David Piper (racing driver)
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 Piper in 2011 | |
| Born | 2 December 1930 Edgware, Middlesex, England |
|---|---|
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  British |
| Active years | 1959–1960 |
| Teams | non-works Lotus |
| Entries | 3 (2 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1959 British Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1960 British Grand Prix |
David Ruff Piper (born 2 December 1930)[1] is a British former Formula One and sports car racing driver from England. He participated in 3 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1959.
Early career and Formula One
Piper was born in Edgware, Middlesex[1] and began his career in the mid-1950s by competing in sprints and hill-climbs, before beginning circuit racing with a Lotus Eleven.[2] He then moved up to a Lotus 16 which he used in 1959 and 1960 to compete in both Formula One and Formula Two,[2] by means of changing engines as appropriate.[2] His best result with the car was a second place in the Lady Wigram Trophy, in 1960, behind Jack Brabham in a Cooper.[2]
In 1961, Piper competed in European Formula Junior alongside Jo Siffert but drove the Gilby F1 car in the Gold Cup.[2] He also competed in non-championship races in 1962, but had become disenchanted with single-seater racing and moved into sports car racing initially with a Ferrari 250 GTO.[2]
Later career
Between 1962 and 1970, Piper raced frequently in many locations worldwide using his personally owned Ferraris and, later, Porsches. He was moderately successful and gained a reputation for reliability and consistency.[2]
Piper's personal sport cars of the period are typically painted in bright green, originally from his BP sponsor which replaced Esso after the Suez Crisis; eventually Piper liked the color and made it his own, having never liked the classic British racing green.[3]
Piper crashed a Porsche 917 during the 1970 shooting of the film Le Mans and lost part of one leg.[4]
Piper later raced his personal, green, Porsche 917 and other cars in historic events.[2]
