Peter Gethin may have been the son of a jockey, but he pursued a different kind of horsepower, making his name racing automobiles. They weren’t just any automobiles either, but the fastest most prestigious racing cars in the world. He was a race winner in Formula 1 and the original Can-Am, and a champion in Formula 5000. His first major recognition came in the mid-’60s when he raced in the British Formula Three championship, and by 1969 he was winning…

Gethin qualified fifth for the 1972 Monaco Grand Prix, but was disqualified for reversing in the pit lane as teammate Jean-Pierre Beltoise took a soggy victory.
Photo: BRDC Archive