Colin Charles Houghton Davis (29 July 1933 – 19 December 2012) was a British racing driver from England, who won the 1964 Targa Florio.
Early life Davis was born in Marylebone, London, the son of "Bentley Boy" and Le Mans winner, Sammy Davis (who later became Autocar magazine's sports editor).
Davis was educated at Stowe School in the late 1930s.
Davis was an advertising executive who raced a 500cc Formula 3 Cooper before moving to Italy from where he conducted his own racing career.
Racing career Davis competed in two World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, finishing 11th in the 1959 Italian Grand Prix in a Scuderia Centro Sud Cooper-Maserati.Motor Sport, October 1959, Pages 745-746. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.
Davis finished eighth overall and a class winner in the 1960 Nürburgring 1000km, sharing a Ferrari 250GT with Carlo Abate.Motor Sport, July 1960, Pages 534-535. In the same race the following year, he finished fourth overall, again with Abate, in a Ferrari 250GT.Motor Sport, July 1961, Pages 575-576, 578, 580. Also in 1961, Davis finished fifth in the 4-Hours of Pescara, driving solo in a 1,600 c.c. Osca Sport.Motor Sport, September 1961, Pages 739-740. He shared the winning Porsche 904 GTS in the 1964 Targa Florio with Antonio Pucci.Motor Sport, June 1964, Pages 453, 456.
Later life After Davis retired from racing, he emigrated to Cape Town and worked as a radio broadcaster. He died on 19 December 2012 after a long illness.
Racing record Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 WDC Points 1959 Scuderia Centro Sud Cooper T51 Maserati MON 500 NED FRA GBR GER POR ITA USA NC 0
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1958 Automobili OSCA Alejandro de Tomaso O.S.C.A. 750SS750252 10th 1st 1959 A. de Tomaso(private entrant) Alejandro de Tomaso D.B. HBR-5 SpyderGT75063DNF(Gearbox) 1961 Automobili OSCA Jean Laroche O.S.C.A. Sport 750S85085DNF(Overheating) 1962 Scuderia SSS Republica di Venezia Carlo Maria Abate Ferrari 250 GT DrogoE3.030DNF(Prop shaft) 1964 Porsche System Engineering Gerhard Mitter Porsche 904/8P2.0244DNF(Clutch) 1965 Porsche System Engineering Gerhard Mitter Porsche 904/8P2.020DNF(Clutch) 1966 Porsche System Engineering Jo Siffert Porsche 906/6 LHP2.0339 4th 1st
Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1962 Scuderia SSS Republica di Venezia Fernand Tavano Ferrari 250 GTGT3.0119DNF(Engine)
See also 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans O.S.C.A. S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis
References
Profile at grandprix.com
External links Colin Davis profile at The 500 Owners Association