Jonathan Palmer Biography: Jonathan Charles Palmer is a former Formula One racing driver and businessman from the United Kingdom. Palmer studied medicine at Guy’s Hospital in London before pursuing a career in motor racing. He also served as a junior physician at the hospitals in Cuckfield and Brighton. Read this entire blog to know everything about his personal life and career.
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Jonathan Palmer Biography
Jonathan Palmer Biography: Jonathan Palmer was born on 7 November 1956 in Lewisham, London, England. Palmer raced an Austin Healey Sprite and a Marcos in club competitions after graduating from Brighton College while studying medicine at Guy’s Hospital.
He served as a doctor at Cuckfield and Brighton hospitals before pursuing a professional driving career after competing in Formula Ford from 1978 to 1980. In 1981, he won the British Formula 3 Championship, and in 1982, he was given a test drive in a Williams Formula One car. He won the European Formula Two Championship the following year, and the British Racing Drivers’ Club gave him the Gold Star.
Jonathan Palmer Wiki
Name | Jonathan Palmer |
Date Of Birth | 7 November 1956 |
Age | 67 years old (as of 2024) |
Birth Place | Lewisham, London, England |
Height | N/A |
Weight | N/A |
Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
Profession | Racing Driver |
Net Worth | N/A |
Car Collection | N/A |
Also Read: Nyck de Vries Biography, Wiki, Height, Weight, Racing Career, Dating & Net Worth
Jonathan Palmer Career
Palmer joined Williams as a test driver for the 1982 and 1983 seasons while competing in F2 and made his Formula One debut at the European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch on September 25, 1983, driving a Williams. This excursion was Frank Williams and Patrick Head’s saying “thank you.” He finished thirteenth out of twenty-six competitors.
In 1984, when he joined the Skoal Bandit RAM March team, he finished eighth once, ninth three times, tenth once, and thirteenth once. In 1985, he joined Zakspeed and competed in eight races, except the 1985 Detroit Grand Prix, where he finished 11th. In 1986, sixteen starts with the same team resulted in eight retirements and an eighth-place finish in Detroit.
In 1987, Palmer discussed with McLaren team principal Ron Dennis the possibility of becoming Alain Prost’s No. 2 driver. Dennis eventually signed Stefan Johansson, and Palmer joined Tyrrell a week before the first race of the season in Brazil.
Although slower than its turbocharged rivals, Tyrrell’s naturally aspirated Cosworth-powered car was dependable and fast on tighter circuits. Palmer earned championship points in three races, with his highest career finish in the Australian Grand Prix. He also won the Jim Clark Cup, a championship for normally aspirated car drivers. During the next two seasons, his most excellent results were two fifth-place and three sixth-place finishes. After 1989, he became McLaren’s test driver.
Palmer finished seventh in the 1991 British Touring Car Championship while driving a BMW for Prodrive. In addition, he became a pit lane related for the BBC F1 commentary team that same year. After James Hunt’s death from a heart attack at the 1993 Canadian Grand Prix, Palmer accompanied Murray Walker in the BBC commentary box. The BBC lost the rights to broadcast F1 at the end of 1996, and Palmer joined the CBC in 1997 to provide commentary on the Canadian Grand Prix.
According to the source, on 20th September 2022, it was officially announced that MSV won the bid for purchasing Circuito de Navarra in northern Spain. He has completed the first phase of its programme of improvements which involves a complete overhaul of the race control complex.
Jonathan Palmer’s Personal Life
Sources have revealed that Jonathan Palmer had two sons, both had successful moto racing careers. His first son is Jolyon Palmer and his second son is Will Palmer.
He is also blessed with two daughters, Emily and Alic. It has been revealed that he married Emma Collins in 2018, but before her, he got separated from his first wife in 2011, but her name is not revealed till now.