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#1 Derwent Motorsport

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 11:36

I saw the C4 programme "You can't get the staff", the other night and a Professor John Mew was featured in his mock medieval mansion with a mote. It said he had been a ssuccessful racer in the 50s-60s but the name did not ring a bell. However looking at his website site he has a detailed account of his racing up to non championship F1. Obviously quite a character as he also did ocean racing. he was a dentist and later a lecturer on the subject but did he have family money as well?

How good was he?



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#2 Allen Brown

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 12:13

For a few seasons in the mid-1960s he ran a Lotus 20 in libre with a 1.5-litre or 2-litre Climax in it.  He won a libre at Brands in September 1964 and another at Snetterton in August 1965 - and may have won many more.

 

Non-championship F1 is a hard category to define.  Any libre race that has a class for F1 cars could be described as non-championship F1 race.  Even running a car with an engine that could be used in F1 could meet that description. 



#3 Tim Murray

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 12:36

Here's the link to his racing history page:

http://castleweekend....uk/JohnMew.pdf

Looking at his F Junior results on Stefan Ornerdal's site he seems to have been fairly competitive in the more minor events, but a little outpaced when the really top contenders were around, probably as a result of inferior equipment.

Edited by Tim Murray, 06 November 2014 - 12:37.


#4 Barry Boor

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 12:38

I have the vaguest idea he once appeared at the Brands Christmas meeting as Sanity Clause, but you must remember, I am old and past it!

#5 pete53

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 12:43

Yes, I believe he dressed up as Santa at more than one Boxing Day meeting. Didn't he have a big shunt at Snetterton?



#6 Tim Murray

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 12:50

It's all in the link I posted above (including photos of 'Santa' and the Snetterton accident).  :)


Edited by Tim Murray, 06 November 2014 - 13:03.


#7 nicanary

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 13:42

I watched the programme, and the narrator claimed that he had broken the F1 lap record at Brands, which is repeated in the website linked above. I have no idea where this stands in the real world - was it perhaps the short circuit record?



#8 Barry Boor

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 13:53

So, the old memory still works!

#9 Vitesse2

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 15:06

I watched the programme, and the narrator claimed that he had broken the F1 lap record at Brands, which is repeated in the website linked above. I have no idea where this stands in the real world - was it perhaps the short circuit record?

In 1963, the official Club Circuit lap record for F1 was probably still the fastest lap in the 1956 BRSCC F1 Race: Archie Scott-Brown in 59.0 seconds.

 

This appears to be the race he's referring to - a BRSCC up to 1500cc Formule Libre: http://www.formula2.net/FJ63_GB4.htm Mew won one later in the year. So did Roy James.

 

But by that time the best FJs were lapping Brands in about 55 seconds, so 'breaking the F1 record' probably wasn't all that difficult with a decent 1500cc engine.



#10 opplock

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 16:25

I watched the programme, and the narrator claimed that he had broken the F1 lap record at Brands, which is repeated in the website linked above. I have no idea where this stands in the real world - was it perhaps the short circuit record?

 

Possibly on a par with my claim to fame - beating the F1 lap record at Castle Combe (pre chicanes) in a Caterham. If anyone asks I will admit that the F1 record was set in 1956 :lol:  



#11 Doug Nye

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 17:06

I remember him well - he was a bit of a local star at Brands club meetings - quick enough and competent but all this 'F1' business is a bit OTT...I believe he was a very good dentist.

DCN

#12 bradbury west

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 19:10

OT a bit, but, from memory,  didn't Tony Trimmer lap an M23 McLaren fairly quickly at Castle Combe?

Roger Lund