Rodger Ward is a racing driver from United States who last raced in Formula 1 for Lotus-BRM. Ward has recorded 1 win and 2 podiums from 12 starts.[1]
A Racer Rating of 4,796 ranks Ward 493th of 15,348 indexed drivers, on an Elo scale where the strongest reach the low five figures. It is built from every indexed race in the driver's file, decayed for time since their last race.
| 1963-10-06 | Watkins Glen | DNF | −3 |
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Podiums | DNFs | Poles | Points | Pos | Gain/Loss | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | ▸Formula 1 | Lotus-BRM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | P18 | −3 | 4,796 |
| 1960 | ▸Formula 1 | Watson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | P12 | +147 | 4,799 |
| 1959 | ▸Formula 1 | Kurtis Kraft | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | P10 | +176 | 4,651 |
| 1958 | ▸Formula 1 | Lesovsky | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | P22 | −16 | 4,475 |
| 1957 | ▸Formula 1 | Lesovsky | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | P23 | −114 | 4,491 |
| 1956 | ▸Formula 1 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | P28 | +96 | 4,605 |
| 1955 | ▸Formula 1 | Kuzma | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | P26 | −94 | 4,509 |
| 1954 | ▸Formula 1 | Pawl | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | P27 | −42 | 4,604 |
| 1953 | ▸Formula 1 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | P20 | −9 | 4,645 |
| 1952 | ▸Formula 1 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | P23 | −52 | 4,654 |
| 1951 | ▸Formula 1 | Bromme | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | P20 | −93 | 4,707 |
| Rival | Rating | Raced | Ahead | Behind | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 Eddie Johnson | 4,920 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 75% |
| 🇺🇸 Gene Hartley | 4,824 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 75% |
| 🇺🇸 Jim Rathmann | 5,075 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 33% |
| 🇺🇸 Duane Carter | 5,054 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 67% |
| 🇺🇸 Tony Bettenhausen | 4,934 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 67% |
| 🇺🇸 Jimmy Bryan | 4,903 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 67% |
| 🇺🇸 Bob Veith | 4,900 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 67% |
Rodger Ward was an American open-wheel racing driver who competed primarily in the early 1950s and early 1960s. His Formula 1 career spanned from 1951 to 1963, comprising twelve starts with a single victory and two podium finishes for Lotus-BRM. Ward's rating of 4,796 places him among professional-level drivers of his era, and his average finishing position of P6.8 reflects consistent competitive performance against a field that included several front-running professionals. Over his racing life, Ward shared grids with drivers of comparable and stronger standing; he held a winning record against Eddie Johnson and Gene Hartley, both professional-calibre drivers of the period, and defeated higher-rated professionals including Jim Rathmann, Duane Carter, Tony Bettenhausen, and Paul Russo on individual occasions.[1]
Ward's Formula 1 presence was limited but his competitive standing is evident from the quality of his rivals. His single grand prix victory came during an era when single-seater racing was split across multiple championships and series, and his two podiums in twelve starts represent a podium rate substantially above a typical grid finisher. Most of his recorded starts came while driving for Kurtis Kraft, a competitive team that fielded stronger drivers but whose overall record demonstrates Ward was among its capable lineups. His final appearance in the series came in 1963, after which his racing record ends.[2]