Colin Davis

Colin Davis (July 29, 1933 - December 19, 2012): Colin Charles Houghton Davis was a British racing driver from Marylebone, London, who followed in the footsteps of his famous father, 'Bentley Boy' and Le Mans winner Sammy Davis, to become a successful competitor in his own right. Davis achieved his greatest success in sports car racing during the 1960s, establishing himself as one of the era's most accomplished endurance racing drivers. His crowning achievement came in 1964 when he won the prestigious Targa Florio in Sicily, co-driving a Porsche 904 GTS with Italian driver Antonio Pucci. This victory made Davis one of only seven British racing drivers to win the legendary Sicilian road race, joining an exclusive club that included Cyril Snipe, Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, Graham Hill, Vic Elford, and Brian Redman.

At the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, Davis partnered with Gerhard Mitter in a Porsche 904, but their race ended after 244 laps due to clutch problems, denying them a potential class victory. However, Davis returned to Le Mans in 1966 and achieved his best overall result at the Circuit de la Sarthe, finishing fourth overall and first in class with Jo Siffert in a two-litre Porsche 906. This performance demonstrated Davis's exceptional skill in endurance racing's most demanding event. His Formula One career was brief, consisting of two World Championship starts in 1959, though he did not score any championship points.

Davis continued competing in various endurance races throughout the 1960s, building a reputation as a skilled and reliable driver particularly suited to long-distance competition. He passed away on December 19, 2012, at the age of 79, remembered as a successful sports car racer who carried on his family's rich motorsport heritage and left his own mark on endurance racing history, particularly through his Targa Florio triumph.