
Hailwood continued to ride Hondas during 1968 and 1969 in selected race meetings without World Championship status including European events in the Temporada Romagnola (Adriatic Season of street-circuits), sometimes wearing an unfamiliar plain-silver helmet, including on a 500 cc engined machine which used frames privately commissioned by Hailwood.Motor Cyclist Illustrated, May 1968 p. 12 Rimini race report by Carlo Perelli, 350 cc 1st M. Hailwood, Honda. 500 cc 1st G. Agostini, MV Agusta, 2nd M. Hailwood, HRS and p. 50 Cesenatico race report, 500 cc, 1st G. Agostini, MV Agusta, 2nd M. Hailwood, Honda Special. Accessed 5 April 2014Motorcycle Mechanics, October 1969, p. 24. Full Chat by John Day. "Mike Hailwood was sure to receive all kinds of tempting offers to keep him in motorcycle racing, and from the fabulous levels to which these rose, even he can be forgiven for weakening and donning his leathers for a final fling. Seemingly the offers Mike received to race in Italy were just about the highest ever offered in motorcycle racing, amounting to several thousand pounds. The Italian promoters appreciated that Mike stopped racing mainly because of the lack of good machinery. So with this in mind, their hope was to lure him back with the aid of Benelli or Morini. They didn't reckon on him turning up at Riccione with a Honda!" Accessed 11 April 2014
Hailwood also appeared in selected UK events, in 1968 appearing in the post-TT race at Mallory Park on a Honda,Hailwood at Mallory Park startline, Classicbikersclub.com, Retrieved 5 April 2014 and in 1969, he participated in the Mallory Park Race of the Year riding a SeeleyHailwood at 1969 Race of the Year, Vintagebike.co.uk, Retrieved 5 April 2014
Hailwood had already started to race cars and with no other factory racing teams available to compete against MV Agusta,Motorcycle Mechanics, December 1970, p. 20. Full Chat by Charlie Rous. "Hailwood & Hannah. Mike Hailwood has said that if a bike can be produced to beat the MV he wants to be on it! From this, he has indicated his interest in the plan of Liverpool dealer Bill Hannah to sponsor a new three-cyclinder world challenger within his Hannah-Paton team." Accessed 10 May 2014 Hailwood decided to pursue a career in car racing, placing third in the 1969 Le Mans 24-Hour race in France as a co-driver of a Ford GT40 with David Hobbs.Motorcycle Mechanics, February 1968, p. 23/25. Mike Hailwood Talks! 20 Questions: Interview with Mike Hailwood by Brian Smith. "Q: You've always raced in a conventional style helmet. Have you tried the 'jet' style? A: Yes, and I found that the wind tended to get in the sides and this was uncomfortable. I wear one for car racing because it definitely gives better protection." Accessed 19 March 2014
In 1970, Hailwood was again lured back into bike racing, this time by the BSA team riding a Rocket 3 at the Daytona 200 race in Florida, part of a strong BSA/Triumph team. Whilst placed at the head of the field the machine soon failed due to overheating. Hailwood again rode for BSA at the 1971 Daytona race, qualifying on the front row. He led the race but again broke down.Superbike Planet Retrieved 4 November 2014 Hailwood's son David completed a demonstration lap of the Isle of Man TT course on 3 June 2002, riding his father's Daytona 1971 BSA Rocket 3 carrying large letters 'H' instead of a race number. He crashed at low speed when waving to the spectators at Governor's Bridge, a tight hairpin bend close to the end of the 37-mile course.Classic Bike, August 2002, p. 9 Lap of Honour slip for Hailwood's son Accessed and added 4 November 2014
Car racing career During his car racing career, Hailwood raced in Formula One and World Sports Cars, but never achieved the same level of success that he had found on motorcycles. He participated in 50 Formula One Grands Prix, starting with an early phase between 1963 and 1965, debuting in the British Grand Prix on 20 July 1963, achieving two podium finishes and scoring a total of 29 championship points.
Hailwood entered the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona as co-driver to Innes Ireland using a Ferrari, but Ireland broke down with gearbox problems after hours, before Hailwood was scheduled to participate."Hailwood home". Motorcycle News, 16 February 1966, p.1. Accessed 20 April 2024