#27 - Mike Wilds

Mike Wilds is a true British Motor Racing hero with over 60 years of racing experience from humble beginnings in 'club' Single Seater racing, then through into National and European Single Seaters, Formula 4, Formula 3, Formula 2, Formula 5000 and finally Formula 1. He later furthered his professional career in Sports Cars, making 7 Le Mans 24 race starts and winning the 1986 World Group C2 Team World Championship. He also has 12 British Championships in Sports, GT, and Touring cars, including the 2013 Britcar Production Cup Championship and most recently Class 2 of the 2016 Britcar/Dunlop Endurance Championship in a Ferrari 458GTC Evo driving with son Anthony. For more information on Mike, to obtain a copy of his excellent book ‘Life On The Wilds Side’ or to contact him about some coaching in your own car go to MikeWilds.com. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Mike 03:01 The start of a career 05:58 The Evolution of Endurance Racing 08:59 Memorable Races and Personal Stories 12:02 Early Days in Racing 14:51 Family Influence and the Racing Bug 18:11 The Thrill of Competition 21:03 The Fire Incident and It’s Aftermath 27:35 More Racing History 29:57 Accidents and Their Impact on Racing 33:05 Family Legacy in Racing 33:52 The Journey from Amateur to Professional 36:56 The Transition to Formula Racing 40:10 Challenges in Formula 4 and Sponsorships 43:00 The Road to Formula 5000 48:05 The Leap to Formula 1 53:00 Memorable Moments in Formula 1 01:05:10 The Race That Changed Everything 01:07:43 Transition to BRM and Early Challenges 01:09:41 The BRM Experience and Testing Insights 01:12:20 Memories of James Hunt 01:16:14 David Leslie 01:19:52 Personal Reflections on Family and Support 01:28:21 Flying High: From Racing to Aviation 01:34:12 Racing with Family: The Wilds Legacy Continues 01:40:42 Racing Legacy 01:43:08 World Sports Car Championship Triumphs 01:45:49 The Thrill of Driving Classic Cars 01:49:59 Memorable Racing Experiences and Challenges 01:54:00 Accidents and Recovery: A Racer's Journey 02:00:02 Comedy moments 02:03:54 The Passion for Racing Continues