Former Formula One, World Sportscar Championship, CART driver Rupert Keegan dies of cancer

Rupert Keegan before the 1978 Monaco Grand Prix.Photo byMartin Lee/Flickr

Early on in his career, Rupert Keegan frequently drew comparisons to 1976 Formula One World Champion James Hunt. Both seemed to enjoy a flambuoyant style - on and off the track - both were English and both drove for Hesketh Racing. While Keegan never quite matched Hunt's resume as a competitor, but he did score some solid results. Keegan passed away on September 23, 2024.

He had been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form a cancer. At the time of his passing, Keegan was reportedly at his home on the Tuscan island of Elba in Italy.

In 1976, Keegan made his presence known in the auto racing world when he won the title of what was then known as the British Formula Three Championship. He made his Formula One debut the following year.

During his rookie season, Rupert Keegan notched four top 10 finishes as a driver for Hesketh. It seemed to be a promising start, but he would spend the rest of his career in Formula One bouncing around among different teams and would only score one more finish in the top 10 for the durations of his time in the series.

In the British Formula One Championship, however, it was a different story for Keegan. He came away as the series champion in 1979. For much of the 1980s, he competed in the World Sportscar Championship, highlighted by fifth place result at the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans with his teammates John Fitzpatrick and Guy Edwards.

Additionally, Keegan competed in the 1985 CART season, with his best result coming as a 10th place finish. Over the years, he would race on occasion at different events, such as the 1995 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but primarily focused on serving as a racing instructor.