Ninian Sanderson

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Wikidata image Ninian Sanderson (14 May 1925 – 1 October 1985) was a Scottish car dealer, sports car racing driver, and winner of the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans.[1][2]

Racing career

Sanderson was born in Glasgow. In common with many drivers of his era, he cut his racing teeth in the highly competitive 500cc Formula 3 class in the early 1950s. He is best known for winning the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans for the Ecurie Ecosse team, together with Ron Flockhart in an ex-works Jaguar D-Type.[3][4] The following year Sanderson again competed for Ecurie Ecosse, finishing second with co-driver John "Jock" Lawrence, only beaten by the other Ecurie Ecosse D-Type driven by Flockhart and Ivor Bueb.

He took part in several non-championship Formula Two and Formula One races with Ecurie Ecosse, with a best result of third in the 1952 Scotland National Trophy and 1952 Joe Fry Memorial Trophy.[5] He was a reserve driver with the team for the 1953 British Grand Prix but did not compete in the race.[6]

In 1999 the Jaguar sports car that won the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans was sold at Christie's in London for £1.71 million.[7] At that time it was the most expensive car ever bought at auction.[7]

Although reputedly not the easiest of men to get along with, Ninian Sanderson was well known in racing circles for his lively sense of humour. Fond of practical jokes he was not averse to putting firecrackers up exhaust pipes and ribbing members of the public with his race-bred black humour. The contrast in personalities within the Ecurie Ecosse team was stark; down-to-Earth, Glaswegian Sanderson, and refined, Edinburgh-born Flockhart were "like chalk and cheese".

File:Ecosse and Francorchamps Jaguar C-types Zandvoort 1954 crop.jpg
Ninian Sanderson driving an Ecurie Ecosse-entered Jaguar C-Type at Zandvoort in 1954

Sanderson was also a keen yachtsman and regularly raced his yachts on the Clyde with the same competitive spirit and ebullience as in his motor racing. He owned several beautiful Clyde boatyard McGruer-built yachts: a Dragon class keelboat named "Corsair" built in 1947 and an 8-metre class cruiser racer "Debbie" built in 1966. In 1974 he also commissioned McGruer to build his well-known 3/4-Tonner racing yacht "Nippie Sweetie".[8][9]

In 1983 Sanderson and Jim Watt raised £10,500 for the medical oncology unit at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary following a sponsored canoe trip from Broomielaw to Tarbert, Loch Fyne.[10] Sanderson had been receiving treatment at the unit for several years; he died of cancer in 1985.[1][10] His wife Dorothy Sanderson died in 2007.[11]

Sanderson was educated at Strathallan School. In the announcement of his death the school magazine The Strathallian quoted F1 racing World champion Jackie Stewart describing Sanderson as a 'perfectionist, with immense spirit and commitment.'[2]

Racing record

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Pos.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Class
Pos.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
1955 Template:Flagicon Standard Triumph Ltd. Template:Flagicon Bob Dickson Triumph TR2 S2.0 242 14th 5th
1956 Template:Flagicon Ecurie Ecosse Template:Flagicon Ron Flockhart Jaguar D-Type S5.0 300 1st 1st
1957 Template:Flagicon Ecurie Ecosse Template:Flagicon John 'Jock' Lawrence Jaguar D-Type S5.0 319 2nd 2nd
1958 Template:Flagicon Ecurie Ecosse Template:Flagicon John 'Jock' Lawrence Jaguar D-Type S3.0 2 DNF
(Engine)
1959 Template:Flagicon Standard Triumph Ltd Template:Flagicon Claude Dubois Triumph TR3S GT2.0 114 DNF
(Radiator)
1960 Template:Flagicon Standard Triumph Ltd Template:Flagicon Peter Bolton Triumph TRS S2.0 249 N/C*
1961 Template:Flagicon Ecurie Ecosse Template:Flagicon Alan McKay Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite S1.0 40 DNF
(Accident)
1962 Template:Flagicon TVR Cars Template:Flagicon Peter Bolton TVR Grantura Mk3 E2.0 3 DNF
(Overheating)
1963 Template:Flagicon AC Cars Ltd Template:Flagicon Peter Bolton AC Cobra Hardtop GT+3.0 310 7th 1st
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  • Note *: Not Classified because car failed to complete 80% of its Index of Performance distance.

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Pos.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Class
Pos.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
1958 Template:Flagicon Ecurie Ecosse Template:Flagicon Ivor Bueb Jaguar D-Type S3.0 22 DNF
(Valve springs)
Source:[14]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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References

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External links

Template:Sister project

Sporting positions
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
1956 with:
Ron Flockhart Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by

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