GPBlog's Top 50 drivers in 50 days - #46 - Peter Collins

Collins might not be a well known name to most motorsport fans but could have easily become Britain’s first world champion in 1956, if it wasn’t for one act of kindness.

Born in Kidderminster, Collins began his racing career at a very young age. When everyone around him were in their 30s, 40s or even 50s, Collins was racing in Formula 3 aged just 19.

He made his F1 debut the next year at 20 years old, which was pretty much unheard of in 1952. Excluding the Indy 500, which was then a championship event, Collins was the youngest driver ever to compete in F1 and it would stay that way until Ricardo Rodriguez took the record in 1961.

His youth showed in his early years, not competing in every race and failing to score a point in four seasons. However, his fortunes were about to turn around when he got the call from Ferrari to race for the famous team.

Shared drives were common in Collins’ career, where if a teammate’s car failed, often somebody would pit to change driver, thus sharing the points scored at the end of the race.

Collins took a shared second with Juan Manuel Fangio in Monaco, his first points and first podium finish.

Victories followed, with consecutive wins in both Belgium and France giving him the championship lead with three races remaining.

Another shared second place in his home race at Silverstone meant he kept the lead, but Fangio’s victory brought the gap down to just a single point.

However, a crash at the Nurburgring, combined with Fangio’s victory saw the title slip away from him, with only a slim chance of glory at the final race.

Fangio took pole with Collins seventh, but when the Argentine suffered car failure, Collins looked odds on to win the championship.

But in an act of great sportsmanship, Collins pitted and handed his car over to his team leader, with yet another shared second place allowing Fangio to take his fourth title.

Collins didn’t even finish second in the championship, with Stirling Moss’ victory bumping him up to second.

Later, Fangio said he was almost moved to tears by Collins’ generosity.

Whilst Fangio moved to Maserati for 1957, Collins stuck with Ferrari and struggled throughout the season, managing just eight points as his old teammate ran away with the title.

1958 was set to be better for Ferrari, and with friend and teammate Mike Hawthorn for company, the two battled for race wins.

Reliability plagued Collins’ season and following a home win at Silverstone, he was killed at the very next race at the brutal Nurburgring, aged just 26.

In a time where such young drivers were not so common, Collins brought terrific ability combined with humility and it could easily have been so much more, if it wasn’t for the dangerous times of that era.

He might not be so well known around the world as others from his era, but he earns a place on our countdown.