Mike Hailwood was a motorcycle world champion and regarded by many as possibly the greatest motorcycle racer of all time. Later in his career he was also a Formula One driver. He was known as Mike "The Bike" because of his natural riding ability. Mike Hailwood was born to a millionaire Oxford car dealer. He was educated at Pangbourne College, but left early and worked for a short time in the family business before his father sent him to work at Triumph motor cycles. He first raced on 22 April 1957, at Oulton Park. He married Pauline Barbara Nash on 11 June 1975 and had a son and a daughter. Hailwood won nine motorcycle world championships between 1961 and 1967. He also won 76 Grand Prix and 14 Isle of Man TT victories. He won his first four championships on the dominant MV Agusta. In 1966, he switched to Honda. Honda had the most powerful engines at the time, but were known as difficult to ride because of their weak chassis. Hailwood's great skill overcame the disadvantages however, to continue recording world championships until 1967. Honda pulled out of top level motor racing in 1968, but continued to pay Hailwood with the expectation of returning. Hailwood never returned to full-time motorcycle racing. He participated in 50 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on July 20, 1963. He achieved two podium finishes, and scored a total of 29 championship points. He is best known in F1, not for winning, but saving the life of Clay Regazzoni. In the 1973 South African Grand Prix, Hailwood stopped his car on the circuit to pull Regazzoni from his burning car after an accident, an act for which he was awarded the George Medal that year. In 1978, after an 11 year hiatus, he made a now legendary return to motorcycle racing at the age of 38! Racing at the Isle of Man TT races, he was not only competitive, but managed to win riding a Ducati 900SS. He was involved in a car accident on March 21, 1981 and subsequently died of his injuries on 23 March 1981 at Selly Oak Accident Hospital. Michelle, his daughter, was killed instantly but his son David survived.