Rupert Keegan, the former British racing driver who carved out a notable career across Formula 1, sportscars and IndyCar racing, has passed away at the age of 69 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Known for his fearless driving style and charismatic playboy personality, Keegan left an indelible mark on motor racing during the 1970s and 1980s.
Born on February 26, 1955, in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, Rupert’s first ambition was to become an actor. His father Mike Keegan – who flew Liberators in the Far East during World War Two – was unimpressed with this idea and instructed his son to reconsider his options.
With his acting dreams in tatters, a young Rupert discovered his passion for motor racing after watching Emerson Fittipaldi win the 1972 British Grand Prix. It’s at this juncture that Keegan decided to dedicate his life to becoming a racing driver.
With his acting dreams in tatters, a young Rupert discovered his passion for motor racing
Luckily for Rupert, his father had set up his own cargo airline business after the war and also acquired British Air Ferries. This provided the financial backing to support Rupert’s racing career, which he began by winning his first event in a Ford Escort Mexico in 1973 before moving on to Formula Ford in 1974.
In this early days of his career, Rupert was known for both his prodigious speed and his proclivity for crashing, but his real potential began to show when he entered British Formula 3 in 1975 in an ex-Brian Henton March. He then won the F3 Championship in 1976 in a March 763 after a fierce year-long duel with Italian driver Bruno Giacomelli.
It was at this phase of Rupert’s career that he began to draw comparisons with flamboyant World Champion James Hunt – particularly after graduating to F1 in 1977 with Hesketh Racing while basking in the afterglow of his F3 title.
Rupert had a stop-start F1 career that lasted from 1977 until 1982. Although he never quite lived up to the Hunt comparisons, he was undeniably a gifted driver whose career trajectory might have been dramatically altered had his 1978 contract with the Lotus team come to fruition. As fate would have it, Colin Chapman decided to sign Ronnie Peterson instead. In the end, Rupert drove relatively uncompetitive machinery for the Hesketh, Surtees and RAM teams before his F1 career fizzled out for good. His best result was ninth place at the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix.
Formula 1’s loss was the World Sportscar Championship and IndyCar’s gain, however, as Rupert began to focus on other motor sport disciplines. In 1983 he scored fifth overall in his Le Mans 24 Hours debut, which led to a full-time drive in the World Sportscar Championship in the Skoal Bandit-liveried Porsche 956 fielded by Fitzpatrick Racing in 1984.
Standout performances that season included a second-place finish at the Mosport 1000km, partnering David Hobbs and Franz Konrad, complemented by third-place finishes at both the Brands Hatch and Silverstone 1000km races.
In 1986 Rupert turned his attention to the IndyCar series, where he took part in a smattering of events in the Machinists Union March 85C-Cosworth. He unsuccessfully attempted to qualify for the Indy 500 with Gohr Racing in 1987.
After the 1987 season Rupert’s motor sport career began to wind down as he began to dedicate more time to his business ventures in the US. Even so, he never truly hung up his helmet for good, and he competed in a handful of Indy Lights races in 1992 before making a surprise return to Le Mans in 1995 in a Lister-Jaguar Storm with Dominic Chappell and Geoff Lees.
Throughout the 2010s, Rupert drove at prestigious events such as the Goodwood Revival and Festival of Speed, showcasing his versatility by piloting machinery ranging from humble Austin A35s with the HRDC to exotic Ferrari 250 GTs.
Away from the circuit Rupert was renowned for his vibrant personality and playboy lifestyle, but he will ultimately be remembered as a talented driver who perhaps didn’t get the rub of the green that his talent deserved after reaching the top of the motor sport ladder.
He passed away at his family home in Elba, Italy on September 23, 2024. He is survived by his daughter Sabrina and brother Rory.
You can read a full interview with Rupert from Magneto’s sister title Octane here.
