David Richards at Brooklands on 7th October 2025 talking about his life in Motorsport and Prodrive.
David Richards CBE first gained prominence in motorsport by navigating Ari Vatanen to the World Rally Championship in 1981. David then established ProDrive which, over 40 years, has won events and championships across multiple motorsport disciplines including rallying, touring cars, Le Mans and Dakar. Colin McRae and Richard Burns both drove ProDrive cars to World Rally Championship success. In 1998 David became chief executive of the Benetton Formula One team and later was brought in to run the BAR Formula One team, guiding it to second place in the 2004 Formula One constructors championship, driven by Jenson Button. David continues to oversee ProDrive automotive and engineering projects, and combines this with chairing the Board of Motorsport UK.
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David Richards at Brooklands on 7th October 2025 talking about his life in Motorsport and Prodrive.
David Richards CBE first gained prominence in motorsport by navigating Ari Vatanen to the World Rally Championship in 1981. David then established ProDrive which, over 40 years, has won events and championships across multiple motorsport disciplines including rallying, touring cars, Le Mans and Dakar. Colin McRae and Richard Burns both drove ProDrive cars to World Rally Championship success. In 1998 David became chief executive of the Benetton Formula One team and later was brought in to run the BAR Formula One team, guiding it to second place in the 2004 Formula One constructors championship, driven by Jenson Button. David continues to oversee ProDrive automotive and engineering projects, and combines this with chairing the Board of Motorsport UK.
Richard Noble Talk. The Water Speed Record Challenge
Brooklands Members Talks
37 minutes 46 seconds
9 months ago
Richard Noble Talk. The Water Speed Record Challenge
Former land speed record holder Richard Noble returned to Brooklands to tell us about his new project, an attempt on the water speed record.
Inspired by the exploits of John Cobb and his designer Reid Railton, the Thrust team has set out to break the current WSR of 317.596mph, which was set by Australian Ken Warby back in 1978. That the record has stood for so long indicates both the danger and the difficulty involved in mounting a challenge. Since that record was set, two challengers have died in the process.
The Thrust WSH (water speed hydrofoil) team is therefore proceeding with maximum research and risk mitigation efforts. To produce a truly innovative design the team has access to advanced technologies and resources not available to earlier challengers.
Brooklands Members Talks
David Richards at Brooklands on 7th October 2025 talking about his life in Motorsport and Prodrive.
David Richards CBE first gained prominence in motorsport by navigating Ari Vatanen to the World Rally Championship in 1981. David then established ProDrive which, over 40 years, has won events and championships across multiple motorsport disciplines including rallying, touring cars, Le Mans and Dakar. Colin McRae and Richard Burns both drove ProDrive cars to World Rally Championship success. In 1998 David became chief executive of the Benetton Formula One team and later was brought in to run the BAR Formula One team, guiding it to second place in the 2004 Formula One constructors championship, driven by Jenson Button. David continues to oversee ProDrive automotive and engineering projects, and combines this with chairing the Board of Motorsport UK.
