Thomas Kenrick Kavanagh (12 December 1923 – 26 November 2019) was an Australian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and racecar driver.

In 1952, Kavanagh became the first Australian to win a motorcycle Grand Prix race when he won the 350cc Ulster Grand Prix. In 1956, he won the Junior TT at the Isle of Man TT races. Kavanagh entered two Formula One Grands Prix in 1958 with his own Maserati 250F, firstly in Monaco where he failed to qualify, and lastly in the Belgian Grand Prix where he missed out on the race having blown his engine in practice, after having qualified 20th of 28 entrants.

Personal life

Kavanagh died in Bergamo, Italy on 26 November 2019.

Motorcycle Grand Prix results

Points system from 1950 to 1968

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 Points 8 6 4 3 2 1

5 best results were counted up until 1955.

(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Points Rank Wins 1951 350cc Norton ESP SUI IOM
NC BEL NED
3 FRA ULS
2 NAT
2 16 4th 0 500cc Norton ESP SUI IOM
NC BEL NED FRA ULS
2 NAT 6 9th 0 1952 350cc Norton SUI
7 IOM
NC NED
5 BEL GER
2 ULS
1 NAT 16 5th 1 500cc Norton SUI IOM
32 NED
3 BEL GER
2 ULS NAT ESP
3 14 6th 0 1953 250cc Moto Guzzi IOM NED GER ULS SUI NAT ESP
2 6 6th 0 350cc Norton IOM
2 NED
3 BEL
5 FRA ULS SUI
2 NAT ESP 18 4th 0 500cc Norton IOM
NC NED
3 BEL
4 GER FRA
4 ULS
1 SUI NAT ESP 18 4th 1 1954 250cc Moto Guzzi FRA IOM
NC ULS NED
4 GER SUI NAT 3 13th 0 350cc Moto Guzzi FRA IOM
NC ULS BEL
1 NED GER SUI
2 NAT
3 ESP 18 4th 1 500cc Moto Guzzi FRA IOM
NC ULS BEL
2 NED GER
4 SUI NAT
6 ESP
2 16 3rd 0 1955 350cc Moto Guzzi FRA IOM
NC GER
5 BEL NED
1 ULS NAT
3 14 4th 1 500cc Moto Guzzi ESP FRA IOM
3 GER BEL NED ULS NAT 4 12th 0 1956 350cc Moto Guzzi IOM
1 NED
5 BEL GER ULS NAT 10 6th 1 1959 125cc Ducati IOM
NC GER NED
6 BEL
5 SWE
5 ULS
4 NAT 8 8th 0 500cc Norton FRA IOM GER
4 NED BEL ULS NAT 3 11th 0 1960 125cc Ducati IOM
NC NED BEL ULS NAT 0 - 0

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WDC Points 1958 Ken Kavanagh Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 ARG MON
DNQ NED 500 BEL
DNS FRA GBR GER POR ITA MOR NC 0

Complete Formula One Non-Championship results

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

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 1958 Ken Kavanagh Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 GLV
DNS SYR
6 AIN
Ret INT
18 CAE 1959 Ken Kavanagh Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 GLV
Ret AIN
DNA INT OUL
DNA SIL