Killed in practice for the Formula 2 race at Hockenheim. Born in Ireland, he moved to New Zealand when he was thirteen. A good club driver, he was another racing mechanic who came to the UK to try his luck. Raced in Formula B, and won the Bogota Grand Prix in 1972. Hawthorne began racing in the 1960's in a Ford Anglia before moving to the UK for work but then returned with his own Brabham BT21 and did well in the New Zealand National Formula series. It was here that he struck up a friendship with Allan McCall of Tui cars and Bert raced in the US in one of McCall's creations. After his death, which occurred metres from Jim Clark's crash four years previously, all the Tui cars became prefixed with BH in Bert's honour.

Biography last updated 28 Jan 2017