George Abecassis was a distinguished driver as well as the co-founder of the HWM team, whose drivers included Stirling Moss and which entered 46 Grand Prix between 1951 and 1955.

Abecassis began competing in 1935, and by the war had earned a good reputation in English racing. After serving as a pilot with the RAF, winning the DFC, he returned to the track in 1946 and soon after set up his own team with partner John Heath. In 1950 a series of coincidences led him being an 11th-hour pick to drive in the Le Mans 24-hour classic - he finished fifth and earned a racing place on the team as a result.

With Heath, he had opened the Hersham and Walton Motor Company (HWM) immediately after the war - the business survives to this day. While the resulting cars they raced were designed for Formula Two, when Formula One rules were relaxed to included F2 cars, HWM entered. Abecassis raced his own car twice, retiring early on both times.

Away from F1, the team had greater success across Europe, but its fortunes were in decline when Heath was killed in an accident in the Mille Miglia in 1956. Abecassis immediately wound-up the team and quit racing, concentrating on the garage business.

Martin Williamson