Robin Donovan

Robin Donovan (born 19 December 1955 in Rustington, West Sussex) is a British former racing driver.[1] He is best known for competing in 14 editions of the Le Mans 24 hours race; his best result there being 6th overall, 3rd in class (LMP1) and 1st privateer home driving with 5 x Le Mans winner Derek Bell MBE and Daytona 24 hours winner Jurgen Lassig in 1994 with the Gulf Racing entered and sponsored Kremer Porsche K8.

Robin Donovan
For the New Zealand politician, see Aoraki (New Zealand electorate) § 1996 election. For the Royal Navy commander, see 2021 Special Honours § Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service.

Career

After a prominent Formula Ford single seater career Donovan first began to establish his name as a sports car driver in the British Thundersports series where he won 5 (class C) rounds of the 8 round series in 1985 driving with Mike O Brien. At the end of 1985 he competed in his first World Endurance Championship race in Selangor Malaysia where he came 5th (C2). He again was Thundersports (class c) series winner in 1986 (the year of his first Le Mans 24 hours) and again in 1987 (class B). In 1988 he drove in Thundersaloons and moved up into the British Touring car Championship in 1989, the year he also competed in the BRDC Sportscar Championship. In 1991 he won the Willhire 24 hours (class A). In 1992 and 1993 he drove for the Star Union team in Interserie European Sportscar Championship and for Kremer Racing in the Le Mans 24 hours. In 1993 he again secured a 3rd place class finish at Le Mans driving for the Augusta Racing GT2 team.

During his international racing career Robin Donovan competed in rounds of the World Sports-Prototype Championship, the World Sportscar Championship, the BPR Global GT Series and the International Sports Racing Series. In 1998, with only one race win but a series of podiums, he led the International Sports Racing Series (CN class) throughout the season until the final round at Kyalami where he eventually finished equal vice Champion. After 1998 he continued to compete at Le Mans and in the ISCS (the international touring car endurance series) taking class podiums at Vallelunga (2), Barcelona and the Nurburgring 24hrs.

Robin Donovan is currently director of Dettaglio, a motorsport events and supercar tours company.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1986 United Kingdom Bartlett/Goodmans Sound United Kingdom Richard Jones
United Kingdom Nick Adams		 Bardon DB1-Ford Cosworth C2 211 NC NC
1987 United Kingdom John Bartlett Racing United Kingdom Tim Lee-Davey
France Raymond Boutinaud		 Bardon DB1/2-Ford Cosworth C2 172 DNF DNF
1988 Norway Team Lucky Strike Schanche Norway Martin Schanche
United Kingdom Robin Smith		 Argo JM19C C1 278 25th 16th
1989 United Kingdom Tiga Race Team United Kingdom John Sheldon
Morocco Max Cohen-Olivar		 Tiga GC289-Ford Cosworth C2 126 DNF DNF
1990 United Kingdom Chamberlain Engineering France Philippe de Henning
Netherlands Charles Zwolsman		 Spice SE90C-Ford Cosworth C2 255 DNF DNF
1991 Netherlands Euro Racing
United Kingdom Chamberlain Engineering		 United Kingdom Nick Adams
United Kingdom Richard Jones		 Spice SE89C-Ford Cosworth C2 128 DNF DNF
1992 Germany Kremer Porsche Racing United Kingdom Charles Rickett
Italy Almo Coppelli		 Porsche 962CK6 C3 297 11th 4th
1993 Germany Kremer Porsche Racing United States Steve Fossett
Italy Almo Coppelli		 Porsche 962CK6 C2 204 DNF DNF
1994 United Kingdom Gulf Oil Racing United Kingdom Derek Bell
Germany Jürgen Lässig		 Kremer K8 Spyder-Porsche LMP1
/C90		 316 6th 3rd
1995 Italy Agusta Racing Team Italy Riccardo Agusta
United Kingdom Eugene O'Brien		 Callaway Corvette SuperNatural GT2 271 11th 3rd
1996 Italy Ennea SRL
Italy Ferrari Club Italia		 Italy Piero Nappi
Japan Tetsuya Ota		 Ferrari F40 GTE GT1 129 DNF DNF
1998 France Chereau Sports
France Larbre Compétition		 France Jean-Pierre Jarier
Sweden Carl Rosenblad		 Porsche 911 GT2 GT2 164 DNF DNF
1999 Japan Autoexe Motorsport Japan Yojiro Terada
France Franck Fréon		 Autoexe LMP99-Ford LMP 74 DNF DNF
2001 Spain Racing Engineering United States Terry Lingner
United States Chris MacAllister		 Porsche 911 GT3-RS GT 44 DNF DNF
Sources:[2][3]

Results
  • 2004 & 2006 Vallelunga 6 hrs. BMW M3 24hr 2nd in class
  • 2001 Le Mans 24hrs. Racing Engineering / FAT Turbo Porsche 911 GT3 RS
  • 2000 International Touring Cars (ISCS) GTS BMW M3. 2nd in class Nurburgring 24hrs. Ist in class, 2nd Overall Barcelona.
  • 1999 Le Mans 24hrs with Auto Exe / AM PM Japan Riley & Scott LMP1
  • 1998 Le Mans 24hrs with Larbre Competition / PlayStation Porsche 911 GT3 RS. FIA International Sports Racing Series. Elf Team Centenari Alfa Romeo 3.0, 3 Podiums. 1 class win, Paul Ricard.
  • 1997 Elf Team Centenari. One class win / 2nd overall, Jarama.
  • 1996 Le Mans 24hrs with Ennea Team Ferrari. Ferrari F40 GT1
  • 1995 Le Mans 24hrs with Augusta Racing. Corvette 6.0 Chevrolet. 3rd in class. 11th overall. Global Endurance GT Championship with Augusta Racing. Corvette 6.0 Chevrolet.
  • 1994 Le Mans 24hrs with Gulf Racing (sharing with Derek Bell) Gulf Kremer Porsche LMP1. Front row start. 1st privateer. 3rd in class. 6th overall. Dunlop Rover Turbo Cup Championship. Blue Hawk Racing. Rover Turbo 2.0
  • 1993 Le Mans 24hrs with Kremer Racing. Porsche 962 Group C1 Interserie European Sportscar Championship. JB Racing. Lola Buick 3.3 Indy Car
  • 1992 Le Mans 24hrs with Kremer Racing. Porsche 962 Group C1. 4th in class. 11th overall. Interserie European Sportscar Championship. Star Union. Gunnar Porsche 966 Spyder
  • 1991 Interserie European Sportscar Championship. Gunnar Porsche 962/966. Winner class A Willhire 24hrs, Esso Superlube Saloon Car Championship. Winner overall Independence Day Trophy Meeting. Lime Rock. IMSA GTP class. Gunnar Racing Porsche 962/966. Le Mans 24hrs with Chamberlain Engineering / Financial Times Spice Cosworth C2
  • 1990 Le Mans 24hrs with Chamberlain Engineering /Dianetique Spice Cosworth. Led C2 class
  • 1989 Le Mans 24hrs with factory entered Tiga Cosworth Group C2. British Touring Car Championship with Blue Hawk Racing. Sierra Cosworth 3.0. British C2 Sportscar Championship with JB Racing Harrier 5.0 Chevrolet
  • 1988 Le Mans 24hrs with Team Lucky Strike. Argo Cosworth 3.3 Group C2. 5th in class. British Thundersaloons Championship. Blue Hawk Racing. Honda Legend 7.0 Chevrolet, one podium, Brands Hatch.
  • 1987 Le Mans 24hrs and World Sportscar Championship with JB Racing / Penthouse Bardon Cosworth Group C2. British Thundersports Championship with Blue Hawk Racing Harrier 3.9 Cosworth. 3 podiums. 3 class wins (B series winner).
  • 1986 Le Mans 24hrs and World Sportscar Championship with JB Racing / Goodmans Sound Bardon Cosworth Group C2. British Thundersports Championship with Blue Hawk Racing Shrike Ford P15. 5 podiums. 2 class wins (C series winner).
  • 1985 British Thundersports Championship with Blue Hawk Racing Shrike Ford P15. 5 podiums. 5 class wins (C series winner).
  • 1979-83 Front runner in Dunlop Star of Tomorrow, P&O & Champion of Brands FF Championships.

References
  1. "Profile". driverdb.com. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  2. "Robin Donovan". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  3. "Robin Donovan Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
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