Ford's Walter Hayes dies.
The man behind Ford's initial success in motorsport has died in London, following a short illness.
Formerly a journalist, Walter Hayes was widely credited with giving the go-ahead to the Ford-backed Cosworth engine which took grand prix racing into a new era in the late 1960s. The Costin-Duckworth designed unit went on to become the most successful powerplant in grands prix - a title it still holds today despite the emergence of other works engines in recent times.
The man behind Ford's initial success in motorsport has died in London, following a short illness.
Formerly a journalist, Walter Hayes was widely credited with giving the go-ahead to the Ford-backed Cosworth engine which took grand prix racing into a new era in the late 1960s. The Costin-Duckworth designed unit went on to become the most successful powerplant in grands prix - a title it still holds today despite the emergence of other works engines in recent times.
Although he retired from the sport in 1989, Hayes was later asked to oversee the recovery of the ailing Aston Martin marque in the early 1990s - something he achieved successfully - before again returning to retirement.
The son of a printer, Hayes was also behind the development of the GT40 sportscar which brought Ford success in the Le Mans 24 Hours.
He died on Boxing Day at the London Independent Hospital, aged 76.
