Peter Ryan

Peter Barry Ryan (10 June 1940 - 2 July 1962): Canadian racing driver from Montreal, Quebec who participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, the 1961 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen where he finished ninth, becoming the first Canadian ever to start a Formula One World Championship race, but who was tragically killed at age 21 in a Formula Junior crash at Reims, France, cutting short a brilliant career that had seen him win the inaugural Canadian Grand Prix and earn a works Lotus contract. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 10 June 1940, Ryan grew up at Mont-Tremblant, Quebec and always raced as a Canadian despite his American birthplace. Before motorsport, Ryan came to prominence as a skier, winning the National Ski Association's junior downhill championship at Mount Rose, Nevada in 1957.

His Olympic skiing prospects were such that a dispute arose over which country he should represent, but he chose racing over skiing. Ryan's racing successes came primarily in sports cars in Canada, the United States, and Nassau. On 1 October 1960, he co-drove with Roger Penske (yes, *that* Roger Penske) in a Porsche RS60 to win the six-hour Sundown Grand Prix at Harewood, Ontario. On 6 August 1961, Ryan won the Vanderbilt Cup for Formula Junior cars at Bridgehampton, New York, driving a Lotus 20 and averaging 87.

95 mph. Most significantly, Ryan won the inaugural Canadian Grand Prix held at Mosport on 30 September 1961 (at the time a non-championship sports car race), driving a Lotus Monte Carlo-Climax, becoming Canada's first Canadian Grand Prix winner and a national motorsport hero. Ryan made his Formula One World Championship debut at the 1961 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen on 8 October 1961, driving a privateer Lotus. He qualified reasonably and finished ninth, completing the race and becoming the first Canadian driver ever to start a Formula One World Championship Grand Prix—a historic achievement for Canadian motorsport.

After this strong performance, Ryan signed a works Lotus contract to compete in Formula Junior throughout 1962 to gain experience of European tracks, with the expectation of a likely Formula One seat in 1963. Lotus boss Colin Chapman saw enormous potential in Ryan and planned to promote him to the team alongside Jim Clark. Frank Gardner, a respected contemporary, called Ryan "the fastest driver I ever saw," high praise from a driver who competed against many legends. On 2 July 1962, Ryan was competing in a Formula Junior race at Reims-Gueux in France when his car crashed fatally.

He was killed instantly at age 21, just 22 days after his 22nd birthday, devastating Canadian motorsport and robbing Formula One of a driver many believed destined for World Championship success. Despite his incredibly short Formula One career (one race, one finish), Ryan was inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993, recognizing his historic significance as Canada's first World Championship Formula One driver and his tragic potential. Known for being the first Canadian to start a Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, for winning the inaugural Canadian Grand Prix in 1961, for his works Lotus contract suggesting imminent stardom, for Frank Gardner's assessment as "the fastest driver I saw," and for his tragic death at age 21 cutting short a brilliant career, Peter Ryan remains one of Canadian motorsport's greatest "what ifs"—a driver whose talent suggested future championships but whose life was cut short before he could fulfill his extraordinary potential.