Who Is John Surtees? Age, Biography, and Wiki
John Surtees was born on February 11, 1934, and passed away on March 10, 2017. Surtees is remembered as a pioneering figure in motorsport, notably for being the only person to have won world championships on both two wheels and four. His remarkable racing career saw him achieving great heights in motorcycle racing and Formula One. While Surtees is no longer with us in 2025, his legacy continues to inspire a new generation of racers.
| Occupation | Motorcycle Racer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 11, 1934 |
| Age | 83 Years |
| Birth Place | N/A |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country | |
| Date of death | 10 March, 2017 |
| Died Place | N/A |
Popularity
John Surtees's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
- Height: 6 feet 0 inches (183 cm)
- Weight: Approximately 150 lbs (68 kg)
- Body Stats: While specifics on body measurements during his active years are less commonly documented, Surtees was known for his athletic physique, suitable for high-speed racing.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
John Surtees was known to be a private individual. He was married to his beloved wife, Jane, and together they had three children: two daughters, Leonora Surtees and Edwina Surtees, and a son, Henry Surtees, who tragically died in a racing accident in 2009. While specific details about Surtees's personal relationships were seldom publicized, he was renowned for his close-knit family bonds and a supportive marriage.
Surtees was the son of a south-London motorcycle dealer. His father Jack Surtees was an accomplished grasstrack competitor and in 1948 was the South Eastern Centre Sidecar Champion. He had his first professional outing, which they won, in the sidecar of his father's Vincent at the age of 14.
However, when race officials discovered Surtees's age, they were disqualified. He entered his first race at 15 in a grasstrack competition. In 1950, at the age of 16, he went to work for the Vincent factory as an apprentice.
He first gained prominence in 1951 when he gave Norton star Geoff Duke a strong challenge in an ACU race at the Thruxton Circuit.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing in 2017, John Surtees had an estimated net worth of around $10 million. His wealth was a result of his successful career as a racing driver and team owner, along with various endorsements and business ventures related to motorsport.
Career, Business, and Investments
Surtees began his racing career in the early 1950s with motorcycle racing. He won the prestigious MotoGP World Championship four times before transitioning to Formula One in the 1960s. Surtees is best known for his tenure with Ferrari, where he claimed the Formula One World Championship in 1964.
Post-retirement, Surtees remained involved in motorsport, even founding his own racing team. He was also a vocal advocate for safety in motorsport, dedicating a significant portion of his later life to initiatives aimed at improving the safety of racers.
In 1960, at the age of 26, Surtees switched from motorcycles to cars full-time, making his Formula 1 debut racing in the 1960 BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone for Team Lotus. He made an immediate impact with a second-place finish in only his second Formula One World Championship race, at the 1960 British Grand Prix, and a pole position at his third, the 1960 Portuguese Grand Prix.
Social Network
Though not extensively active on social media during his lifetime, John Surtees's legacy is celebrated on various platforms where fans and motorsport enthusiasts continue to share tributes and remember his contributions to the sport. His family honors his memory through social media posts and participation in events celebrating motorsport history.
On 25 September 1965, Surtees had a life-threatening accident at the Mosport Park Circuit (Ontario, Canada) while practising in a Lola T70 sports racing car. A front upright casting had broken. A.J. Baime in his book Go Like Hell says Surtees came out of the crash with one side of his body four inches shorter than the other.
Doctors set most of the breaks nonsurgically, in part by physically stretching his shattered body until the right-left discrepancy was under an inch – and there it stayed.
Education
Details surrounding John Surtees’s educational background are scarce, as he pursued his passion for racing at a young age. However, it is known that he began his racing career early, forgoing a traditional educational path to focus on his talents in motorsport.
In summary, John Surtees remains an iconic figure in the world of racing, with a legacy that resonates long after his passing. His story, characterized by remarkable achievements both on two wheels and four, continues to inspire those in the realm of motorsport in 2025 and beyond.
John Norman Surtees (11 February 1934 – 10 March 2017) was a British racing driver and motorcycle road racer, who competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from to, and Formula One from to. Surtees was a seven-time Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion, with four titles in the premier 500cc class with MV Agusta.
Surtees won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in with Ferrari, and remains the only driver to win World Championships on both two- and four-wheels; he won 38 motorcycle Grands Prix and six Formula One Grands Prix.
