About Mike Thackwell
Michael Christopher Thackwell (born 30 March 1961) is a former racing driver from New Zealand, who participated in a number of prominent racing categories, including Formula 1. The seventh youngest driver ever to qualify for a Grand Prix, he participated in five of them, making his first start on 28 September 1980 at the Canadian Grand Prix. He scored no championship points. He had previously attempted unsuccessfully to qualify for the Dutch Grand Prix which was held on 31 August 1980. Thackwell has been described as a "teenage sensation", a "maverick" and as "something of a cult hero". Outside Formula One, he competed in Formula Three, Formula Two, Formula 3000 and sports cars, amongst other categories. In 1984, Thackwell won the European Formula Two Championship. He was runner up in that championship in 1983, and in its successor, the International Formula 3000 Championship, in 1985. In each case, he was driving a works Ralt. Also in 1986, he won the Pau Grand Prix, again in a works Ralt. Later in the year, he combined with Henri Pescarolo to win the 1000km Nürburgring sports car race, in a Sauber C8. Thackwell made his official debut a few weeks later, when Tyrrell made the third car available for him at the Canadian Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver to start a Formula One race.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.