Kenneth McAlpine Profile

Kenneth McAlpine OBE DL (21 September 1920 – 8 April 2023) was a British racing driver from England.

Biography

McAlpine was born in Cobham, Surrey and was a grandson of Scottish civil engineer Sir Robert McAlpine, 1st Baronet. He participated in seven Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 19 July 1952 at the British Grand Prix alongside fellow Connaught driver Kenneth Downing. During the development of the Connaught Racing Team based at Send in Surrey, McAlpine became a considerable financial backer and enjoyed several team owner triumphs including Tony Brooks's memorable F1 victory at the 1955 Syracuse Grand Prix. The team was eventually broken up in 1957 and cars sold off after McAlpine ceased receiving tax concessions.

McAlpine and co-driver Eric Thompson took part in the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Connaught ALSR. They retired after 6 hours with engine failure.

After retiring from motor racing, McAlpine returned full-time to his civil engineering business and later established a successful English wine growing and bottling business at his estate in Lamberhurst, Kent. He was also a member of The Air Squadron.

McAlpine died on 8 April 2023, at the age of 102.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 WDC Points 1952 Connaught Engineering Connaught Type A Lea Francis L4 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR
16 GER NED ITA
Ret NC 0 1953 Connaught Engineering Connaught Type A Lea Francis L4 ARG 500 NED
Ret BEL FRA GBR
Ret GER
13 SUI ITA
NC NC 0 1955 Connaught Engineering Connaught Type B Alta L4 ARG MON 500 BEL NED GBR
Ret ITA NC 0

Non-championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 1951 Connaught Engineering Connaught Type A Lea-Francis L4 SYR PAU RIC SRM BOR INT PAR ULS SCO NED ALB PES BAR GOO
DNA 1952 Connaught Engineering Connaught Type A Lea-Francis L4 RIO SYR VAL RIC
DNA LAV
DNA PAU IBS
DNA MAR AST INT
10 ELÄ NAP EIF PAR ALB FRO ULS MNZ LAC ESS
2 MAR SAB CAE DMT COM NAT
DNA BAU MOD CAD SKA MAD
5 AVU JOE
Ret NEW
2 RIO 1953 Connaught Engineering Connaught Type A Lea-Francis L4 SYR PAU LAV
5 AST BOR INT
7 ELÄ NAP ULS
8 WIN FRO COR
Ret EIF ALB PRI ESS
1 MID ROU CRY
Ret AVU USF
Ret LAC BRI CHE SAB NEW CAD RED SKA LON MOD
NC MAD JOE
Ret CUR
Ret 1954 Connaught Engineering Connaught Type A Lea-Francis L4 SYR PAU LAV
3 BOR INT
15 BAR CUR ROM FRO COR BRC CRY ROU CAE AUG COR OUL RED PES JOE CAD BER GOO DTT 1955 Connaught Engineering Connaught Type B Alta L4 BUE VLN PAU GLV BOR INT
Ret NAP ALB CUR CRN LON DRT RDX DTT OUL AVO SYR