Started off as an engineer and motorcyclist before becoming a fine driver in sports and touring cars. Basil started his career in 1957, when he rode a Puch 250 motorcycle, before moving into touring cars, racing his own modified Ford Anglia. He won the South African touring car championship of 1966 and 1967, both times racing a Ford Mustang. John Love was impressed by Basil's driving and offered him a chance to race in Formula 1. Initially he impressed in a McLaren M7 in the South African national championship, being a frequent rival of his supporter Love, before making it at Grand Prix level. His racing career was ended by a huge F1 crash and the deaths, shortly after, of McLaren and Courage was enough for him to call it a day. However had fate intervened elsewhere, he had both a Matra drive for 1969 and a March Formula 1 drive in 1970. He then ran a performance company and a package manufacturing business. He retired in 1981 from driving. He emigrated to Australia in 1987 to set up a manufacturing business and retired in 2005. He has since patented a pool cleaning device, which is now in production and still follows the sport and played tennis. In 2012, he was behind a new crankcase independent two-stroke engine, and Basil was nominated for engineering excellence for his work towards it. He also gave oldracingcars.com an interview, which can be found below. Basil was diagnosed with mesothelioma caused by asbestos, but despite this prognosis, he continued to live life to the full, and before the illness restricted his movements, he enjoyed visits overseas and was as busy as ever promoting his CITS engine to potential investors around the World.

Read interview.

Biography last updated 18 Sep 2023