Stanley Dickens is Swedish driver who was one of the established drivers in the Group C series. As well known for his victory in the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans with Sauber. With co-drivers Jochen Mass and Manuel Reuter. However, in the winter of 1987 he was on speaking terms with our beloved Minardi F1 Team for a seat in 1988. According to an interview with Dickens it was a naïve move when his career seemed to stall and wasn’t sure where what his future Autosport career could bring. Let’s dive into the little information that is known about his flirt with the Formula One.
Dickens was born on 7 May 1952 in the Swedish town Färila. After his family moved in the 1960s to Motala Stanley met Reine Wisell at some point in his life in the 1970s. Wisell debuted in 1970 in the Formula One for Team Lotus. At his first Grand Prix, he managed to finish third! With the help of Wisell the first steps were taken in the autosport. It seems that 1978 was his debut year internationally. That year he appeared at the start of the Swedish and British Formula 3 Championship in a Ralt RT1. He kept racing in the Swedish Formula 3 championship the following years with some result.
From 1981 onwards, he appeared at the start of the European Formula 2 championship in a March 802 and 822. In 1983, he made his debut with Eddie Jordan in the European Formula 3 championship, that year he would also appear at the start of several races in the ETCC with the Volvo 240. During the next years, he became one of the established drivers in the Endurance racing and Sportscar racing two years with Dome. With several wins in the Group C2 Championship in 1986 and the overall title for his team Brun Motorsport.
In 1987, it seems that his career was stalling. He joined Joest Racing in the World Sportscar Championship with a Porsche 962C. He was joined by a gentleman driver who drove around only for his pleasure which made him thinking If he was on the right path in his career. His only way out, in his opinion, was to race in the Formula One. He had enough points on his license to appear at the start of a Grand Prix. Therefore, in December 1987 Dickens came in contact with Minardi.
At that point, Minardi had just finished their third year in the Formula One without success. While the cars were well designed, the Motori Moderni was a huge issue. Lacking power and without decent updates the engine was hopeless. The team was ready to set the next step and needed money for it. Therefore, they were looking for new drivers.
In early 1988, according to Dickens, he had half of the money that was needed to race a full season for the team. Negotiations went underway and there were even rumours that he would test for the team. Thous would be later in the winter of 1988. Only weeks before the start of the season it seems save to say he would race the first half of the season. Enough time you would say to find the rest of the sponsorship. Sadly for him the team, only a week before the drivers registration, told him that another driver brought in the full amount of money to race the full season. This was probably Luis Pérez-Sala. Adrián Campos did not had the amount of money either to race a full season for the team.
His Formula One dream exploded in his face and it seemed that his career was near the end now. However, thanks to an offer from Japan, he would race in the Japanese Sportscar Championship for prototypes where he would win the Championship in 1988 and 1989. As said, he would win Le Mans as well in 1989.
