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Michael Johnson Parkes (born 24 September 1931 in Richmond, Surrey; died 28 August 1977 near Turin, Italy) was a British racing driver, from England. Parkes was born into an automotive background as his father John, was Chairman of the Alvis Group.〔 He participated in seven Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1959. He achieved two podiums, and scored a total of 14 championship points. He also secured one pole position. When not racing cars, Parkes worked as an automotive engineer,〔''Sebring 'Crasher' Swept By Ferrari'', Los Angeles Times, 22 March 1964, Page B5.〕 and whilst working for the Rootes Group was involved in the project which led to production of the Hillman Imp. ==Sports car career== Parkes began his racing career in the mid 1950s initially with an MG before moving on to a Frazer Nash.〔 In 1957 he raced a Lotus and came to the attention of Colin Chapman who invited him to act as reserve driver for the works team at Le Mans.〔 He then became involved with the Fry Formula Two project in 1958 and 1959, before returning to sportscars in 1960.〔 In 1960 Parkes drove a Lotus Elite for Sir Gawaine Baillie before moving to Tommy Sopwith's Equipe Endeavour in 1961, where he drove in sportscars and Formula Junior. He also drove a Ferrari GT for UK Ferrari franchise, Maranello Concessionaires.〔 At Le Mans he shared a three-litre Ferrari Testa Rossa with Willy Mairesse and finished second.〔 In May 1962, Mairesse and Parkes came second in the 1000km Nürburgring race in a Ferrari behind the winning car of the same marque driven by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien.〔''Phil Hill Wins Nürburgring'', Los Angeles Times, 28 May 1962, Page B6.〕 Parkes finished a mere car length behind Graham Hill in the 28th Royal Automobile Club tourist trophy race in August 1963.〔''Datelines In Sports'', Los Angeles Times, 25 August 1963, Page K5.〕 Umberto Maglioli and Parkes drove one of the Ferraris which claimed the top five qualifying positions for the 1964 12 Hours of Sebring. The Ferraris were equipped with new power plants. Parkes was timed at 3:10.4.〔''Ferraris Taking Over Top 5 Sebring Spots'', Los Angeles Times, 20 March 1964, Page B7〕 In the race Parkes established a speed record and completed the most miles ever for a winner. Parkes and Maglioli, finished a considerable distance ahead of the Ferrari of Ludovico Scarfiotti and Nino Vaccarella.〔 Parkes teamed with Jean Guichet in a Ferrari to capture the 1,000 kilometer Classic of Monza Italy in April 1965. Tommy Spichiger, 30, of Switzerland, died instantly on the 34th lap of the race when his Ferrari 365 prototype went off the track and burst into flames. Parkes and Guichet led most of the race in their Ferrari prototype, after taking the lead from John Surtees and Ludovico Scarfiotti.〔''Swiss Driver Dies at Monza'', Los Angeles Times, 26 April 1965, Page B3.〕 Parkes and Guichet placed 2nd to Surtees and Scarfiotti in a 620-mile race at the Nürburgring in May 1965. The winning pair led the full 44 laps. It was a 4th consecutive victory for Ferrari.〔''Ferrari Pair Wins Race Marred by Driver Death'', Los Angeles Times, 24 May 1965, Page B3〕 Dan Gurney eclipsed the time of Parkes in the sole factory Ferrari in the final practice for the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring. The blue Ford was clocked at 2:54.6, 2 seconds faster than a lap run by Parkes the previous day. In a Ferrari P3 prototype, Parkes lap was so fast ''that none of the time-speed conversion charts would accept it.'' Parkes and Bob Bondurant started 2nd after Gurney and his co-driver, Jerry Grant.〔''Gurney Roars 107 m.p.h. in Final Tineup'', Los Angeles Times, 26 March 1966, A5〕 Surtees and Parkes were in a Ferrari prototype in their victory in a 620-mile Monza sports car event in April 1966.〔''Datelines:Monza'', Los Angeles Times, 26 April 1966, Page B3〕 Chris Amon and Lorenzo Bandini were triumphant in a 100 lap, 1,000 kilometer Monza race in April 1967. They drove a four-litre Ferrari for an average speed of 122.30 m.p.h. Parkes and Scarfiotti finished second with a time of 5:10:59.2. The winning time was 5 hours seven minutes, 43 seconds. The Ferraris were in front after the Chaparrals of Phil Hill and Mike Spence had to make pit stops following the 17th and 18th laps.〔''Ferraris Run 1-2 at Monza'', Los Angeles, 26 April 1967, Page C5.〕 Parkes competed in a 1,000 kilometer sports car race in Argentina in January 1971. He was paired with Joakim Bonnier in a five-litre Ferrari entered and owned by the Swiss Filippinetti stable which maintained operations in Modena.〔"Ferrari To Enter New Car In Argentine Race Jan. 10", New York Times, 3 January 1971, Page S6.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mike Parkes」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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