Editing Eric Brandon

{{short description|British racing driver (1920–1982)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox F1 driver
| name          = Eric Brandon
| nationality   = {{flagicon|GBR}} British
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1920|7|18|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[East Ham]], [[Essex]], England, UK
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1982|8|8|1920|7|18|df=y}}
| death_place   = [[Gosport]], [[Hampshire]], England, UK
| Years         = {{F1|1952}}, {{F1|1954}}
| Team(s)       = non-works [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]]
| Races         = 5
| Championships = 0
| Wins          = 0
| Podiums       = 0
| Points        = 0
| Poles         = 0
| Fastest laps  = 0
| First race    = [[1952 Swiss Grand Prix]]
| First win     = 
| Last win      = 
| Last race     = [[1954 British Grand Prix]]
}}
'''Eric Brandon''' (18 July 1920 in [[East Ham]], [[Essex]] – 8 August 1982 in [[Gosport]], [[Hampshire]]) was a [[motor racing]] driver and businessman. He was closely associated with the [[Cooper Car Company]], and was instrumental in the early development of the company.

When he and his boyhood friend [[John Cooper (car maker)|John Cooper]] were released from military service after [[World War II]] they built two cars to the new National {{convert|500|cc|cuin|1|abbr=on}} regulations. Brandon, whose family business was electrical goods, had access to BTH magnetos for the [[JA Prestwich Industries Ltd|JAP]] engines, which Cooper's father Charlie then acquired. Brandon entered his Cooper in numerous [[Hillclimbing|hillclimbs]] and sprints and in 1947, at Gransden Lodge airfield, he won Britain's first-ever 500 cc circuit race.<ref name=brandon>[http://www.500race.org/Men/Brandon.htm Eric Brandon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070222153512/http://www.500race.org/Men/Brandon.htm |date=22 February 2007 }} ''500race.org'' Retrieved on 8 April 2008</ref> He also won the first [[Formula Three]] title, in 1951.<ref>[http://www.motorsportsetc.com/champs/gbr_f3.htm British F3 Champions] ''motorsportsetc.com'' Retrieved on 4 September 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070817211819/http://www.motorsportsetc.com/champs/gbr_f3.htm |date=17 August 2007 }}</ref>

Later in the 1950s Brandon entered five World Championship Grands Prix in larger, [[Formula Two]] [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]]-[[Bristol Cars|Bristols]], but failed to score any Championship points. For much of his career Brandon raced for the Ecurie Richmond team, which he formed with [[Alan Brown (racing driver)|Alan Brown]]. In 1955 he funded the construction of his own ''Halseylec'' sports car, named after his electrical supplies company. He continued to compete in cars until 1956, but had become increasingly involved in [[hydroplane racing]] and by 1957 had devoted himself entirely to this outlet for his competitive spirit.<ref name=brandon/>
{{-}}

==Complete Formula One World Championship results==
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]])
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! WDC
! Points
|-
| [[1952 Formula One season|1952]]
! Ecurie Richmond
! [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]] [[Cooper T20|T20]]
! [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] [[Straight-6]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1952 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br />{{small|8}}
| [[1952 Indianapolis 500|500]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1952 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br>{{small|9}}
| [[1952 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1952 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br>{{small|20}}
| [[1952 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1952 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1952 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|13}}
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| [[1954 Formula One season|1954]]
! Ecurie Richmond
! [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]] [[Cooper T23|T23]]
! [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] [[Straight-6]]
| [[1954 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]
| [[1954 Indianapolis 500|500]]
| [[1954 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1954 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1954 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br>{{small|Ret}}
| [[1954 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1954 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]
| [[1954 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1954 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]
! NC
! 0
|-
!colspan="15"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref>{{cite book|last=Small|first=Steve|title=The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who|date=1994|publisher=Guinness|page=80|isbn=0851127029}}</ref>}}}}
|}

==References==

<references/>

{{British F3 champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brandon, Eric}}
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:English Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:British motorboat racers]]
[[Category:English racing drivers]]
[[Category:British Formula Three Championship drivers]]
[[Category:People from East Ham]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from the London Borough of Newham]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Essex]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]