Culture – Motorcycle video: happy birthday John Surtees! –

Motorcycle video: happy birthday John Surtees !

Culture - Motorcycle video: happy birthday John Surtees! -

John Surtees is celebrating his 82 birthday today! To celebrate the birthday of the oldest of the champions of Grand Prix Moto and Formula One, Site relays an admirable documentary broadcast last year on the British channel BBC. Happy birthday !

After winning his first GP 500 title in 1956 (three races, three wins!), John Surtees dominated the 350 and 500 categories for three seasons (1958, 1959 and 1960), grabbing 35 podiums in as many races contested, 32 wins and 32 lap records !

From 1960, the motorcycle champion rode his MV Agusta some weekends and others a Lotus, starting a transfer to Formula One which will be crowned with a title obtained in 1964 on Ferrari. In this discipline, in 113 starts, Surtees climbed on 24 podiums, climbed the highest market six times, signed 8 pole positions and 11 lap records.

It’s about this incredible career – or rather, these two careers! – that Paul Hollywood (a cook / TV presenter / mechanical fan!) returns in an episode of the captivating documentary series "Racing Legends".

Beyond this avalanche of victories, these memorable titles and this doubled history – which the god Valentino Rossi himself did not even attempt! -, the video portrays an excessively endearing man, with a strong character however, since he will not hesitate to slam the door in Ferrari’s face in the middle of the 1966 season !

His passion for motorsports has never been altered, not even when his young son Henry lost his life at the age of 18, during a race in F2 in 2009. On the contrary, he created in his memory a foundation with the aim of improving the care of accident victims. Headphones low, Monsieur Surtees, and "Happy Birthday" !

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