Peter Walker (racing driver)

Walker died on 1 March 1984, after suffering from dementia and pneumonia. He is remembered today by his peers like Moss, who describes him as one of life's "great guys".

Walker did test and race again in 1957. In the spring, he tested for Rob Walker Racing Team, in their Connaught Type B at Goodwood, and subsequently drove the car in a one-off race, the Gran Premio di Siracusa the following season. He was classified in eighth place despite spinning and stalling the car late on.

He largely retired from racing after crashing a DB3S at Le Mans in 1956. He made a mistake in the 16th hour of the race, whilst running strongly. He suffered what would basically turn into a career-ending accident. The car skidded on the wet track near the Dunlop Bridge and hit the wall – ultimately sliding upside down on the track.

Although he remained with Jaguar for 1954, the season wasn't as successful, despite teaming with Moss for Le Mans in a Jaguar D-Type, when they retired in the 12th hour with brake problems. At the end of the season, England asked Walker to make himself available for pre-season testing, ahead of the 1955 season. Walker failed to respond and joined Aston Martin. This proved not to be a good move, as Jaguar's great hat-trick of Le Mans victories was about to begin. Some consolation to Walker, was his fine victory in the Goodwood Nine-hour, a race in which shared an Aston Martin DB3S with Dennis Poore.

In the 1953 race, he shared his works C-Type with Stirling Moss, and the pair led in the early stages until the engine problems intervened. Moss pitted on lap 20, and the mechanics set to work. The problem was only solved after a second stop, when the mechanics changed a blocked fuel filter. Moss and Walker would finish second, four laps down on their winning teammates, Rolt and Duncan Hamilton. This would be the closest Walker would ever get to a second victory at Le Mans.

After the success of XK120, they developed an endurance racing version, the XK120C, or C-Type and need a driver. Walker was approached and with it, Jaguar embarked on their first racing program aimed at winning the 24 Heures du Mans outright. On its first attempt, just six weeks after completion, Walker achieved the victory for which he is best remembered, when he and co-driver, Whitehead won the 1951 race. Of the three entered, they filled the top three positions after four hours. However, after just 50 laps, only Walker's remained in the race. The victory providing the Coventry marque with much publicity and acclaim.

Walker performances of the hills brought him to the attention of Lofty England, the manager of Jaguar's sports car racing team, rewarded him with a drive in a Jaguar XK120 in this newly launched car's first race at Silverstone in 1949. Walker finished second, but won at same event 12 months later, in an alloy-bodied works-prepared XK120.

Although competitive before the war, Walker's aggressive style and experience helped him become even more successful. In fact, he was one of handful of driver who could get the ERA E-type to perform. In 1948, he was able to put together some impressive performances both in hillclimbing, but in Grand Prix Racing. One of those races was the inaugural British Grand Prix, at RAF Silverstone. However, the race did not go to plan. He entered the race driving an ERA E-type, but the manufacturer was unable to deliver the chassis in time, so Walker used his older B-type. During the race, he survived the massive attrition to finish in 11th place, 12 laps adrift of the winner, Luigi Villoresi.

Peter Douglas Conyers Walker (7 October 1912 – 1 March 1984) was an English racing driver. He was born in Huby, Yorkshire and died in Newtown, Worcestershire. He proved a strong driver in most disciplines, but was most adept in sports cars, winning the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and the Goodwood Nine-Hours in 1955. He effectively retired after a crash in 1956 left him with serious injuries.

Peter 'Skid' Walker was born in Yorkshire in October 1912. He really started his racing career in 1935, after linking up with Peter Whitehead. He enjoyed success in both circuit racing and hillclimbing with an ERA prior to World War II, with victories at Brooklands and Donington Park. Throughout this period, he could be found racing Whitehead's ERAs. His aggressive, sliding style made him a crowd favourite and gained him a little bit of notoriety. After the hostilities finished, he returned to the sport.