Leslie Thorne

23/6/1916 - 13/7/1993

Record updated 23-Jun-06

Scottish accountant who started out in 500cc F3 but ended up driving the Ecurie Ecosse Connaught A-type Formula 2 car.

Leslie Thorne was born in Greenock, Inverclyde in Scotland. He started racing in 1953 with a 500cc Formula 3 Cooper-Norton and raced extensively in trials and hill-climbs both before and after the war.

He was friends with David Murray, who owned Ecurie Ecosse and in 1954 Murray peruaded him to try the team's Connaught A-type Formula 2 car.

He raced the Connaught in the British Grand Prix in 1954 and also drove in a number of Formula Libre events, his best finish was in the Chichester Cup at Goodwood where he came sixth.

Thorne was a chartered accountant by profession. Other racing accountants include Luigi Fagioli and Marc Gene.