Mike Hailwood

Mike Hailwood, a British driver born in 1940, competed in Formula 1 across two distinct spells, amassing fifty-one starts, two podium finishes and twenty-nine points.

His first stint came in the mid-1960s with Lotus machinery: a pointless 1963 with Lotus-Climax, a single point with Lotus-BRM in 1964, and another barren year in 1965. He then disappeared from the World Championship for five seasons.

Hailwood returned in 1971 with Surtees, and the second phase of his career proved far more productive. After three points in his comeback year, he scored thirteen in 1972 to finish eighth in the World Championship, his best season. A final year with McLaren in 1974 yielded twelve points.

The contrast between his two spells is striking: nearly all of his points and both podiums came after the long gap, in the more competitive machinery of his 1971 to 1974 seasons.