We are all saddened to hear of the passing of John Surtees, the only person to win both Motorcycling and Formula 1 world championships. At the young age of 83 John died at St George's Hospital, Tooting, on the 10th March 2017 after being treated for a respiratory condition.
John Surtees was a gifted and versatile racer, and his loss is a loss to motorcycling as a whole. Although more famous for riding MV Agustas, he started racing on his own back in 1950 (he was his father's passenger in sidecar racing in 1949) using a modified Triumph Tiger 70.
John bought his first Triumph from Harold Daniell (a TT rider) who had a shop just up the road from Forest Hill. The 250cc Triumph was made into a racer and campaigned hard until it threw a conrod at Abbey Curve in Silverstone.
John's father John Senior (known as Jack) owned a motorcycle shop in Shirley in Croydon, then later in Forest Hill. In 1958, John (junior) opened a Triumph dealership in West Wickham in Kent (4 Bell Parade) and was a regular advertiser in the Club Magazine (Nacelle) from 1959 into the 60's.
The world has lost a truly magnificent racer.
