Sam Tingle

Sam Ashworth Tingle (24 August 1921 - 19 December 2008): Rhodesian racing driver of English birth who competed in five Formula One World Championship Grands Prix at the South African Grand Prix between 1963 and 1969, becoming one of only two drivers from Rhodesia to successfully start a Formula One race. Born in England, Tingle moved to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where he became one of the country's leading racing drivers during the 1950s and 1960s. He dominated Rhodesian motorsport, winning the Rhodesian Championship in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, and 1964—five titles that established him as the nation's premier racing talent. Tingle's Formula One opportunities came exclusively at the South African Grand Prix, which was geographically accessible for Rhodesian competitors and occasionally attracted local drivers with competitive equipment.

His association with South African constructor and driver Doug Serrurier led him to race LDS (Lawrenceville Doug Serrurier) cars fitted with various engines including Climax, Alfa Romeo, and Repco powerplants. Tingle drove an LDS-Alfa Romeo in the 1963, 1965, and 1967 South African Grands Prix, and an LDS-Repco in 1968. For the 1969 South African Grand Prix, he upgraded to a proper Formula One Brabham-Repco BT24 entered by Team Gunston, producing his career-best eighth-place finish. While outside the points, this result demonstrated that with competitive machinery, Tingle could run respectably at the highest level.

His other four starts produced retirements and distant finishes, reflecting the generally uncompetitive nature of the LDS cars compared to works team machinery. Tingle never scored World Championship points from his five starts, though his eighth place in 1969 represented a creditable achievement. After his Formula One appearances, Tingle continued competing in Rhodesian and South African regional racing through the 1970s. He remained a respected figure in Zimbabwean motorsport and witnessed his country's transition from Rhodesia to independent Zimbabwe in 1980.

Tingle died on 19 December 2008 at age 87. He represents the generation of Commonwealth drivers from Africa who occasionally competed in Formula One at regional races but lacked the resources or opportunities to mount full European campaigns. Along with John Love, Tingle remains one of the most celebrated racing drivers in Zimbabwean motorsport history, remembered for bringing Rhodesian racing talent to the World Championship stage. Known for: Being one of only two Rhodesian drivers to successfully start a Formula One race, winning the Rhodesian Championship five times (1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964), achieving a best Formula One finish of eighth place at the 1969 South African Grand Prix, and competing exclusively at the South African Grand Prix in five F1 appearances.