Top Dutch circuit driver, Cees Van der Velden,70, died suddenly on December 27
Dutch ace circuit driver, Cees Van der Velden, who held the world Formula 1 record four times during the 1970s and 80s, died suddenly age 70 in Abu Dhabi on December 27 while acting as a UIM race commissioner.
Cees will be remembered for his outstanding skill behind the wheel while competing in the world’s top circuit events such as the Paris 6 Hour and Embassy Grand Prix held annually on the Bristol Floating Harbour until 1990. He became a leading works driver for Mercury Marine and later switched to OMC testing their revolutionary Johnson and Evinrude rotary valve racing outboards in the early 70s. He was also involved in the early development of their vee six-cylinder unit that formed the basis of today’s large domestic outboards. On retirement from racing he became a designer and race boat constructor.
He won the world Formula I title on three occsions but once retired spent much of his time working for the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) – the world authority for powerboat sport. Here he served on the international sports boat commission where his vast experience proved invaluable. He also regularly officiated on the world Formula I world championship circuit and it was while attending a UIM meeting following one of these events that he passed away.
