Geoff Lees

Geoffrey Thompson Lees (1 May 1951 - Present): British racing driver from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, who competed in Formula One sporadically from 1978 to 1982. Participated in 12 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, unique in that his five race starts occurred in five different marques—Tyrrell, Shadow, Ensign, Theodore, and Lotus—a record of diversity rarely matched. Made his first Formula One attempt at the 1978 British Grand Prix with a non-works Mario Deliotti-entered Ensign-Ford, but failed to qualify. Achieved his best Formula One result of seventh place at his debut race start, the 1979 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, substituting for the injured Jean-Pierre Jarier at Tyrrell.

Hired by the hopeless Shadow team in 1980 for five events, and that he qualified in South Africa was considered a remarkable achievement given the car's uncompetitiveness. In his own words about the Shadow DN11: 'It was the worst car I ever drove in my life,' highlighting the dire state of the team's final season. His next opportunity came at the 1981 French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, standing in for an injured Nigel Mansell with Lotus, demonstrating his reputation as a reliable substitute driver. Scored no championship points during his 12 Grand Prix appearances.

Beyond Formula One, Lees is the only driver in history to win Formula Two titles in both Europe and Japan, an extraordinary achievement demonstrating his versatility and adaptability to different racing environments. Won the 1983 Japanese Formula Two championship and collected eight race victories in the series, becoming one of the most successful foreign drivers in Japanese motorsport history. Represented various Japanese constructors in sports car racing, winning four Japanese sports car titles in 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1992, establishing himself as a dominant force in Japanese endurance racing. Spent much of his career based in Japan, where he enjoyed a long and successful racing career far exceeding his limited Formula One achievements.

His Japanese racing success made him a respected figure in Asian motorsport circles, proving that alternative racing markets offered opportunities for drivers who couldn't secure competitive F1 seats.