Desiré Wilson

Wilson
Nationality South African
Date of Birth 26 November, 1953
Teams RAM (1980)
Tyrrell (1981)
Races Entered 1
DNQ/DNPQ 1
Best Result DNQ (27th)
Britain, 1980

Although her one entry in World Championship F1 was a failure, her forays into the Aurora F1 series in the late-70s were much more successful, and in other categories from CART to sportscars she attracted more attention in the paddock for her ability than her gender.

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Last updated: 21-August-2005


Career Summary
Before F1
1960s • Began competing in micro-midgets in South Africa.
1970s • Competed in South African club, provincial and national micro-midget championships.
1973 • South African Formula Vee championship, 4th overall.
1974 • South African Formula Vee championship, 2nd overall.
1975 • South African Formula Ford championship, 1st overall in a Merlyn Mk24.
1976 • South African Formula Ford championship, 1st overall in a Merlyn Mk24.
1977 • Dutch, Benelux and British Formula Ford 2000 championships, 3rd overall in each, 2 wins in total in a Crossle 33F.
1978 • Competed in Formula Atlantic events in South Africa.
• Competed in the British Formula Ford 2000 championship in a Crossle 34F.
• Competed in the British SS2000 championship in a Lola T490.
Formula One
1978 • Aurora AFX championship, 10th overall, 34 points in an Ensign N175 Cosworth.
1979 • Aurora AFX championship, 7th overall, 28 points in a Melchester Tyrrell 008 Cosworth.
• Race of Champions, 9th place in a Melchester Tyrrell 008 Cosworth.
1980 • Aurora AFX championship, 6th overall, 1 win, 21 points in a Theodore Wolf WR3 Cosworth and Lotus 78 Cosworth.
• World Championship, 1 entry, 1 DNQ in an RAM Williams FW07 Cosworth.
1981 • 1 non-championship race in a Tyrrell 010 Cosworth.
After F1
1980 • World Challenge for Endurance Drivers, 41st overall, 30 points, 2 wins in a De Cadenet Lola LM Ford with de Cadenet.
• Competed in the New Zealand Formula Pacific series in a March 77B.
• Macau Grand Prix, 6th palce in a Ralt RT1.
1981 • World Championship for Drivers and Makes, 1 start =187th overall, 14 points in a Preston Henn Porsche 935 K3 with Henn, Dören and McKitterick.
1982 • World Endurance Championship, 2 starts, =46th overall, 10 points in a GRID Racing Grid Plaza S1 Ford and Ford Werke AG Ford C100 with various drivers.
• IMSA, 6 starts in a Porsche 935 Turbo, Preston Henn Racing Ferrari 512BB/LM and GRID Racing Grid Plaza S1 Ford with various drivers.
• Kyalami 9hrs in a John Fitzpatrick Racing Porsche 935 with Fitzpatrick.
• Indianapolis 500, DNQ in an Eagle Cosworth.
1983 • World Endurance Championship, 2 starts, =63rd overall, 4 points in an Obermaier Racing Porsche 956 and John Fitzpatrick Racing Porsche 956 with various drivers.
• IMSA, 2 starts in a March 83G with Moretti.
• British Thundersports series, 1 start in a Porsche 908/03 Turbo with Brunn.
• CART PPG World Series, 9 entries, 8 starts, 28th overall, 3 points in a Wysard March 83C Cosworth, 1 DNQ at Indianapolis in a March 82C Cosworth.
1984 • World Endurance Championship/Deutsche Rennsport Meistershaft, 1 start in a Kremer Racing Porsche 956 with Fouché and Sutherland.
• British Thundersports series, 1 start in a Kellygirl Ford Turbo with Galica.
• CART PPG World Series, 2 entries, 2 DNQs in a March 83C Cosworth.
1986 • CART PPG World Series, 3 starts in a March 86C Cosworth.
1987-93 • SCCA Stock Endurance Series, at least 1 win in a Saleen Ford Mustang with Cacares.
• Also victories in the Mosport 24hrs, Sears Point 6hrs, Sebring 6hrs in Saleen Ford Mustangs.
• Competed occasionally in Formula Atlantic and Indy Lights.
1989 • British F3000 championship, 1 start, 12th overall, 3 points in a GA Motorsports Lola T88/50 Cosworth.
• World Sportscar Championship, 1 start in a Team Davey Porsche 962C with Lee-Davey.
• Japanese Sports Prototype Championship/Fuji Long Distance Series, 1 start in a Team Davey Porsche 962C with Lee-Davey.
1991 • World Sportscar Championship, 1 start at Le Mans in a Euro Racing (AO Racing) Spice SE90C Ford with Muller and St James.
1991-2003 • Handled marketing and development for the SCCA World Challenge Touring Car and GT series.
1993 • IMSA, 1 start at Daytona in a Ford Mustang with Fellows, Baljet and Yoshikawa.
• Completed Yokohama tyre testing for the SCCA.
1996 • Competed in a celebrity race in a Chrysler Neon.
• A member of the all-female CART PPG Pace Car Team.
1997 • North American Super Touring, selected events in a Schader Mazda Xedos.
• Keynote speaker at the SCCA Awards Banquet.
1998 • Joined her husband in Wilson Motorsport Inc.
1999-2002 • Participated in the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

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