Rory Byrne - Early Career

Early Career

Byrne became interested in motor racing at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, South Africa, firstly as a competitor and later the technical aspects of the sport. After graduating in 1965 Byrne began working as a chemist but retained his fascination for racing until by the late 1960s he, with three friends Dave Collier, Ronny and Dougie Bennett, set up a company importing performance car parts called Auto Drag and Speed Den situated in Jules Street, Malvern, Johannesburg and later Voortrekker Road in Alberton. It was in this period that he first began to design racing cars, putting to use his mathematical knowledge even though he lacked formal engineering training. His first car, a Formula Ford racer, was competitive and finished well in the 1972 championship.

Following his success in 1972 Byrne relocated to England to pursue a career in racing car design. Purchasing an aging Royale Formula Ford car he began putting together the skills required improve the design and received a lucky break in 1973 when Royale founder Bob King decided to sell the team. The new owner needed an engineer to replace King, who had also been the cars designer, and offered the job to Rory Byrne, who spent the next four years designing a variety of cars for the Royale and its customers.

An introduction to Ted Toleman in 1977 offered the next opportunity for the thirty-three-year-old who was by now an established figure in British motor racing. Toleman was owner of a Formula 2 team and hired the South African as its designer. Several seasons of increasingly respectable results culminated in first and second place in the 1980 British Formula 2 championship. The team with Rory Byrne as its chief designer was now ready to make the jump into Formula One.