Stuart Lewis-Evans was born at Luton in 1930. After leaving school in Bexleyheath he served a three year apprenticeship at Vauxhall Motors, did his National Service as a despatch rider and, with his father Lewis (‘Pop’) Lewis-Evans, started racing in 1951 in a Cooper Mk IV. In 1952, now with a Mk V which may have been bought from Bernie Ecclestone, he embarked on a reasonably busy season both at home and on the continent with wins including, Silverstone Daily Express Trophy meeting, Chimay and Chieti.

Over that winter the Mk V was considerably modified to capitalise on Stuart’s slight build (he was no more than 5’4” and under 9 stone) by producing a ‘lowline’ body; its several successes in the early part of 1953 included wins at Orleans and Crystal Palace.

Two shots of Stuart working on his Cooper Norton taken by Ian Frost in 1955.

Stuart after winning the Senior race at Brands Hatch, April 1954. Photo Courtesy of John Furlong.

Later in the season he had several drives in the Francis Beart prepared ‘Mk VIIa’ Cooper in which he continued to shine, including taking the Redex Trophy at Crystal Palace. For 1954 he and Les Leston were signed up as Cooper Works Team Drivers in the new Mk VIII, a successful partnership but with Don Parker (in his Kieft) always in the running and the emergence of Jim Russell and Ivor Bueb (both in Coopers) as further forces to be reckoned with.

His talents were confined to Formula 3 until the end of 1956 when he started a brief and successful period with a F1 Connaught (including 4th place in the 1957 Monaco G P) until they suddenly closed down, leaving him with a fairly empty programme. Fortunately, Ferrari gave him a drive at Le Mans where he drove two thirds of the race to finish 5th overall, and when Brooks and Moss were both indisposed for the French G P Enzo Ferrari released Stuart to Vanwall for what was to become the rest of 1957. Stuart fully justified his place in the team (including pole at Monza and a torrid drive at Pescara) and was signed up again for the following year but meanwhile wintered in New Zealand with a Connaught owned by Bernie Ecclestone, who now took on his personal management. (It is noteworthy that Ecclestone, who was very close to Stuart’s professional career, withdrew from motor sport for some years after the latter’s death).

 

 

 

Stuart, in the Beart Cooper, and his brother Trevor after winning the Redex Trophy, Crystal Palace in 1953. Photo courtesy of John Furlong.

Stuart on his way to victory in the Elizabethan Trophy, Crystal Palace 11th July 1953

In trouble with the stewards, October '54.

More luck in July 1955 at Brands Hatch

In 1958 he drove Aston Martin in endurance events, Elva and Willment in short sports car races, the B R P Cooper-Climax in F2 in which he did consistently well, and kept the faith with a now ailing Formula 3 whenever his other commitments permitted. Principally, he played a significant role in Vanwall’s successful bid for the Constructors’ Championship, finishing 3rd in the Belgian and Portuguese G Ps and fourth in the British G P. Tragically, on lap 42 of the Moroccan G P he crashed heavily and sustained serious burns. He was flown in Vandervell’s plane to Sir Archibald McIndoe’s East Grinstead specialist burns unit but died six days later. His eyes were bequeathed to the hospital’s eye bank.

There are those who believe that, had he survived, he was destined for great things. Certainly he had shown wide ability and was very much at home in the lighter rear-engined cars which were about to come. Described by Vanwall team colleague Stirling Moss as ‘very quick’ he is also portrayed as lacking stamina, and yet happily undertook endurance racing with his usual enthusiasm. Away from the circuit he was a lively character, full of fun, enjoying family life and modest to a fault about his considerable, sometimes hard won, successes.