Ken Downing

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English {{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters | check | ignoreblank = y | unknown = Template:Main other | preview = Page using Template:Infobox F1 driver with unknown parameter "_VALUE_" | embed | child | subbox | name | Name | image | Image | image_size | upright | image_upright | alt | caption | birth_name | birth_date | birth_place | death_date | death_place | relations | relatives | nationality | Nationality | years | Years | teams | Teams | Team(s) | team | Team | engines | Engines | current_team | current team | Current team | 2025 Team | 2026 Team | car_number | car number | Car number | races | Races | championships | Championships | wins | Wins | podiums | Podiums | points | Points | poles | Poles | fastest_laps | fastest laps | Fastest laps | first_race | first race | First race | first_win | first win | First win | last_win | last win | Last win | last_race | last race | Last race | last_position | last position | Last position | last_season | last season | Last season | bf1_years | bf1 years | BF1 Years | bf1_races | bf1 races | BF1 Races | bf1_championships | bf1 championships | BF1 Championships | bf1_wins | bf1 wins | BF1 Wins | bf1_podiums | bf1 podiums | BF1 Podiums | bf1_points | bf1 points | BF1 Points | bf1_poles | bf1 poles | BF1 Poles | bf1_fastest_laps | bf1 fastest laps | BF1 Fastest laps | signature | signature_size | signature alt | signature_alt | website | module | module1 | module2 | module3 | module4 | module5 | record template1 | record template2 | record template3 | record template4 | record template5 | career template1 | career template2 | career template3 | career template4 | career template5 | updated | Updated }} Kenneth Henry Downing (5 December 1917 – 3 May 2004) was a British racing driver. From a wealthy family connected to G.H. Downing & Co., he began racing as a privateer in the late 1940s, and with Connaught in 1951, winning 17 races throughout the year.<ref name="KD Stats">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="KD profile">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He then competed in the 1952 Formula One championship.

Downing switched to single seaters in 1952, racing a Connaught A-Type, and won the Madgwick Cup at Goodwood and second place at the Grand Prix des Frontières at Chimay, where he lost the lead at the end of the race several metres before the finish line.<ref name="KD ESPN">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He finished ninth in the Template:F1 GP at Silverstone, but had run fourth in the race before spinning while avoiding a backmarker.<ref name="KD profile" /> He competed in the Template:F1 gp later that year, but retired from an oil-pressure problem.<ref name="KD ESPN" /> He switched to an Aston Martin DB3 for 1953, but decided to retire from racing soon after.<ref name="KD Stats" />

Downing emigrated to South Africa in the 1950s and was involved in mining sea diamonds with De Beers. He later lived in Monaco where he died in 2004.<ref name="KD profile" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

His nephews, Ian and David Strickland-Skailes, were also noted racing drivers with the former having entered in the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans.<ref name=":0" />

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	WDC	Points
1952	Connaught Engineering	Connaught Type A	Lea-Francis	SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR Template:Small	GER	NED	ITA	NC	0
	Kenneth Downing			SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	NED Template:Small	ITA
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External links

• From Connaughts to Sea Diamonds – Ken Downing, F1 Grand Prix Drivers Club