William Michael Wilds[1] (born 7 January 1946) is a British racing driver from England. He participated in eight Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 20 July 1974. He scored no championship points.

Mike Wilds
Wilds in 2023
BornWilliam Michael Wilds
(1946-01-07) 7 January 1946 (age 78)
Chiswick, Middlesex, England
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
Active years19741976
TeamsEnsign, BRM,
non-works March
non-works Shadow
Entries8 (3 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1974 British Grand Prix
Last entry1976 British Grand Prix

Career

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After winning a few races in Formula 3 in the early 1970s, Wilds moved on to Formula 5000. At the same time, he took part in a few Formula One Grands Prix, firstly with a non-works March, then with Ensign and BRM. After he failed to qualify at his home Grand Prix in 1976, with a privately run Shadow, he concentrated on other forms of motor sport, including sports car racing and historic racing.

In an interview with Wilds, published on YouTube, he described one of the highlights of his short-lived Formula One career, at the 1974 United States Grand Prix after qualifying, Tyrrell founder Ken Tyrrell walked up to him, telling Wilds that Jody Scheckter wanted to speak to him. Wilds had gone out in qualifying just ahead of Jody, assuming he was going too slow for the Tyrrell. Upon approaching Scheckter, Wilds thought he would be told he was slow. When the South African driver approached him, Wilds raised his voice to him, thinking he would be complained at. After this, Scheckter complemented Wilds' control and handling of the old Ensign N174.

 
Wilds at Snetterton, May 2016.

Wilds won the Formula Two class in the 1978 Aurora AFX championship, driving a Ralt and finished ninth in the overall standings.[2] He also won the Thoroughbred Sports Cars championship in 1984 driving an Aston Martin DB4.[3]

Wilds won the RJB Mining Historic Sports Car Championship in 1992, '93, '96 and 98.[3]

Wilds' sports car racing career included driving at Le Mans 8 times, including C2 cars for Ecurie Ecosse (World Champion C2, 1986), and Group C for Nissan in 1988 with team-mate Win Percy.

Wilds won the 2008 Britcar Drivers Championship together with Ian Lawson and Mike's son Anthony Wilds in the ING Sport BMW; the team also went on to win again in 2013 and also won the 2008 Group C Enduro Trophy in the Porsche 962 with Henry Pearman.

He still occasionally drives in events for historic cars. He raced a Porsche 962 and an Elva Mk5 in the 2008 Silverstone Classic. He returned to the Britcar Endurance grid in May 2016 posting his first win as a shared drive with son Anthony in a Ferrari 458.[4]

At the age of 72 Wilds is set to make his debut in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain series with the Redline Racing team at Brands Hatch.[5]

In addition to his car racing career, Wilds is an active commercial helicopter pilot and instructor. He is affectionately known as 'The Honorific' Mike Wilds.[citation needed]

Racing record

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Complete European F5000 Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos. Pts
1974 Dempster International Racing Team March 74A Chevrolet 5.0 V8 BRH
2
MAL
2
SIL
6
OUL
Ret
BRH
6
ZOL
4
THR
13
ZAN MUG MNZ
Ret
MAL
11
MON THR BRH
6
OUL SNE MAL BRH 11th 58
1975 Mick Hill March 74A Chevrolet 5.0 V8 BRH OUL BRH SIL ZOL ZAN THR SNE MAL THR BRH OUL SIL SNE MAL
7
BRH
7
23rd 12

Complete Formula One World Championship results

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(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Pts
1974 Dempster International Racing Team March 731 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR
DNQ
GER NC 0
Team Ensign Ensign N174 AUT
DNQ
ITA
DNQ
CAN
DNQ
USA
NC
1975 Stanley BRM BRM P201 BRM P200 3.0 V12 ARG
Ret
BRA
Ret
RSA ESP MON BEL SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA NC 0
1976 Team PR Reilly Shadow DN3B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 BRA RSA USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR
DNQ
GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN NC 0
Source:[2]

Complete Shellsport International Series results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos. Pts
1976 Team PR Reilly Shadow DN3B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 MAL SNE OUL BRH THR
3
BRH
4
MAL
Ret
SNE
2
BRH
6
5th 51
Ensign N174 BRH
19
THR
5
OUL BRH
1977 AIM Racing Chevron B30 Ford GAA 3.4 V6 MAL SNE OUL BRH MAL THR BRH OUL MAL DON BRH
DNS
THR SNE
NC
BRH
7
29th 4

Complete British Formula One Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos. Pts
1978 Graham Eden Racing Ralt RT1 Ford BDG 2.0 L4 OUL
Ret
BRH
6
SNE
Ret
MAL
7
ZAN
6
DON
DNS
THR
6
OUL
6
MAL
8
BRH
7
THR
13
SNE
5
9th 43
1979 Pontin Racing March 772P/782 Ford BDG Eden 2.0 L4 ZOL OUL BRH MAL SNE THR ZAN DON OUL NOG MAL BRH THR
12
SNE SIL NC 0
1980 Graham Eden Racing Chevron B41 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 OUL BRH SIL MAL THR MNZ MAL SNE BRH THR OUL SIL
4
14th 3

Complete British Saloon / Touring Car Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos. Pts Class
1977 Linden Finance Triumph Dolomite Sprint C SIL
Ret
BRH
6
OUL THR SIL THR DON SIL DON BRH THR BRH 31st 1 9th
1978 Hughes of Beaconsfield Toyota Celica GT B SIL OUL THR BRH SIL DON MAL BRH
?
DON
4†
BRH THR
?
OUL 27th 12 6th
1989 Trakstar Motorsport Ford Sierra RS500 A OUL SIL THR DON
Ret‡
THR SIL SIL BRH SNE BRH BIR DON SIL NC 0 NC

† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

‡ Endurance driver.

Complete European Touring Car Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Points
1980   Dealer Team Renault Renault 5 Gordini MNZ VAL BRH SAL BRN PER NUR SIL
Ret
ZOL NC 0
1984   Jolly Club Milano Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV6 MNZ VAL DON PER BRN ZEL SAL NUR SPA SIL
Ret
ZOL MUG NC 0

Complete World Sports-Prototype Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos. Pts
1980 Malaya Garage Ltd. Gr.5 Porsche 911SC Porsche 2.8 F6 DAY BRH MUG MNZ SIL
Ret
NÜR LMS GLN MOS VAL DIJ [N 1]
1981 Tuff Kote Dinol Racing Gr.5 Porsche 935-L1 Porsche 1.4 F6t DAY SEB MUG MNZ RSD SIL
Ret
NÜR LMS
Ret
PER DAY GLN SPA MOS ROA BRH NC 0
1982 Dorset Racing Associates C De Cadenet-Lola LM Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 MNZ SIL
NC
NÜR LMS
Ret
SPA MUG FUJ BRH NC 0
1983 François Duret C De Cadenet-Lola LM Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 MNZ SIL
12
NÜR LMS SPA FUJ KYA NC 0
1984 Ecurie Ecosse C2 Ecosse C284 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 MNZ
10
SIL
Ret
LMS
Ret
NÜR BRH MOS SPA IMO FUJ KYA SAN 77th 3
1985 Ecurie Ecosse C2 Ecosse C285 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 MUG MNZ
10
SIL
9
LMS
Ret
HOC
8
MOS SPA
14
22nd 20
Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 BRH
6
FUJ SHA
1986 Ecurie Ecosse C2 Ecosse C286 Rover V64V 3.0 V6 MNZ SIL
Ret
LMS
DSQ
NOR BRH JER NÜR SPA FUJ NC 0
1987 ADA Engineering C2 Gebhardt 843 Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 JAR
13
JER
Ret
MNZ 37th 8
Ecurie Ecosse Ecosse C286 SIL
8
LMS
Ret
NOR
Ret
BRH
10
NÜR
11
SPA
12
FUJ
15
1988 Nissan Motorsports C1 Nissan R88C Nissan VRH30 3.0 V8t JER JAR MNZ SIL LMS
14
BRN BRH NÜR SPA FUJ SAN NC 0
Footnotes
  1. ^ No drivers' Championship.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1981   Tuff Kote Dinol Racing   Jan Lundgårdh
  Axel Plankenhorn
Porsche 935-L1 Gr.5 49 DNF DNF
1982   Dorset Racing Associates   François Duret
  Ian Harrower
De Cadenet-Lola LM-Ford Cosworth C 56 DNF DNF
1984   Ecurie Ecosse   David Leslie
  David Duffield
Ecosse C284-Ford Cosworth C2 36 DNF DNF
1985   Ecurie Ecosse   Ray Mallock
  David Leslie
Ecosse C285-Ford Cosworth C2 45 DNF DNF
1986   Ecurie Ecosse   Ray Mallock
  David Leslie
Ecosse C286-Austin-Rover C2 181 DSQ DSQ
1987   Ecurie Ecosse   Les Delano
  Andy Petery
Ecosse C286-Ford Cosworth C2 135 DNF DNF
1988   Nissan Motorsports   Allan Grice
  Win Percy
Nissan R88C C1 344 14th 13th
Source:[6]

24 Hours of Silverstone results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Car No. Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2010   Mazda Motors UK Ltd   Mark Ticehurst
  Owen Mildenhall
  Jamie Corstorphine
  Ollie Marriage (DNS)
Mazda MX5 86 4 340 51st/DNF 20th/DNF
  Mazda Motors UK Ltd   Ben Whitworth
  Jim McGill
  Matt Joy
  Jade Paveley
  Ollie Marriage
Mazda MX5 87 4 474 34th 11th
2011   Mazda Motors UK Ltd   Mark Ticehurst
  Owen Mildenhall
Mazda MX5 45 3 92 NC NC

Complete British GT Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Points
2000 CSi Brookspeed Racing Chrysler Viper GTS-R GT THR
1
CRO
1
OUL
1
DON
1
SIL
1
BRH
1
DON
1
CRO
1
SIL
1

3
SNE
1
SPA
1
SIL
1
32nd 10

Complete Britcar results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position in class – 1 point awarded just in first race) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap in class – 1 point awarded all races)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 DC CP Points
2016 FF Corse Ferrari 458 Challenge 2 SIL
SNE
1
DON
3
THR
3
CRO
SIL
2
OUL
BRH
8th 1st 85
2017 DMS & FF Corse Ferrari 458 Challenge E2 SIL
1

1
SIL
2

4
SNE
1

Ret
SNE
2

Ret
SIL
1

SIL
2

BRH
1

BRH
2

DON
1

DON
2

OUL
1

OUL
2

SIL
BRH
1

BRH
2

16th 3rd 76

References

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  1. ^ "Database - Mike Wilds". Motor Sport. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. p. 401. ISBN 0851127029.
  3. ^ a b Heseltine, Richard (July 2005). "Talk curve -- Historic motorsport insight -- Why Wilds' thing is racing". Motor Sport magazine archive. p. 106. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Britcar Dunlop Endurance Championship". May 2016. Archived from the original on 6 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Mike Wilds and Rory Collingbourne to race for Redline Racing at Brands Hatch - The Checkered Flag". The Checkered Flag. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  6. ^ "All Results of Mike Wilds". racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
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