Robin Widdows

{{Short description|British racing driver and bobsledder (born 1942)}}

{{Infobox F1 driver

| image = Robin Widdows 1970 Nürburgring.JPG

| caption = Robin Widdows (1970)

| name = Robin Widdows

| nationality = {{flagicon|GBR}} British

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|5|27|df=y}}

| Years = {{F1|1968}}

| Team(s) = Cooper

| Races = 1

| Championships = 0

| Wins = 0

| Podiums = 0

| Points = 0

| Poles = 0

| Fastest laps = 0

| First race = 1968 British Grand Prix

}}

Robin Michael Widdows (born 27 May 1942 in Cowley, Middlesex) is a British former racing driver from England. He participated in Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Three and sportscars including Le Mans.{{Cite journal |last=St Moritz Tobogganing Club |date=2019–2020 |title=Annual Report - The Cresta Run |journal=Annual Report of The Cresta Run |volume=100 |pages=308}}

Widdows began his career with an MG Midget and a Lotus 23 winning the Autosport Class C Championship in 1965.{{cite book|last=Small|first=Steve|title=The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who|publisher=Guinness|date=1994|page=401|isbn=0851127029}} He moved to Formula Three the following year and in 1967 competed in Formula Two with a Brabham BT23, winning the Rhine Cup at Hockenheim. In 1968, Widdows joined The Chequered Flag team to compete in a McLaren M4A and that year took part in his only World Championship Grand Prix, for Cooper, in the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch but retired with ignition problems. He returned to Formula Two the following season with Bob Gerard and also raced sportscars for Matra. Widdows continued in Formula Two in 1970, with a Brabham, but retired from the sport part way through the season.

Widdows holds the rare distinction of being one of a select group of six who have competed in both a Formula One World Championship race and the Olympic Games (bobsleigh in 1964 and 1968).{{cite web|title= Formula One at the Olympics|author= Viva F1|accessdate= 2012-07-26|url= http://www.vivaf1.com/blog/?p=11707|url-status= dead|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120808002447/http://www.vivaf1.com/blog/?p=11707|archivedate= 8 August 2012|df= dmy-all}}

On 17 January 1965, he became the fastest Englishman to ride the Cresta Run from Junction with a time of 44.14 secs, recorded in the Harjes Cartier Silver Chip handicap race.