Born in April 1940, Mike Hailwood was often referred to as the greatest racing motorcyclist of all time.   He joined Pangbourne in 1954 and it’s fair to say found that the College routines and strict discipline were not for him although in later life he looked on time at Pangbourne with a more favourable eye and credited his time here with instilling in him resilience and the will to win.  He began his motorsport career with a in motorcycle racing before going on to drive Formula one cars for Maclaren amongst others, competing in fifty Grand Prix’s. 

During this period he was awarded the George Medal for bravery for pulling fellow racing driver Clay Regazzoni from his burning car during the South African Grand Prix.  It was only after suffering leg injuries in a serious crash at the Nurnberg ring that he decided to return to his first love, motorcycles.

The return to motorcycle racing saw Mike back in his comfort zone and during his twenty two year career in motorsport he won fourteen TT races, seventy six Grand Prix’s and became World Champion a staggering ten times.  Further accolades included the MBE for services to motorcycle racing which was awarded to him in 1968.

Despite a life lived dicing with death on the race circuit Mike Hailwood was sadly killed in a car accident near his home in 1981.  He was just forty years old.