1964 F1 World Champion John Surtees dies aged 83

John Surtees, the 1964 Formula 1 World Champion, has died aged 83.

Surtees passed away at St George's Hospital in London today after being admitted last month for an ongoing respiratory illness. His wife, Jane, and daughters, Leonora and Edwina, were by his side.

Surtees remains the only person to win world championships on two and four wheels, winning seven motorcycle titles on 350cc and 500cc motorbikes between 1956 and 1960, before securing the F1 title four years later.

His subsequent work in motorsport included establishing his own eponymous team, which competed in F1, Formula 2 and Formula 5000 through the 1970s.

His son, Henry Surtees, was born in 1991 and eventually pursued a career through the junior ranks as a racing driver. However, he tragically died in 2009 during a Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch.

In his memory his father established the Henry Surtees Foundation charity, which assists people with brain or physical injuries and can provide them with motorsport-related training.

Most recently, John Surtees was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2016 for his services to motorsport.

Autocar offers its deepest condolences to family and friends of Surtees.