Peter Ashdown

Template:Short description Template:For Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates {{#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 }} Peter Hawthorn Ashdown (born 16 October 1934 in Danbury, Essex)<ref name=chicane>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is a former motor racing driver. He drove in a single Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, racing a Cooper.

File:1956-08-26 Karlskoga WINNER Lotus IX Ashdown.jpg

Ashdown is celebrated after winning his class and being 3rd overall, at the Kanonloppet race at Karlskoga racetrack (Gelleråsen) on 26 August 1956 in his Lotus Mark IX license "KH9". On his return he drove this tiny car back to the UK, but had an accident from which this car was not to be repaired.<ref name="forgotten">Forgotten F1 Drivers, Peter Ashdown, last accessed on 26 February 2023.</ref>

Ashdown had trained as a vehicle mechanic, and had been a few years in the Royal Air Force when he started racing. First seen in a Dellow with a Ford 10 engine,<ref name="forgotten"/> he continued around 1955 to race in a Lotus Mark IX as a privateer, not being part of any particular racing team.<ref name="motorsport magazine">Peter Ashdown, Motorsport Magazine, last accessed on 26 February 2023.</ref>

Prior to Formula One, he was one of the leaders of the British Formula Junior scene, but an accident at Rouen-Les-Essarts in 1958, in which he broke his collarbone, considerably hampered his career.<ref name=autocourse>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He continued racing, and competed in a Formula Two (F2) Cooper-Climax entered by Alan Brown at the 1959 British Grand Prix at Aintree. He finished in 12th position, third of the F2 cars and six laps down.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

From there he drove a Formula Junior Lola and many small-engined sports cars, winning his class in the 1960 and 1962 1000km of Nürburgring. On the latter occasion at the Nordschleife, he and the co-driver Bruce Johnstone scored the debut win for Lotus 23 in the 1L Sportscar class with a 997cc Cosworth Mk.III as a semi-works entry (Ian Walker Racing), while the other semi-works (Essex Racing Stable) Lotus 23 of Jim Clark crashed on lap 12 of the 44 lap race.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

He retired in 1962 and focused his efforts on a Vauxhall dealership in Essex.<ref name="motorsport magazine"/>

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	WDC	Points
1959	Equipe Alan Brown	Cooper T45 (F2)	Climax Straight-4	MON	500	NED	FRA	GBR Template:Small	GER	POR	ITA	USA	NC	0
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References

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