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Peter started motorsport in 1963 in hill climbs and sprints. He quickly reached the winners circle with many class wins and championship placings in hill climbing in the mid 1960s first in a Series Production Mini Cooper and then in Formula Vee. He started racing on circuits in 1966 with a Sprite followed by the Cooper and the Nota Vee. By 1969 he was consistently placed amongst the leaders in Vee racing at Warwick Farm, Oran Park and Amaroo with interstate visits to Surfers Paradise and Sandown.
In 1971, Peter travelled to Canada for a year to save enough money to move on to England where he and his wife Gaye bought a Palliser Formula Ford. At his first event Peter scored pole position at Mallory Park only to have the race cancelled by torrential rain. This performance was underlined by three wins in succession in top Formula Ford company at Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Mallory Park.
In the following year Peter contested the European Formula Ford titles and led the series at the Austrian Grand Prix meeting. He was offered a works Brabham Formula 3 drive by Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone
On his return to Australia, Peter drove the Palliser for the Grace Bros-Levis Team and took second place to his team mate in the 1994 Australian Driver To Europe Championships. He also drove in several Bathurst 1000 km races with success.
Retiring for some years to concentrate on his business interests, Peter returned to active motor sport participation by entering one of his school Formula Ford cars in a hill climb. He developed the car with a supercharged Toyota engine and won three successive NSW State Hill Climb Championships in 1993,4 and 5. Peter also took second place in two Australian Hill Climb championships, the latest of these in 1996 when he drove the 'works' Pilbeam MP62 at Bathurst missing out on the title by a mere 7 hundredths of a second!
In June 1997, Peter was invited to drive in the 50th anniversary of the British Hillclimb Championship at Shelsley Walsh. He drove a Pilbeam MP53 in this event. Later in the month, Peter drove the 'works' Pilbeam MP 82 at Swindon Vauxhall alongside Willem Toet, a former Ferrari F1 aerodynamicist. Peter drove at Loton Park and Prescott and gained some noteworthy placings. He also attended the Bugatti Owners Club Speed Hillclimb course at Prescott under the expert guidance of multiple British Hillclimb Champion, Roy Lane.
Peter is a professional advanced driving instructor having conducted the International Racing Driver's School since 1980. The co-instructors at the school are all well-qualified to teach the skills of race craft. All have CAMS Competition Licences and have competed in a wide variety of races in Australia and overseas in Formula Ford 1600 and 2000, Formula Vee and Touring cars.
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Peter Finlay in race readiness
Peter Finlay
Peter in race car
Peter instructing