Desmond Titterington

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates {{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters | check | ignoreblank = y | unknown = Template:Main other | preview = Page using Template:Infobox F1 driver with unknown parameter "_VALUE_" | embed | child | subbox | name | Name | image | Image | image_size | upright | image_upright | alt | caption | birth_name | birth_date | birth_place | death_date | death_place | relations | relatives | nationality | Nationality | years | Years | teams | Teams | Team(s) | team | Team | engines | Engines | current_team | current team | Current team | 2025 Team | 2026 Team | car_number | car number | Car number | races | Races | championships | Championships | wins | Wins | podiums | Podiums | points | Points | poles | Poles | fastest_laps | fastest laps | Fastest laps | first_race | first race | First race | first_win | first win | First win | last_win | last win | Last win | last_race | last race | Last race | last_position | last position | Last position | last_season | last season | Last season | bf1_years | bf1 years | BF1 Years | bf1_races | bf1 races | BF1 Races | bf1_championships | bf1 championships | BF1 Championships | bf1_wins | bf1 wins | BF1 Wins | bf1_podiums | bf1 podiums | BF1 Podiums | bf1_points | bf1 points | BF1 Points | bf1_poles | bf1 poles | BF1 Poles | bf1_fastest_laps | bf1 fastest laps | BF1 Fastest laps | signature | signature_size | signature alt | signature_alt | website | module | module1 | module2 | module3 | module4 | module5 | record template1 | record template2 | record template3 | record template4 | record template5 | career template1 | career template2 | career template3 | career template4 | career template5 | updated | Updated }} James Desmond Titterington (1 May 1928 – 13 April 2002)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was a British racing driver from Northern Ireland. He was born at Cultra, near Holywood, County Down. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, on 14 July 1956. He scored no championship points. He also competed in several non-Championship Grand Prix. He died in Dundee, Scotland, aged 73.<ref name=hr />

Early life

Born in Cultra, Northern Ireland, Titterington went to school in Scotland during the Second World War and then attended the University of St Andrews before returning to Northern Ireland. When he returned, he bought a J2 MG and started driving in minor club races. In 1951 he acquired an Allard J2 and the following year he won the Leinster Trophy and in 1953 the Phoenix Park Formula Libre Race.<Ref name=hr />

Jaguar

In 1954 Titterington joined the Ecurie Ecosse team and placed well at several British club events, while occasionally racing his own Triumph TR2.The following year he raced for either Ecurie Ecosse or the Jaguar works team, winning the Ulster Trophy and finishing second at the Goodwood 9 Hours.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was a witness to the 1955 Le Mans disaster as he was in the pits due to being injured prior to the race. Titterington blamed his teammate Mike Hawthorn for the crash due to his exuberant driving style when pitting, though the official inquiry later exonerated Hawthorn.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He raced in the 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy at Dundrod Circuit in his native Northern Ireland, the first championship race since Le Mans, alongside Hawthorn in a Jaguar D-Type.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Jaguar team were winning in the race and holding off the Daimler-Benz's Mercedes-Benz 300 SLRs but Hawthorn accidentally put the car into the wrong gear when accelerating out of a corner and broke a connecting rod on the car and blew the engine, leading to the Jaguar team having to retire.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He drove for Jaguar at the 1956 Le Mans 24 Hours but besides crashing his car in practice he lost the opportunity to drive in the race when teammate Paul Frère was eliminated in an accident on the first lap.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Titterington also drove for Mercedes-Benz at the 1955 Targa Florio in Sicily, the last round of the Sports Car championship that year. He and co-driver John Fitch finished 4th in the race.

Connaught and Formula One

In 1956, Titterington was selected to drive for the Connaught racing team. His first race was the 1956 Syracuse Grand Prix. Qualifying 8th on the grid, he had to retire due to ignition trouble.<ref name=hr /> At his only World Championship race, the 1956 British Grand Prix, he qualified 11th on the grid and despite a poor start, managed to drive back to 11th but had to retire due to engine failure.<ref name=hr>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His best result with Connaught was third place at the 1956 BRDC International Trophy.

Titterington retired from motor sport at the end of 1956 to concentrate on his family and his business interests.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	WDC	Points
1956	Connaught Engineering	Connaught Type B	Alta Straight-4	ARG	MON	500	BEL	FRA	GBR Template:Small	GER	ITA	NC	0