Dick

Bennetts

Team Principal

Dick Bennetts has enjoyed a very successful career in British Motorsport. After migrating to England from New Zealand in 1972, Bennetts started his career as an engineer primarily in Formula 2.

After his successes in the Formula 2, Bennetts was then recruited by McLaren boss Ron Dennis. Bennetts enjoyed much success under Dennis winning the 1979 BMW M1 Procar Series with Niki Lauda driving. He then took over the running of the F3 team, which went on to clinch the F3 title with Stefan Johansson driving.

Despite being offered a senior position in the McLaren F1 team, Bennetts set up his own team, West Surrey Racing (WSR) in 1981. The team then went on to win the 1981 title and still holds the competition record for 9 consecutive wins in the 1983 title with Ayrton Senna. WSR experienced enormous success in the Formula 3 with 5 titles and 4 runners up out of 14 seasons of competition.

Following enormous success in Formula 3, Bennetts then brought WSR into the British Touring Car Championship. In the BTCC WSR went on to win four independent titles and the overall championship in 2009.

In 2002 Bennetts was elected to the committee of the MIA, the leading trade association for the UK Motorsport Industry. He is also a longstanding member of the prestigious British Racing Driver’s Club (BRDC).

Dick Bennetts has been a very influential figure in British Motorsport. He has enjoyed extensive success and is responsible for producing some of Britain’s most successful drivers.