29 Facts About Richard Seaman

Richard John Beattie Seaman was a British racing driver.

Richard Seaman drove for the Mercedes-Benz team from 1937 to 1939 in the Mercedes-Benz W125 and W154 cars, winning the 1938 German Grand Prix.

Richard Seaman died of his injuries after his car overturned at the 1939 Belgian Grand Prix.

Richard Seaman initially lived at Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk, developing an enthusiasm for motoring from his childhood.

Richard Seaman's parents encouraged him to become a Member of Parliament or a lawyer.

Richard Seaman's family bought Pull Court in Worcestershire in 1933, former home of the two politicians Richard Dowdeswell, father and son, as a stately home for him to inherit.

Richard Seaman won other small races for English Racing Automobiles, notably at Brooklands and Donington Park.

Richard Seaman competed in the Mont Ventoux Hill Climb after being encouraged to do so by Straight.

In 1935 Richard Seaman enjoyed a fruitful year with ERA; he took pole position at the 1935 Dieppe Grand Prix, and won the junior category of the 1935 Coppa Acerbo.

Richard Seaman won the British Empire Trophy in 1936 at Donington Park in an ERA.

Richard Seaman won the 1936 Donington Grand Prix in a Delage sharing the honour with Swiss Grand Prix driver Hans Ruesch.

Richard Seaman competed in numerous hill climb events, winning his class at Freiburg in 1936, impressively only a second behind the overall winner Hans Stuck in an Auto Union.

Richard Seaman had his last outing in a Delage at the 1937 South African Grand Prix in East London from which he retired.

Richard Seaman now had a chance to win Grands Prix and be one of the top drivers in the European Grand Prix championship.

Richard Seaman had a poor start to his Mercedes career in the 1937 Grand Prix Season, he was involved in the fatal accident of Ernst von Delius at the 1937 German Grand Prix, his injuries prevented him from competing at the following races, the Monaco Grand Prix and the Coppa Acerbo in Italy.

Outside of Europe, Richard Seaman finished second to Bernd Rosemeyer at the American Automobile Association sanctioned Vanderbilt Cup in Long Island, New York in the United States.

On his return, Richard Seaman took pole and finished second in the Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten, his favourite circuit, and finished third at his home Grand Prix at Donington Park following a spin.

Richard Seaman had a slow start to the 1939 Grand Prix season, he attended the 1939 French Grand Prix but did not compete.

Richard Seaman competed at the 1939 Eifelrennen at the Nurburgring but retired early on with a broken clutch.

Richard Seaman died a few hours later as a result of his burns; it was Mercedes' only fatality during that time.

Richard Seaman was buried at Putney Vale Cemetery in London.

Richard Seaman had a difficult relationship with his mother Lillian, who did not support his decision to drive for a "foreign" team, especially one influenced by the Nazi Party.

Richard Seaman fell out of love with his home, Pull Court, following his inability to find local staff to service a planned party involving Richard Seaman's Grand Prix compatriots; Prince Bira was to be invited.

Richard Seaman divided most of his time between Worcestershire and London; spending a large amount of money on travel, he often enjoyed waterskiing.

In December 1938, Richard Seaman married Erica Popp, the daughter of the director of BMW, again against his mother's wishes.

Richard Seaman married twice again, and died in Sarasota, Florida in February 1990 at the age of 69.

Richard Seaman wore her engagement ring bought by Seaman for the rest of her life.

Richard Seaman is often viewed along with Henry Segrave as one of Britain's greatest pre-war Grand Prix drivers.

Richard Seaman was privately complimentary of Hitler, and controversially gave a Nazi salute following his victory at the 1938 German Grand Prix.