6/3/1940 - 19/5/2007
Record updated 06-Mar-23
He entered the South African Grand Prix in 1972 but a blown engine in practice put paid to him taking the start. He did however participate in a number of non-Championship Formula One races.
Willie Ferguson was born in Johannesburg and is a former racing driver from South Africa.
In 1960 he entered the Johannesburg 9 Hour race in the Scuderia Los Amigo MG A with Frank Rundel but posted a DNF and over the next two years he entered a number of endurance races including the Kyalami 9 Hour race, finishing seventeenth driving the MG A with Martin Skeen. He entered the race again in 1962 with a Lola Mk 1 sharing the driving with B. Potgier. They retired from the race.
He raced in the national Formula Vee series and in 1970 moved up to the South African Drivers’ Championship driving Doug Serrurier’s Lola T142-Ford. he had some decent results and to end the season 5th in the points standings.
1971 he raced a Surtees TS5 in the Championship before switching to a Chevy-powered TS8. he started with a fine third place at the opening round at Killarney. Once again a number of decent results, with a best of second at the Natal Winter Trophy at Roy Hesketh, once again saw him finish in fifth place in the final standings, equal on points with John McNicol, and runner-up in the F5000 class behind Paddy Driver.
He acquired the ex-Jack Brabham Brabham BT33-Ford for 1972 and moved up to the F1 class of the South African Championship. He entered the Formula 1 South African Grand Prix with Team Gunston, driving his Brabham BT33. However he failed to take the start due to a blown engine in practice. In the 1972 South African F1 Championship he came 3rd in the second round, the Highveld 100, at Kyalami but he then sold the car to John Love.
Willie quit the sport after crashing his Surtees TS8-Chevrolet during practice for a race at Kyalami.
Willie passed away on the 19th May 2007, aged 67, after sadly losing his battle with cancer.
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