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Neil Cunningham

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neil Cunningham (12 June 1962 – 24 May 2016[1][2]) was a New Zealand-born racing driver and stunt driver who competed primarily in British and European endurance races along with some roles in television and film. He was active in the British GT Championship and competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As a stunt driver, he featured in Quantum of Solace, a James Bond movie. He was diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND) in 2010 and died in 2016 while living in Swansea, Wales.[3]

Driving career

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Racing career

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Neil Cunningham began racing at the age of ten in Mount Wellington.[4][5] His family moved to Australia when he was twelve, and he began racing in a Holden Torana.[6] Three years after Cunningham finished as runner-up in the 1980 Queensland Touring Car Championship, Formula One champion Jack Brabham selected Cunningham to race in the British Formula Ford 2000 Championship. In 1993, Cunningham finished fourth in the British Formula Renault Championship.[6]

The Morgan Aero 8 GTN driven by Cunningham in his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut in 2004.

After leaving single seater racing, Cunningham won the 1996 British Eurocar V6 Championship and in 1998 he won the British Marcos Mantis Championship.[6] In the 2000s he continued to race in the British GT Championship along with other grand touring and endurance events.[7] His best finish in the series came in 2005, where he finished third in points alongside Ben Collins in a Porsche 911 GT3-RSR.[8][6] Cunningham made his first 24 Hours of Le Mans appearance in 2004 for the Morgan Works Race Team.[9][10] He went back to Le Mans two years later, racing a Courage C65 in the LMP2 class. Barazi-Epsilon and Cunningham finished the race 21st overall.[11] Later in his career, Cunningham began participating in historic racing events, winning the Silverstone Classic twice in a Jaguar D-Type. In 2011, during a Le Mans support event, Cunningham won his class in a Jaguar XKD 505 D-Type.[12]

In September 2011, Cunningham participated in his last race driving the same Van Diemen RF90 he raced twenty years ago when he first came to Europe. He reportedly did not have the strength to hold the steering wheel with his left hand.[12]

Stunt career

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Throughout his racing career, Cunningham was known for his car control which was noticed by film and television producers.[12] His largest role as a stunt driver came in 2008 when he doubled for Daniel Craig in the opening scene of Quantum of Solace, the 22nd James Bond movie.[13][14][15] The scene involves Bond in a car chase outside of Sienna, Italy.[16]

Cunningham was rumoured to be The Stig, an anonymous character from the British show Top Gear.[17][18] However, Cunningham denied this, saying "I always had the Stig in my mirror."[5]

Personal life and death

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Neil Cunningham was born on 12 June 1962, in Auckland, New Zealand in the Papakura suburb.[19] At the age of 7, Cunningham's parents split, and he moved with his mother to Gold Coast, Australia. His cousin, Blyth Tait, is an Olympic gold medalist in equestrianism.[20]

In 2010, at the age of 47, Cunningham was diagnosed with MND.[21][5] His diagnosis forced his retirement in which he founded the charity Racing4MND.[22] At the time of his death, the charity had raised over £100,000.[12] Following his death in 2016, the British GT Championship honored Cunningham by branding each car's windscreen with a Racing4MND sticker during the Silverstone 500.[23]

References

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  1. ^ "Pilote des 24 heures du Mans : Neil Edward Cunningham". www.24h-en-piste.com (in French). Archived from the original on 25 December 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  2. ^ "Neil Cunningham: Racedriver biography - career and success". www.speedsport-magazine.com. Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  3. ^ Smith, Mark (25 May 2016). "Racing car driver and James Bond stuntman Neil Cunningham dies". Wales Online.
  4. ^ "Kiwi action man battles nerve disease". NZ Herald. 15 June 2012. Archived from the original on 14 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Kiwi who was James Bond stuntman battles nerve disease". Otago Daily Times Online News. 13 June 2012. Archived from the original on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "Notice of Death – Neil Cunningham (1962–2016)". The British Racing Drivers' Club. 24 May 2016.
  7. ^ "British GT Championship - Mondello Park". DSC Archive. Embassy Racing. September 2005. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Final British GT Points Tables". DSC Archive. 2005. Archived from the original on 23 February 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Morgan at the 24 Hours of Le Mans". 24h-lemans.com. 13 November 2015.
  10. ^ "2004 Le Mans 24 Hours". Motorsport Database – Motor Sport Magazine. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  11. ^ "2006 Le Mans 24 Hours". Motorsport Database – Motor Sport Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d Beckett, James (30 June 2016). "Neil Cunningham was my Friend. He is my Hero..." Autosport. pp. 66–69.
  13. ^ Smith, Mark (25 May 2016). "Racing car driver and James Bond stuntman Neil Cunningham dies". Wales Online. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  14. ^ Bonardel, Cécile (28 May 2016). "Neil Cunningham (1962–2016)". 24h-lemans.com. Automobile Club de l'Ouest.
  15. ^ msoweb (24 May 2016). "Notice of Death - Neil Cunningham (1962 - 2016)". The British Racing Drivers' Club. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  16. ^ Morrison, Tim (1 October 2012). "Quantum of Solace, 2008". Time.
  17. ^ Greenbaum, Aaron (16 February 2025). "What The Cameras Didn't Show Us About Top Gear". SlashGear. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  18. ^ Haigh, Joshua (25 May 2016). "Former Top Gear racing driver dies after battle with motor neurone disease". Daily Record.
  19. ^ "Neil Cunningham: Racedriver Biography – Career and Success". www.speedsport-magazine.com. Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  20. ^ Lord, David (25 December 2012). "Neil Cunningham, Looking Back On DSC". Archived from the original on 30 August 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  21. ^ Goodwin, Graham (21 November 2013). "Racing4MND, Neil Cunningham's Toughest Battle". dailysportscar.com.
  22. ^ Bradley, Charles (26 May 2016). "Tribute: Neil Cunningham – a star of track, screen and life". Motorsport. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  23. ^ "British GT to honour Neil Cunningham and Racing4MND at Silverstone 500". britishgt.com. British GT Championship. 8 June 2016.
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