Kenneth McAlpine: 1920-2023
Until his recent death, Kenneth McAlpine was the world’s oldest surviving grand prix driver at the age of 102
Kenneth McAlpine, of the McAlpine building and civil engineering family, was a driver and financial backer of the Connaught racing team
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1920-2023
Kenneth McAlpine, the oldest surviving grand prix driver, who first competed in Formula 1 in 1952, has died at the age of 102.
As well as making seven world championship grand prix starts between 1952-55, McAlpine was a familiar entry into non-championship races and was the man who largely funded the Connaught grand prix team, thanks to his extensive family interests in civil engineering.
Born in Cobham, Surrey in 1920, Kenneth – grandson of Robert McAlpine aka ‘Concrete Bob’, founder of the major construction business – soon had an interest in cars and motor racing. He went to America in World War II where he was trained by the US Navy to be a pilot. He returned in 1944 and became an RAF flight instructor.
Once the war was over he quickly acquired a pair of Maserati 8CMs which he hillclimbed, sprinted and raced in 1947-49 to good effect with victories at Prescott, Luton Hoo and Goodwood. In 1951 he made a move to 500cc Formula 3 with a JBS Norton but also started to race a Connaught A1 Formula 2 car. His cars had been prepared at Continental Cars by Mike Oliver and Rodney Clarke in Surrey.
A plan to be the British agent for Bugatti fell through so Oliver and Clarke decided to become a manufacturer, using modified Lea-Francis engines. They turned to their customer McAlpine to provide the funding and he became their first works driver. They chose the name Connaught as a shortened version of Continental Cars.
McAlpine’s final F1 outing was at the at the 1955 British GP at Aintree – dominated by Mercedes
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McAlpine gave Connaught its first single-seater victory and soon moved into grand prix racing. He made his debut in the 1952 British Grand Prix at Silverstone before also competing at Monza. For 1953 he took in four grands prix, retiring from all but the German race where he finished 13th despite damaged rear suspension. His final grand prix came at Aintree in 1955. Despite his chequered grand prix record, he helped build Connaught into a force of early F1. He also raced at Le Mans in 1955 and then later retired following the Goodwood 9 Hours.
Kenneth latterly lived in Lamberhurst, Kent, where he established a vineyard, and he continued to be a director of Sir Robert McAlpine Enterprises at the age of 102.
He was a quite remarkable man, an industrialist, entrepreneur, F1 team owner and pilot who quietly, almost under the radar, made motor racing history.
