Alan Rees had the distinction of helping to found two Formula 1 teams, and was one of the earliest employees of a third. The Briton, who has died aged 86 after a long illness, was a partner in both March and Arrows, which entered the grand prix arena in 1970 and ’78 respectively. In between times, he was recruited by Shadow to put together its UK operation for an F1 entry in 1973.
Although he had been a successful driver with a couple of Formula 2 wins on his resume, Rees never became as well known as some of his partners, Max Mosley and Jackie Oliver included. Yet his name is enshrined in F1 history in the titles of the teams he helped set up. The March and Arrows monikers were derived from the initials of their creators, in the latter case with a bit of licence.
