Brough, Westmorland (now Cumbria)
By car to Darlington
Express train to Kings Cross, London
Taxi to Cromwell Road air terminal
Bus to Heathrow Airport
Aeroplane to Milan
Taxi to Milan Railway Station
Train to Modena
Cliff Allison settles into the cockpit of the Ferrari TR/59 he is to share with Dan Gurney during the Nurburgring 1000 km Race at the Nurburgring circuit, 7th June 1959. This was a strong lineup of Ferraris, but they were unable to do anything against Stirling Moss in the Aston Martin DBR1. Photo by Klemantaski Collection/Getty Images.
This was the journey that Ferrari driver, Cliff Allison, took every couple of weeks in 1959/1960 from his home in the north west of England to the Ferrari factory. This was one driver who did not decide to move to Monaco! If you have ever been to Cumbria then you would understand why. It’s a beautiful place, much of which is now a national park.
Phil Hill, Cliff Allison, Dan Gurney, Lotus-Climax 16, Ferrari 246, Grand Prix of Germany, AVUS, 02 August 1959. Photo by Bernard Cahier via Getty Images.
Cliff Allison, Ferrari D246, Grand Prix of Italy, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, 13 September 1959. Photo by Bernard Cahier / Getty Images.
After training as an engineer, Henry Clifford “Cliff” Allison, ran the family garage business. His father and uncle had both been bike racers but Cliff was more interested in 4 wheels.
Cliff Allison on July 11, 1953. Photo by Barratts / PA Images via Getty Images.
He started out in 1952 with a 500cc Cooper Norton Formula 3 car MIV. It was an old design and clearly outclassed so over the winter Cliff upgraded to the latest Cooper MVI. He modified and set up the car himself but his isolated location made testing difficult. There were no race tracks nearby. Brough is a small village on the road that connects the west and east of the county. There was, however, a small back road leading up into the hills.
Cliff would sometimes pop the garage trade plates on his cooper and give it a run up and down the hill. After a while, to save any local unpleasantness, Cliff came to an arrangement with the local policeman. Cliff would ask him if he was going to be visiting the local farms, as he was intending to run his car that day. PC Cooke would then conveniently decide to patrol in the opposite direction.
Cliff started to get noticed at events. As a garage owner who sold Esso fuel, he got to know Reg Tanner, Esso’s competition manager, who signed him on a retainer.
Cliff and his wife Mabel with his Mark-VIII Cooper at Aintree in 1955.
In 1955, Reg knew that Colin Chapman was looking for a sports car driver and asked if Cliff wanted to give it a go. Cliff tested the Lotus XI at Snetterton and was signed as a works driver for Lotus.
Winners of the index of Performance at Le Mans in 1956 Cliff Allison and Keith Hall with the 750cc Lotus Eleven.
In 1956, alongside his Formula 2 races, Cliff raced the Lotus XI to victory at Aintree and Brand Hatch, with a 2nd place at Crystal Palace. He made his Le Mans debut driving with Keith Hall. In 1957 he won at Roskilde, Brands Hatch and a class win at Spa. He paired up with Keith Hall again and won the Index of Performance, as well as a class win and 14th place overall at Le Mans.
Cliff Allison at Monaco in 1958. Photo by DeviantArt.
Cliff made his Formula One debut for Lotus, alongside Graham Hill, in 1958. At the Monaco Grand Prix, he finished 6th and scored Lotus’s first Formula One Championship point. He also came 6th in Zandvoort and 4th in Belgium, still going strong as the 3 cars in front of him failed just after they took the chequered flag!
Cliff Allison in his Lotus 12 in 1958.
Whilst representing Lotus at the London Motor Show, a smart man in a suit suggested he take a walk over to the Ferrari stand as they wanted to speak to him. It turned out that, knowing he was going to retire and with Enzo Ferrari keen on another British driver, Mike Hawthorn had suggested Cliff Allison. After a successful test at Modena, he signed for Ferrari.
Cliff Allison at Monza in his Ferrari Dino 246.
With drives in both Formula One and Sports Cars, Cliff came 5th in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He had more success with the sports car squad, coming 2nd in Sebring, 3rd in the TT and 5th in the Nürburgring 1000km. He had a special fondness for the Nürburgring as the circuit reminded him of the country lanes around his home in Brough.
The 1960 season started well, with victory in the Argentine 1000km race (partnered by Phil Hill) and a 3rd at the Nürburgring with Hill and Mairesse. He also made the podium with a 2nd place at the Grand Prix of Argentina.
The Monaco Grand Prix brought it all to a halt. A bad crash saw him thrown from his car, onto the road. Seriously injured, Cliff was unconscious for 16 days. It took him the rest of the year to recover and ended his time at Ferrari.
Richie Ginther, Jo Bonnier, Cliff Allison, Ferrari 156, Porsche 787, Lotus-Climax 18, Grand Prix of Monaco, Circuit de Monaco, 14 May 1961. Photo by Bernard Cahier / Getty Images.
Cliff Allison, who is to drive a Lotus Climax of the UDT-Laystall Racing Team in the 37 lap London Trophy Race for Formula One racing cars at the National Open meeting at Crystal Palace on 17 May, 1961. Photo by PA Images.
He tried a comeback in 1961 with the UDT-Laystall team but a heavy crash in practice for the Belgium Grand Prix saw him badly injured again.
He retired to Brough, running his garage and buying a farm. The premature end to his career caused him some anger and resentment and he kept away from the motor racing scene for many years. At one point he even volunteered to drive the local school bus. Later in life he joined the Grand Prix Driver Club and attended events. He was surprised to find he had not been forgotten and his achievements were remembered and respected.
Like so many drivers of his time, his true potential was never realised due to accidents and mechanical unreliability of the cars. It should be remembered, however, that Cliff drove for Lotus, alongside Graham Hill and was recommended to Ferrari by Mike Hawthorn. He recalled having a pleasant and uncomplicated relationship with Enzo Ferrari. All of this was achieved by a man of modest means, from a remote part of the UK.
His garage still stands, now run by his sons. http://www.grandprixservices.co.uk/index.html
By Clare Topic
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