Reg Parnell

Reginald Harold Haslam Parnell (2 July 1911 Derby, Derbyshire – 7 January 1964 in Derby ) was a racing driver and team manager from England. He participated in seven Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scoring a total of 9 championship points.

Driving career

Before World War II Parnell was a very successful racing driver, winning at many levels with various cars, including a Bugatti. After the war he continued with his success, winning with a Maserati and an ERA, before participating in the very first Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, at Silverstone, in 1950. He raced a wide selection of different cars, and his other World Championship Grands Prix included two races for BRM: one in the Ferrari "Thinwall Special" owned by Tony Vandervell, who was later to run the Vanwall team; one in a Cooper-Bristol; and a couple for the Scuderia Ambrosiana team, the first in a Maserati and the other in a Ferrari. He won non-championship Formula One races right up until his retirement in 1957.

F1 management

In 1961 the Samengo-Turner brothers (Paul, William & Fabian) asked Reg Parnell to take over the management of the Yeoman Credit Racing Team sponsorship deal from Ken Gregory of the British Racing Partnership. During the 1961 Formula One season he ran two Cooper T53 Low-Line–Climax cars for John Surtees and Roy Salvadori, who between them collected a handful of championship...
Read More