Northern Irish rally driver Patrick Barron Hopkirk MBE lived from April 14, 1933 to July 21, 2022. The 2016 New Year's Honours list included an MBE for him. Hopkirk was appointed ambassador for IAM RoadSmart Mature Drivers at the beginning of 2016. In honour of Hopkirk, a line of car accessories under the name Paddy Hopkirk is available. Since his early days in rallying, he had been involved in the automotive industry; by the early 1970s, he was importing Toyotas into Northern Ireland. After selling his car accessories company in the 1990s, he founded Hopkirks Ltd., a marketing company. He serves as a consultant for BMW's reborn Mini.
In addition to his commercial ventures, Hopkirk is a vice-president of the British Racing Drivers' Club and an enthusiastic supporter of WheelPower, a foundation that promotes wheelchair sport.
In 1953, Hopkirk won his maiden race while operating a VW Beetle in the Cairncastle Hillclimb. As a result, he was given a free Beetle for his first of many appearances at the Circuit of Ireland. He won his first Hewison Trophy, given to the most successful Irish rally driver of the year, at the 1955 Circuit of Ireland, which marked the beginning of his great career in professional racing and rally driving. He would go on to win the award three years in a row.
When did Paddy Hopkirk win Monte Carlo?
Paddy Hopkirk is a legendary driver best known for winning the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964. He raced a Mini for the first time in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1963, finishing sixth. A year later, he and Henry Liddon achieved that illustrious victory in Monte Carlo. They are the most recent all-British team to win the competition, and he also guided BMC to the team victory, with fellow Mini drivers Timo Makinen and Rauno Aaltonen finishing fourth and seventh, respectively.
