INTERVIEW
His first big breakthrough in motor
racing came in 1976 when he won
the Formula Ford Championship
Grovewood Trophy, competing
against other up-and-coming
drivers including Derek Warwick,
who went on to compete in Formula
One, while former world champion
Nigel Mansell also followed the
same route shortly afterwards.
He smiled:“I was the works driver
for Rostron racing cars, which
sounds grand but they only ever
sold about 10 cars. It was a good car,
but they just never sold.”
Mike graduated to Formula Ford
2000, but accepted that at the age of
25 he had entered the sport ‘miles
too late’ to rise right to the top, so
decided to design cars rather than
race them. His first car in 1979, the
Quest, competed in Formula Ford,
with a design that was way ahead
of its time, particularly with safety
aspects. He designed it in six months,
and his late father Les built it.
He recalls: “I won a couple of races
in it, and broke the Brands Hatch
Formula Ford circuit record in it,
but I was on my way out as a driver
at that stage.”
By then racing had already taken
its toll on Mike, with one smash at
Brands Hatch nearly costing him
his life. He said: “I locked wheels
with another car; went end over
end and was very lucky to get out.
On another occasion my brakes
failed, and I ended up with several
broken ribs. The only other time
I got injured was at Snetterton
when a wheel came off my car and
I smashed into the safety tyres. I
ended up with a broken sternum,
but I was one of the fortunate
ones because in those days several
drivers I raced against were killed.”
Johnny Herbert, an up and
coming driver at the time, became
works driver for Quest in 1983,
and the following year won the
Formula Ford Festival at Brands
Hatch, breaking the lap record.
He drove Mike’s car for two years,
also winning the Formula Ford
Championship.
Mike also designed a Formula
Ford 2000 car, but by his own
admission it was never as good as
his previous model, but Johnny’s
career continued to flourish as
he rose through the ranks, and
subsequently asked Mike to become
his manager.
Having given Herbert financial
backing in his early years, Mike was
one member of an Island consortium
that negotiated a deal for 20 per
cent of the driver’s earnings for
seven years, once he started to make
money from motor racing.
Unfortunately in his first year in
Formula 3000, Herbert suffered a
serious accident at Brands Hatch,
and nearly lost a foot. While he was
in hospital his backers, including
the Island group, all pitched in to
help pay for the fees. Mike recalls:
“After he left hospital Johnny went to
Austria for physiotherapy, and when
he came back his rehabilitation
continued, and he was soon signed
up by Benetton manager Peter
Collins to drive Formula One - the
ultimate goal.
“His first race was in Brazil, and
I was going over as his manager.
I remember going down the M25
towards Heathrow and realising I
was late for the flight. Fortunately the
plane was delayed but I arrived in
Brazil late; the manager of a Formula
One driver who couldn’t even get to
the race on time - that’s how good a
manager I was!
“I also remember going to the
Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.
All other managers were well
dressed, but I was walking around
in a grey cardigan. I simply didn't
look the part.”
The relationship between Mike
and Johnny became strained, and
although the investors, including
the Island consortium, managed
to recoup their outlay, driver and
manager had a parting of the ways,
and the pair have rarely spoken
since.
Mike still maintains an interest
in motor racing, with his son
Michael now driving the Quest.
Looking back Mike admits: “If I
have one regret it’s that I should
have concentrated on my design
skills rather than driving - and I
would never have made a decent
manager!”
Mike driving his own design of
Formula Ford 2000 car in 1984
A young Johnny Herbert,
the driver who Mike went
on to manage
Mike on 'Business' after competing
in the Isle of Wight Grand National
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