Billy Ivy

I remember Bill Ivy (27 August 1942-12 July 1969) a superb English motorbike racer, and a very talented racing driver.

He took part in seven F2 races in 1969 driving an old Brabham BT23C, and his best result (indeed his only finish) being a fifth place at Zolder. He startled everyone with his speed in his first appearance at Thruxton and would presumably have made a name for himself on four wheels had he not been killed on a bike.

Autosport’s Justin Haler had this to say about him in their 1969 F2 review: “Carefree, casual and determined, Ivy in his brief career as a driver demonstrated pure and simple natural ability of the sort which had been seen rarely outside of names like Clark and Stewart, and had he survived no doubt he would be headed for great things.”

Picture below, though guys: Mike Hailwood, Bill Ivy and Phil Reed.