Christopher Adrian Craft (17 November 1939 – 20 February 2021) was a British racing driver who competed in many different forms of motor sport.
Biography Craft was born in Porthleven, Cornwall and began his career in 1962, with a Ford Anglia and became recognised as a leading saloon car racer, particularly with the Team Broadspeed Escort which he campaigned from 1968 to 1970. Having also previously driven a Tecno in Formula Three, he moved to sports cars from 1968, initially with a Chevron and then joined forces with Alain de Cadenet to drive his Porsche 908 and McLaren M8C.
It was this association that led to his participation in two World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, in 1971, driving a Brabham BT33 prepared by Cadenet's team Ecurie Evergreen, but he failed to score a championship point. He did not qualify for his first World Championship race (the 1971 Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park) but would have been able to start the race following the withdrawal of two other drivers due to accidents in the raceday warm-up sessions. However, his own car suffered engine trouble, denying him the opportunity. His second Grand Prix, at Watkins Glen ended with a suspension failure and tyre problems during the race.
Craft continued to compete in many other forms of motor racing, including saloon cars, notably with a Ford Capri; sports cars, including a period with the Dome team in the early 1980s; Formula 3 and Formula 5000. Craft won the 1973 European Sportscar Championship in a Lola T92. One of the highlights of his career was a third-place finish in the 1976 24 Hours of Le Mans.
After his race career, Craft started the Light Car Company with F1 designer Gordon Murray to build the Light Car Company Rocket.
Racing record
Complete British Saloon Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pts Class 1964 Chris Craft Ford Cortina Lotus SNE? GOORet OUL? AIN7 SILRet CRY4† BRH OUL 27th 2 11th Superspeed Conversions Ltd. Ford Anglia Super CRY6† BRHDSQ OULRet NC 1965 R. Trustham Ford Anglia Super BRHDSQ OUL SNE GOO SIL? CRY3† BRHDNS OUL8 25th 6 9th 1966 Superspeed Conversions Ltd. Ford Anglia Super SNE6 GOO6 SILRet CRYRet† BRHRet BRHRet OUL1† BRHRet 8th 24 3rd 1967 Superspeed Conversions Ltd. Ford Anglia Super BRH SNE SIL SIL MAL SIL SILRet BRHRet OULRet† BRHRet NC 0 NC 1968 Team Broadspeed Ford Anglia BRHRet THR5 SIL10 CRYRet† MALRet† 8th 38 4th Ford Escort 1300 GT BRH12 SIL10 CRORet OUL9 BRH BRH7 5th 1969 Team Broadspeed Ford Escort 1300 GT BRHRet SILRet SNE8 THR4 SIL3 CRY2† MAL2† CRO12 SIL5 OUL7 BRH6 BRH7 2nd 67 1st 1970 Team Broadspeed Ford Escort TC BRH2 SNE4 THRRet SIL4 CRY3† SIL4 SIL26 CRO3 BRH11 OUL5 BRH3 BRH 5th 60 1st 1974 Wisharts Garages Ford Capri 3000 GT MAL BRH SIL OUL THR SIL THR BRH ING BRH OUL SNE? 29th 7 8th Shellsport Triumph Dolomite Sprint BRH9 12th 1975 Wisharts Garages Ford Capri 3000 GT MAL BRH OUL THR11 SIL BRH THR SIL MAL SNE SIL INGRet† BRH?† OUL5 BRH 23rd 16 7th 1976 Tricentrol / Hammonds Sauce Group Ford Capri II 3.0s BRH2 SILDSQ OUL THR3 THR3 SILDNS BRH4 MAL2† SNE4† BRHRet 10th 28 3rd 1977 Hammonds Sauce Group Ford Capri II 3.0s SILRet BRHDNS OUL3† THR6 SIL4 THR1 DON SIL2 DON2† BRH THR3 BRH2 8th 24 2nd 1978 Gordon Spice Group Ford Capri III 3.0s SILRet OUL3† THRRet BRHRet† SIL2† DON1† MAL4† BRH4 DON4† BRH5 THR2 OULRet† 10th 40 3rd 1979 Gordon Spice Racing Ford Capri III 3.0s SIL2 OUL3† THR16 SIL5 DON3 SIL2 MAL?† DON3 BRH2 THR? SNE OUL 10th 40 3rd † Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.
Complete Formula One results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WDC Points 1971 Ecurie Evergreen Brabham BT33 Cosworth V8 RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA NC 0
References
External links
Profile at www.grandprix.com