(born in
Chertsey ,
Surrey ,
March 21 ,
1913 - died in
Ibstone , Nr.
High Wycombe ,
Bucks ,
December 18 ,
1991 ) was an
English Grand Prix racer and
Formula One driver who participated during the
1951 and
1952 Seasons at two
Swiss Grand Prix in
Bremgarten with
HWM -
Alta car.
He began racing in
1935 in a modified
Austin Seven but really made a name for himself in English club racing during the
1938 and
1939 seasons with an
Alta . In 1939 he won the Imperial Grand Prix, his only career victory. When war broke out he joined the
Royal Air Force and became an experienced pilot, ultimately becoming a member of the secret "Moon Squadrons", ferrying secret agents in and out of
France with
Lysander aircraft.
After the
World War II he went back to racing initially with pre-war machinery but then became a partner with
John Heath in Hersham and Walton Motors Ltd. He helped develop the Alta and raced several different cars, but it was the HWMs that he raced in his only two
Formula One World Championship Grands Prix. He was more successful as a sports car driver with
Aston Martin and won his class at
24 Hours Of Le Mans in
1950 , sharing with
Lance Macklin . He also finished second in
12 Hours Of Sebring in
1953 , partnered by
Reg Parnell .
In
1956 Heath was killed in an accident in the
Mille Miglia and Abecassis retired from racing, turning his attention to running the HWM operations. He was also the
Facel Vega importer for Britain, while his motor industry connections were aided by the fact that he was married to Angela, the daughter of Aston Martin chairman
Sir David Brown . Later he opened a commercial activity in a grocery store. He died aged 78.
