Robert O'Brien (racing driver)

Template:Short description {{#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 }} Robert O'Brien (April 11, 1908 – February 10, 1987)<ref name="ORC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was a racing driver from the United States. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix.

Career

O'Brien was born in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. He mostly raced sports cars in the US, finishing fourth in the 1952 12 Hours of Sebring in a Ferrari 166 MM shared with Richard Cicurel.<ref name="MM">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He later made a few appearances in Europe through his contacts in Belgium.<ref name="ORC" /> This included an appearance at the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix driving a Simca-Gordini T15 at Spa-Francorchamps. Qualifying slowest of the 22 entrants, 1 minute 23 seconds slower than the fastest time of Alberto Ascari, O'Brien circulated at the back and finished 14th of the 15 finishers.<ref name="MM" /> He subsequently drove (and retired) the same car in a race at the Grenzlandring in Germany before returning to the US.<ref name="MM" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

O'Brien is one of the more obscure drivers to have participated in the Formula One World Championship, and unsubstantiated rumours arose that he was involved with the CIA and operated as a spy. He was later involved in the motor industry in his home state and in New York.<ref name="ORC" /><ref name="MM" />

O'Brien died in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1987.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Template:Tooltip	Pts
1952	Robert O'Brien	Simca-Gordini 15	Gordini 1500 1.5 L4	SUI	500	BEL Template:Small	FRA	GBR	GER	NED	ITA	NC	0

References

Further reading

• Joe Saward "Fascinating F1 Fact – 82" [1]