He was considered one of the pioneers of Formula 1 after the Second World War. At the end of the 1950s, the Brit just barely missed the world title. Brooks gave up his job as a dentist for racing.
Former Formula 1 driver Tony Brooks, one of the defining figures of the racing series in the 1950s, is dead. The former racing driver died at the age of 90, British media reported, citing his daughter.
“He was part of a special group of drivers who were pioneers and pushed the boundaries at a time when the risks were great,” said Formula 1 Managing Director Stefano Domenicali. The Briton Brooks won six Formula 1 races, including 1958 and 1959 in Germany. In 1959 he narrowly missed winning the world title in a Ferrari.
Because of his study of dentistry, Brooks was also known as “the frenzied dentist”. However, he gave up his medical career for his Formula 1 career. Brooks retired from motorsport in 1961, aged just 29, after 38 Formula 1 starts. He was the last living Grand Prix winner of the 1950s.