THE EARLIEST OF YEARS

1946 – Aged 12, John Surtees gets his first ride on a motorcycle, a 500cc Wallace-blackburne speedway bike

1948 – Aged 14, first race on his father’s 1000cc Vincent sidecar outfit

1949 – Aged 15, first solo race on a 500cc ExcelsiorJAP in a grasstrack race

1950 – Aged 16, first road race on a Triumph Tiger 70 at Brands Hatch