Cliff Allison Biography, Wiki, Height, Weight, Racing Career & More

Cliff Allison Biography: Henry Clifford Allison was an English racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1958 to 1961 for the Lotus, Scuderia Centro Sud, Ferrari, and UDT Laystall teams.

Cliff Allison Biography

Cliff Allison Biography: Cliff Allison was born on 8 February 1932 in Brough, Westmorland, England. He began his racing career in 1953 in a Formula Three Cooper 500 before being discovered by Colin Chapman. Allison earned the performance prize at the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans while driving a 744cc Lotus. Allison and Colin Chapman’s Lotus finished sixth in the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance event for sports cars in 1958. Allison finished fourth in the 1958 European Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, more than four minutes behind winner Tony Brooks.

Cliff Allison Wiki

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Cliff Allison Career

Allison was required to make multiple pit stops during the 1958 Grand Prix of Monaco. His Lotus completed the race in sixth place, 12 laps behind race victor Maurice Tritignant. However, this was Team Lotus’s first World Championship point. In 1959 Ferrari employed Olivier Gendebien, Phil Hill, Brooks, Behra, Gurney, & Allison.

For the 1959 Monaco Grand Prix, the Ferrari factory team fielded shorter variants of the car they utilized in subsequent grand prix races. At the Monte Carlo Grand Prix, the long, streamlined snouts (air scoops) of the Ferraris were removed to enable more air into the cooling systems. Wolfgang von Trips lost control of his Porsche on a sharp bend where the street to Casino ascended steeply. As he spun, Allison’s Formula 2 Ferrari collided with him. The Lotus of Bruce Halford entered the blind curve next and became involved in the crash. Allison and his Ferrari sustained minor damage, while von Trips and Halford sustained facial and arm cuts, respectfully. None of the three vehicles could proceed.

While practicing for the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix in his Ferrari, he was involved in a severe accident, and it took him nearly the rest of the year to get well. Allison was injured when his Ferrari crashed with a barrier made of straw. He was disabled upon arrival at the hospital. Allison suffered a fractured left arm, fractured ribs, facial cuts, and a concussion. He was listed as being in grave condition. The following year, during practice for the 1961 Belgian Grand Prix, he again crashed his Lotus. When his car veered off the road and rolled over in a field, he sustained fractures to both knees and the pelvis.