F1 mourns the death of Chris Amon: "the greatest driver never to win a Grand Prix"

Former Formula 1 driver Chris Amon has died at the age of 73, it was announced today.

Amon, who is widely regarded as the best driver never to win an F1 world championship race, started 96 Grands Prix and scored 11 podium finishes and and five pole positions during his 13-year career in the sport.

He raced for a number of different F1 teams and competed in 27 races for Ferrari between 1967 and 1969.

https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari/status/760795994422259712

Amon famously endured several unlucky mechanical incidents while leading F1 races, including a visor problem that cost him a win at Monza in 1971 and a puncture that struck as he lead the French Grand Prix a year later.

The New Zealand driver’s most famous motor sport triumph came at the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race in 1966, where he drove a Ford GT40 to victory aboard alongside his friend Bruce McLaren.

“It’s been said that I was an unlucky F1 driver because I should have won a lot of races but the fact is many of my contemporaries were killed in F1 so I think I’m lucky to still be around,” Amon had told Ford Online in June. “There’s no question that winning Le Mans with Ford was a very special moment in my career.”

https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/760749178519707648

Ron Dennis, who runs the McLaren team today, expressed his sadness at Amon’s death following a battle with cancer.

He said: "Chris started 96 Grands Prix but won not one of them - and it is safe to say that he was the greatest racing driver never to have won a race at the very highest level. He nearly won a fair few, but always it seemed that his luck would run out before he saw the chequered flag.

"However, he won at Le Mans, in a mighty 7.0-litre Ford, exactly 50 years ago, his co-driver his friend and fellow Kiwi, Bruce McLaren, whose name still graces the team to which I have devoted my working life.

"I have not met Chris for many years, but, even so, I have extremely fond memories of him, and indeed I would describe him as one of the most likeable men I have met in my long racing career.

https://twitter.com/F1/status/760762482881331204

A statement issued by Amon’s family read: “Chris battled cancer in recent years but retained not only a close interest in Formula 1 - and his very wide range of favourite topics - but also his wonderful sense of humour complete with infectious chuckle.”