About Mike Hailwood
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood (2 April 1940 – 23 March 1981) was a British racing driver and motorcycle road racer, who competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1958 to 1967, and Formula One between 1963 and 1974. Nicknamed "the Bike", Hailwood was a nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion, with four titles in the premier 500cc class with MV Agusta, and won 76 motorcycle Grands Prix across 10 seasons. Hailwood's rivalry with Giacomo Agostini early in his career dominated Grand Prix motorcycle racing in the 1960s and culminated in their dramatic duel for the 1967 World Championship. Hailwood took 14 victories at the Isle of Man TT. After his motorcycle racing career concluded, he went on to compete in Formula One and other classes of car racing, becoming one of the few men to compete at Grand Prix level in both motorcycle and car racing. He returned to motorcycle racing at the age of 38, taking victory at the 1978 Isle of Man TT. Hailwood died in 1981 following a road traffic collision in Warwickshire, England. Hailwood saw his first race at the age of ten with his father, and first spectated at the Isle of Man TT races in 1956. Hailwood's first raced on 22 April 1957, at Oulton Park, finishing in 11th place. Riding a four-stroke, four-cylinder 250 cc Honda, Hailwood won the 1961 250cc world championship.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.