Mike Spence - Early Career

Early Career

Mike Spence began his motor sport career through involvement with his family's garage business in Maidenhead, Berkshire. After early outings in 1958, driving his father's Turner and an AC Ace sports car, Spence moved into open wheel racing in Formula Junior in 1959. Immediate success at the wheel of his Emeryson earned Spence the opportunity to drive the car in the non-Championship 1961 Solitude Grand Prix less than two years later, although his gearbox failed after only six laps. However, later that year he finished an astonishing second in the Lewis-Evans Trophy race at Brands Hatch. These results prompted moves to the privateer Ian Walker Racing FJ team for 1962, driving a Lotus 22, and then to the works Lotus Formula Junior squad in 1963.

Despite disappointing results in his first Formula Junior season with a major team, with fourth place in the British Grand Prix FJ support race his best result, toward the end of 1963 Spence was called up to the Lotus Formula One team. Spence entered the 1963 Italian Grand Prix as replacement for Trevor Taylor, who was out through injury. Although he qualified his Lotus 25 in 9th spot, in the race the car's oil pressure faded, ending Spence's race on lap 73.