A MEMORIAL plaque in honour of Britain’s first ever Formula One world champion and Farnham ‘legend’, Mike Hawthorn, has been officially unveiled at Churchill’s Hawthorn Lodge on Long Bridge.

Mike’s death came only months after winning the F1 title racing for Scuderia Ferrari at the Moroccan Grand Prix – January 2017 marked 58 years since his death in 1959.

In 2015, it was planned that the plaque would be unveiled by Mike’s cousin, Ian Hawthorn of Yorkshire’s Tickhill. Unfortunately, he was not well enough to do so at the time but he and his family hoped he would make a full recovery.

Sadly his health never improved sufficiently for him to visit Farnham and he died in April 2017.

Ian’s widow Pauline, kept her promise to him by unveiling the plaque in memory if Ian, Mike and the Hawthorn name on August 31, with guests and motor fans from near and far, including Dale Drinnon, author at Automobile Magazine.

“Mike ended his life on a high, he really couldn’t have done any better and I am really proud to be part of his family,” said Pauline.

“Ian really wanted to come to see the grave and his grandmother’s grave, but he never got the chance, I will have a look at Mike’s grave without Ian and hopefully he might still be there watching over.

“I think Farnham is a wonderful place to live and I wish everyone very, very happy lives.”

The Churchill Retirement Home Hawthorn Lodge, where the plaque now calls home, was named after Mike.

Tim Ely, who helped organise the event, concluded: “Mike fought many battles, in his racing, with his health and trying to stop people putting an ‘e’ at the end of Hawthorn. Pauline is still continuing the battle.”