Chris Amon 1943-2016

[Earley Motorsports]

Chris Amon MBE 1943 – 2016 (New Zealand)
The Amon family regret to advise that Chris passed away on the morning of August the 3rd in Rotorua Hospital. Chris had celebrated his 73rd birthday a fortnight prior to his passing.
This year marked the fiftieth anniversary of the victory for Chris and Bruce McLaren at Le Mans when the Kiwi duo won the famous 24 hour race in a Ford GT40. That victory did not go unnoticed at Ferrari and for 1967 Chris was signed to the famous Italian marque. He remained for three seasons during which he won the Daytona 24 hour race, the 1000km of Monza, the New Zealand Grand Prix twice, and the Tasman Championship in 1969; however consistent car breakages with their Grand Prix cars caused him to reluctantly quit at the end of that year.
Having established himself as one of the very best drivers in the world, he went on to drive for March and Matra in Formula 1, and for BMW in the European Touring Car Championship. He retired from Formula 1 in 1976, and from all motor racing in 1977 when he returned to New Zealand. He married Tish and went back farming. While motor racing was never forgotten, it went on the backburner as he settled back into life in New Zealand after 15 years away. They were soon joined by daughter Georgie followed by twins James and Alex.
For many years Chris has been a consultant to Toyota and the winner of the Toyota Racing Series receives the Chris Amon Trophy. Chris Amon was widely regarded internationally as not only the best driver never to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix, but one of the best drivers never to be crowned world champion. Chris was awarded an MBE for his services to motorsport in 1993, and was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
Chris battled cancer in recent years but retained not only a close interest in Formula 1 – and his very wide range of favourite topics - but also his wonderful sense of humour complete with infectious chuckle.

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[SEComposites]

Thanks for posting. The front cover of this months Motorsport Magazine has a photo of James Garner in 'Grand Prix' wearing of course Amons helmet. Actual race footage being spliced into the movie so the characters matched.

[provamo]

this is just too SAD news

read his biography"Forza Amon!" by Eoin Young

[Chris Robson]

Very sad day indeed. I met him as a "wee lad" at Bridgehampton in '69. Somewhere I have a photo of me standing in front of his Ferrari 612 Can-Am car. As I was posing, Amon strolled by and suggested that the photo might be better if I sat in the car! I was even bold enough to to mention that I was named after him (true) as he assisted in to the car. My father tells me Chris found this quite amusing...

Thoughts and Prayers to Chris' family

[SEComposites]

this is just too SAD news

read his biography"Forza Amon!" by Eoin Young

Eion Young passed away recently too.

[problemchild]

I was not old enough to appreciate his driving, but he was my favorite driver when I heard him driving the 12 cylinder Matra F1 car at Mosport. The sound of him winding it out over the hills and through the fog still seems vivid 40+ years later.

http://www.racer.com/f1/item/132776-...1972-french-gp

[Earley Motorsports]

I remember watching him and all the greats running in the Tasman Series way back in the 60's at Teretonga (Southern most racetrack in the world). My dad was over the what is now called the EMTs at the track. They all partied together at the functions. A great guy.

[John Merriman]

I saw Amon in the Ferrari in 1971 at The Glen. Those were the glory days of F1 racing and even thinking about that weekend brings back so many memories. Of course back then you get go into the garage at any time of the night when the mechanics were working on the cars The garage pass was all of $5 !! and the cars were 10' from the 4' high railing/fence!

Anyone really interested in Chris's career and in what the whole F1 circus was like back then should get a copy of the superb book

1967 Chris Amon - Scuderia Ferrari and a year of living dangerously by John Julian

It covers his time in F1 in great detail but it also captures the spirit of the sport and provides a great overview of all the other driver, how the teams functioned, etc. Well worth it!

[rickb99]

Yesterday at home in New Zealand.

He survived the era when it wasn't easy to die of natural causes in F1 racing from 1963 to 1976. He participated in 96 F1 races and had 11 podiums but never won a race. Jackie Stewart said he was the most natural and skillful drivers he'd ever seen. Mario Andretti said, Chris's luck was so bad, if he had become an Undertaker people would give up dying

Amon is probably most famous for winning the 1966 Le Mans race with Bruce McLaren in the Ford GT-40. After moving from Ferrari to March, Amon also raced with Matra, Tecno, Tyrrell, BRM, Ensign and Williams over the remaining years of his F1 career.

Although doing 96 F1 events. Chris was better known for his sports car adventures. His major successes included the Silverstone International Trophy, the 1000km Monza and the Daytona 24 hours race.

[jaweakley]

I mimic'ed my first helmet after his famous design.... he was a hero to me during my brief racing career in the 70's.

[Offcamber1]

To do the Amon helmet trick. Two rolls of tape, one red, one blue, and bingo! 2 seconds a lap faster!

With the exception of Surtees, all my heros are gone.

[Phil Creighton]

Roger Bailey spoke with him a week or so before he died and he was hoping to make Pebble Beach as a guest of Ford. He was too ill to make Lemans. Roger was his mechanic back in the day when Chris won the Tasman Series in a Ferrari 246 Dino F2 car. One of the last links to a different era
Phil

[John Merriman]

All you Vee drivers out there, take heart. Chris - car number 9 front and center - bested 32 other drivers in Nassau 1965 beating the likes of Bruce McLaren and Bob Bondurant. The field was to have included one AJ Foyt but - the SportsCar Graphic writer reported - AJ couldn't fit into the car! Amon took home $4000 for the win, his best prize money to date!

[jaweakley]

I grew up in the 50's and 60's and he was one of my favorites, him and Jimmy Clark. RIP Chris.