Ford's former director of motorsport passed away on Monday, leaving behind an everlasting legacy
Photography by Girardo & Co. Archive & Hagerty
Words by Luke Barry
Co-driving champion, organizer, journalist, competition manager and director – few can boast as accomplished a rallying CV as the late Stuart Turner, who sadly passed away on Monday.
The Englishman will be fondly remembered not just for his achievements but for his kind manner, memorable after-dinner speeches and his unique commitment to all facets of motorsport.
An accountant by trade, Stuart’s life would suddenly pivot when his sister’s boyfriend decided to do a rally in the mid 1950s, and invited him along. Falling in love with map reading, Stuart was instantly hooked and began to forge a supremely successful career as a navigator.
Establishing himself as a legend in the road rallying scene, Stuart has the unique distinction of being the very first British Rally champion in 1958 alongside Ron Gouldbourn. He also became the first double and back-to-back champion, claiming the title once more in 1959 with John Sprinzel driving.
However his navigating prowess was recognized by Europe’s best too; competing with German driver Wolfgang Levy for Auto Union as well as Swede Erik Carlsson, who Stuart won the RAC Rally alongside for Saab in 1960.
The turning of a new decade would signal a change in Stuart’s career though, as he began to work for British newspaper Motoring News, becoming its sports editor and also creating the much-loved Motoring News Rally Championship.
Stuart was at the helm when Mini conquered the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964 (Credit: Hagerty)
But the real turning point was his appointment as competition manager at BMC (British Motor Corporation). There, Stuart revolutionized its rallying program – slimming it to just the Austin Healey 3000 and Mini Cooper S but also getting some world-class drivers onboard.
Using his connections from his time as a professional co-driver, Timo Mäkinen was soon behind the wheel of a Mini – and winning. Then of course there was Paddy Hopkirk, who iconically won the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally. Mini became famous the world over almost exclusively because of that result.
When BMC became part of the British Leyland merger in 1968, Stuart had already made his next move – but initially not the right one. Receiving an offer from Ford and Walter Hayes, journalist turned public relations officer, Stuart declined because he didn’t deem joining one of BMC’s rivals a gentlemanly thing to do.
Instead, he became Castrol’s deputy publicity manager but quickly felt like he’d turned his back on motorsport. However motorsport was not done with Stuart – far from it. After working as a travelling marshal on the 1968 London-Sydney Rally, Stuart got a new offer from Hayes and wouldn’t say no a second time.
Ford would quickly become synonymous with rallying under Turner’s tenure as director of motorsport – the marque winning the World Rally Championship’s first ever drivers’ title in 1979 with Björn Wldegård. Ford was also manufacturers’ champion that year.
Amazing drivers worked with Stuart, including Bjorn Waldegärd (pictured here in 1979)
The arrival of four-wheel-drive in rallying (thanks to Audi) blunted the Escort’s competitiveness, and the ’80s wouldn’t prove to be Ford’s heyday with the abandonment of the Escort RS1700T project, and then the RS200’s short-lived lifespan due to the axing of Group B after 1986.
But Stuart’s impact on its rallying effort was obvious; working with a hoard of talented Scandinavian drivers like Vatanen, Waldegård and Hannu Mikkola, helping the brand achieve success in the London-Mexico Rally and was pivotal in the creation of the legendary Sierra (and later Escort) Cosworth model thanks to a deal connected to Cosworth in Formula 1.
Stuart retired in 1990 but his passion for motorsport never wavered, as he became a well-respected author, after-dinner speaker and supporter of the Motorsport Safety Fund.
He leaves behind a legacy of commitment, enthusiasm, professionalism and humility and will truly never be forgotten.
DirtFish sends its condolences to Stuart’s family and friends.
Words:Luke Barry
Tags: obituary, Stuart Turner
Publish Date September 9, 2025 DirtFish
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