Tim Parnell

Reginald Harold Haslam "Tim" Parnell Jr. (25 June 1932 - 5 April 2017): British racing driver and team manager who competed in four Formula One World Championship Grands Prix between 1959 and 1961, qualifying for two and scoring no points, before taking over his father Reg Parnell's racing team and later managing the BRM Formula One team from 1970 to 1974. Born as the son of Reg Parnell, a successful racing driver and team manager, Tim grew up immersed in motorsport. He made his Formula One debut at the 1959 British Grand Prix on 18 July 1959 and competed in four World Championship races over three seasons.

He qualified for two of these races, achieving his only finish with tenth place at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix at Monza—a result that demonstrated he possessed reasonable ability but lacked the exceptional talent necessary for success at Formula One's highest level. Before his Formula One appearances, Parnell raced successfully in Formula Two, driving a Climax-powered Cooper T45 and a Lotus 18, achieving respectable results in junior single-seater competition. His racing career showed promise, but circumstances intervened. In January 1964, Tim's father Reg Parnell died unexpectedly at age 52, devastating the family and leaving the Reg Parnell Racing team without its founder and leader.

At age 31, Tim faced the difficult decision of continuing his own racing career or taking over management of his father's team. He chose the latter, giving up his race career to ensure his father's legacy continued. Under Tim's management, Reg Parnell Racing developed a strong working relationship with BRM during the late 1960s, running BRM customer cars in various events. This relationship eventually led to Tim's appointment as BRM Formula One team manager from 1970 to 1974, taking charge of one of Britain's most historic racing teams.

His tenure as BRM team manager proved successful: the team achieved Grand Prix victories for Pedro Rodriguez, Jo Siffert, Peter Gethin, and Jean-Pierre Beltoise between 1970 and 1972. These wins represented BRM's final Formula One victories, providing a dignified conclusion to the team's long championship history. Gethin's victory at the 1971 Italian Grand Prix remains the closest finish in Formula One history. After leaving BRM in 1974, Parnell remained involved in British motorsport in various capacities.

He died on 5 April 2017 at age 84. Parnell's greatest contributions to motorsport came as a team manager rather than a driver, preserving his father's legacy and delivering BRM's final Grand Prix victories. Known for: Managing the BRM Formula One team from 1970 to 1974, overseeing Grand Prix victories for Rodriguez, Siffert, Gethin, and Beltoise, taking over Reg Parnell Racing after his father's death in 1964, finishing tenth in his only Formula One race finish at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix, and sacrificing his driving career to manage his father's team.