He participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1959.

His racing career effectively ended when his steering column weld failed on his Lotus 18 in the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix at 160 mph (260 km/h).

He was thrown from the car, cutting down a tree with his body and broke several bones (Alan Stacey and Chris Bristow were killed and Stirling Moss was also injured at the event, crashing his Lotus 18 in practice).

He was paralysed,[1][2] but after therapy was able to regain the ability to walk.

[3] After his accident, Taylor sporadically competed in long distance rallying, finishing third in the London–Sydney Marathon in 1977 in a Citroën CX with Paddy Hopkirk and Bob Riley.