Rupert Keegan

Rupert Keegan
	Hesketh 308E driven by Keegan
Born	26 February 1955; Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England
Died	23 September 2024 (aged 69); Portoferraio, Elba, Tuscany, Italy
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	British
Active years	1977–1978, 1980, 1982
Teams	Hesketh, Surtees, RAM, March
Entries	37 (25 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1977 Spanish Grand Prix
Last entry	1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix
British Formula One Championship career
Active years	1979
Races	13
Championships	1
Wins	5
Podium finishes	6
Career points	65
Pole positions	5
Fastest laps	4

Rupert Keegan (26 February 1955 – 23 September 2024) was an English racing driver. He participated in 37 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 8 May 1977. He scored no championship points.

Biography

Keegan won the 1976 British Formula 3 Championship, which propelled him into Formula One. After seasons with Hesketh and Surtees, neither of them particularly competitive teams, he won the Aurora Formula One Championship in 1979. A return to the Formula One World Championship with RAM driving their Williams FW07B yielded little in the way of results, as did a few races with March. His best career result was 7th at the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix scored in Hesketh 308E/1.^[1]

After Formula One, Keegan raced in the United States in CART, and also in endurance racing. After his retirement, he pursued business interests and also worked as a racing instructor.

Keegan died in Portoferraio after a long battle with cancer^[2] on 23 September 2024, at the age of 69.^[3]^[4]

Racing record

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	WDC
1977	Penthouse Rizla Racing	Hesketh 308E	Ford V8	ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	ESP Ret	MON 12	BEL Ret	SWE 13	FRA 10	GBR Ret	GER Ret	AUT 7	NED Ret	ITA 9	USA 8	CAN Ret	JPN	NC
1978	Durex Team Surtees	Surtees TS19	Ford V8	ARG Ret	BRA Ret	RSA Ret	USW DNS	MON Ret	BEL DNQ												NC
1978	Durex Team Surtees	Surtees TS20	Ford V8							ESP 11	SWE DNQ	FRA Ret	GBR DNQ	GER DNQ	AUT DNQ	NED DNS	ITA	USA	CAN		NC
1980	RAM Williams Grand Prix Engineering	Williams FW07	Ford V8	ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	BEL	MON	FRA	GBR 11										NC
1980	RAM Penthouse Rizla Racing	Williams FW07	Ford V8									GER DNQ	AUT 15	NED DNQ	ITA 11	CAN DNQ	USA 9				NC
1982	Rothmans March Grand Prix Team	March 821	Ford V8	RSA	BRA	USW	SMR	BEL	MON	DET	CAN	NED	GBR	FRA	GER DNQ	AUT Ret	SUI Ret	ITA DNQ	CPL 12		NC

Complete British Formula One Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Pos.	Points
1979	C. W. Clowes Racing	Arrows A1	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	ZOL	OUL 11	BRH Ret	MAL 1	SNE 1	THR Ret	ZAN NC	DON 1	OUL Ret	NOG	MAL Ret	BRH DNS	THR 1	SNE 1	SIL 2	1st	65

Indy Car World Series

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Rank	Points	Ref
1985	Machinists Union Racing	LBH	INDY	MIL	POR	MEA	CLE	MCH	ROA	POC	MDO 19	SAN	MCH	LAG 12	PHX	MIA 10			35th	4	^[5]
1986	Gohr Racing	PHX	LBH	INDY DNQ	MIL	POR	MEA	CLE	TOR	MIC	POC	MDO	SAN	MIC	ROA	LAG	PHX	MIA	NC	-	^[6]

References

^ "Who were the Jewish F1 drivers: A Look at Their Careers - F1 BLAST". 24 April 2024.
^ "Obituary: Playboy F1 racer Rupert Keegan billed as 'next James Hunt'".
^ Thurgood, Julius (23 September 2024). "With the saddest heart, I write this to say that we have lost Rupert Keegan after a heroic battle with a long term illness". Instagram. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
^ "In Memoriam Rupert Keegan". Autosport NL. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
^ "Rupert Keegan – 1985 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
^ "Rupert Keegan – 1986 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 6 November 2023.

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by Gunnar Nilsson	British Formula 3 Championship BARC Series Champion 1976	Succeeded by Derek Daly
Preceded by Tony Trimmer	British Formula One Champion 1979	Succeeded by Emilio de Villota

[1] "Who were the Jewish F1 drivers: A Look at Their Careers - F1 BLAST". 24 April 2024.

[2] "Obituary: Playboy F1 racer Rupert Keegan billed as 'next James Hunt'".

[3] Thurgood, Julius (23 September 2024). "With the saddest heart, I write this to say that we have lost Rupert Keegan after a heroic battle with a long term illness". Instagram. Retrieved 23 September 2024.

[4] "In Memoriam Rupert Keegan". Autosport NL. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.

[5] "Rupert Keegan – 1985 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 6 November 2023.

[6] "Rupert Keegan – 1986 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 6 November 2023.

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