Sporting icon Paddy Hopkirk ‘put Northern Ireland on the world stage’

Mr Hopkirk, who in 1964 won the world famous Monte Carlo rally in a Mini, “passed away peacefully” at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire on Thursday, his family said in a statement.

The sporting icon is survived by his wife Jenny, children Katie, Patrick and William and his six grandchildren.

His family said: “First and foremost, Paddy was a loving husband, father and grandfather, whose passing will leave a huge hole in the lives of those closest to him.”

The statement added: “But Paddy also leaves an incredible legacy of motorsport and business success, while his hard work in support of the British motorsport and wider car industry continued until his final days.

“His family, friends and fans will never forget his sharp wit and wicked smile. He brought fun and joy to anyone in his company and inspired many.”

The Belfast man was born in April, 1933 and learned to drive at a young age. By the 1950s he was competing successfully in races around Europe before clinching his famous victory in the 1964 Monte Carlo rally.

Aside from that famous victory, he is also remembered for the heroism he showed during the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon event when he gave up any chance of victory to stop and help the occupants of a Citroen DS which had been in a horror collision.

Hopkirk and team mate Tony Nash managed to pull out the occupants from both cars that were starting to burn, saving the life of severely wounded racing driver Lucien Bianchi in the process.

Former BBC Sport producer Brian Johnston, whose father was also a rally driver who competed on the world stage and a friend of Hopkirk, said the 1964 Monte Carlo winner was a “Northern Ireland sporting icon” comparable to George Best.

“He put Northern Ireland on the world stage, driving the Mini — the Mini was an iconic brand,” he said.

“He was like a pop star, in the way they say that about George Best, but from an earlier era.

“He was one of the greats, and a sporting icon like George Best, but from an era before we had 24-hour rolling news.

“That’s the esteem he was held in.”

Mr Johnston also described meeting with the racing great in the south of England and seeing a photograph of him in 1964 with the Beatles.

He described Hopkirk as a “lovely man”, who was “very modest”.

“Of course he was a brilliant driver and he had the twinkle in his eye — he was great company, a great storyteller and just a wonderful man.”

In 2010, Hopkirk was one of the first four people inducted into the Rally Hall of Fame.

Six years later, he was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List.

Mini Sport, in a statement, said: “It is with heavy hearts that we are sharing the news with you that our very dear friend Paddy Hopkirk MBE passed away on Thursday evening. Paddy was a fantastic friend to all of us here at Mini Sport, but so much more than that, he was a part of our Mini family.”

The statement added: “We would like to extend a special thank you to Paddy for everything that he has done throughout his illustrious career, both for Mini Sport & the Mini itself.”