Jim clark might be the best ever formula 1 driver that ever competed in f1. Having first driven the family car around the fields in secret, and then been allowed to drive farm tractors alone, jim got his drivers license on his 17th birthday, by. Mar 24, 2020 it stands as a wonderful tribute to both jim clark, one of the finest talents motor racing has ever witnessed and whose legend will grow greater with every passing year, and the legendary lotus 49, a truly landmark car to which modern formula 1 owes so much. For contributor david tremayne and many others, the scot remains the greatest driver to have ever pulled on a helmet and. Piloting the mighty lotus 49 a brand new chassis, stamped r4, although largely unchanged from the previous. Legendary f1 driver jim clark had excellent taste in watches. The story of jim clark, the modest farmer who conquered. He was the son of a scottish hill farmer and farming remained his passion despite winning two formula one world championships in 1963 and 1965. May 15, 2009 the legendary scottish racing driver jimmy clark is often overlooked when people list their greatest formula one drivers of all time. He also secured his second f1 world championship in 1965. I only have golden memories of jimmy motor sport magazine. A native of scotland, clark started racing sports cars when he was 20 years old and soon graduated to single seaters.
Bell and his researchers examined data including the f1 team the driver was racing for, how good that team was at the time, the drivers performance relative to their teammate and how. Jim clark s impact on america was tangible, even quantifiable. He is generally consided to be one of formula ones bestever drivers, whose early and tragic death at just 32 years old in a formula two race in hockenheim in 1968 shocked the world. On 7 april 1968, jim clark was killed at hockenheim.
Make offer lotus 25 jim clark 1963 rare formula 1 f1 diecast car 1. The remains of jim clarks car after his fatal crash photo. The bbc f1 team were asked to provide their own personal top 20s. The 1964 formula one season was the 18th season of fia formula one motor racing. Apr 04, 2019 the world of motorsport lost one of its greatest drivers on this day in 1968 when twotime formula one world champion jim clark was killed at hockenheim. He was particularly associated with the lotus marque. The 1967 canadian grand prix, officially known as the vii players grand prix of canada, was the eighth round of the 1967 fia formula one world championship, held at mosport park on the 27th of august, 1967. The story of jim clark, the modest farmer who conquered the. Here are the 10 best ever formula 1 drivers top gear.
Jim clark the best driver formula 1 has ever seen rformula1 off season history project so, before we start, i have a confession to make. The difference between this shocking event and the death of ayrton senna is that some of us didnt know where. In march 1960, he drove his first race in the newly introduced formula i and went on to. He won two championship titles, in 1963 and 1965, driving for team lotus. Obe 4 march 1936 7 april 1968 was a british formula one racing driver from scotland, who won two world championships, in 1963 and 1965. And when the sport took jim clarks life the racing world mourned the loss of one of its bestloved champions, the unassuming scottish driving genius whose personal integrity and admirable human qualities endeared him to fans and rivals alike.
James jim or jimmy clark, jr obe born 4 march 1936 in kilmany, scotland died 7 april 1968 in hockenheim, germany was a british formula one driver. Was ayrton senna the best driver in formula 1 history. Jim clark would be the first nonamerican to win the race in nearly 50 years, holding first place for 190 out of the 200 total laps. Scotsman clark drove his entire f1 career for colin chapmans team lotus, winning two formula one world championships and the 1965 indianapolis 500. Jim clarks career highlights autocars sports editor in 1968 was innes ireland, a grand prix driver who was briefly teammate to clark at lotus.
Formula 1 lost one of its best and brightest half a century ago at the hockenheimring. The lotus 49 and clark made for an awesome combination and the 1968 title would surely have fallen to the scot had he not been killed at hockenheim in a formula 2 race. He won the first grand prix of 1968, in south africa, but there. In 72 formula 1 starts between 1960 and 1968, he scored 25 wins and 32 podiums, what was one of the biggest percentage of podiums ever. Formula 1 drivers styles compared autosport performance.
Jun 08, 2016 one such driver was jim clark, the legendary twotime formula one world champion, and as an admirer of his for many years now, it came as a pleasant surprise to find out that much like myself, clark seemed to have a small though impressive collection of welldesigned chronographs. Apr, 2018 for many formula one fans, the date april 7, 1968, is the day the music died. Driver records listed here include all rounds which formed part of the world championship since 1950. Formula 1 lost its benchmark driver of the era when double world champion jim clark was killed in a formula 2 race at hockenheim on 7 april 1968. Jimmy may have been the most naturally talented driver to have graced the formula one stage. Many auto racing historians consider jim clark one of the greatest drivers of all time. Jim clark, farmer and twotime f1 world motor racing champion, was killed while driving in. I told mum and dad clark about that and they were deeply moved. Jim clark is one of the most famous and talented formula one drivers of all time as endorsed by the times list of greatest formula one drivers placing him at number 1. The announcer on the radio suggested that all those listening who were mourning the death of the great racing driver jim clark should turn on their headlights.
For many formula one fans, the date april 7, 1968, is the day the music died. Clark didnt seem to understand why he was fast, but destroyed top fields time and again. Innes ireland, dan gurney, trevor taylor, jim hall, jack lewis, gerry. He achieved some amazing results and was the first foreign race driver in nearly 50 years that won the indianapolis 500 in 1965. The exact cause of this accident of the worlds best driver was never clearly established. Clark was a versatile driver who competed in sports cars, touring cars and in the indianapolis 500, which he won in 1965.
Perhaps the greatest natural talent ever seen in formula 1. The difference between this shocking event and the death of ayrton senna is that some of us didnt know where hockenheim was, never mind that clark was racing there. Apr 29, 2014 jim clark won a thenrecord 25 races before he was killed in a crash aged just 32 in 1968 and is surely another man worthy of consideration. He was a world class driver, regarded as one of the finest formula 1 race car drivers of all time. Jim clarks death during a f2 race in hockenheim in 1968. Far from satisfied with dominating formula 1 alone, jim clark won the american indianapolis 500 in 1965. Thats how motor sport magazine described jim clarks crushing victory in the 1968 south african grand prix, held at kyalami on new years day. Jim clark formula 1 driver great britain, 1935 march 04. The late 1960s was an era when driver fatalities were commonplace, but clark was so good noone thought it. The most naturally gifted formula one driver of all time.
Formula 1 drivers styles compared in his latest autosport performance column worldrenowned driver coach rob wilson says different driving styles do still exist and compares a few of the. Aug 10, 2011 born 4 march 1936 died 7 april 1968 aged 32 formula one world championship career nationality british active years 1960 1968 teams lotus races 73 72 starts championships 2 1963, 1965 wins. In 1956, he drove his first event and by 1958, driving for the border reivers team, he had won 18 national events. I n the highly competitive arena of motor sport, only once in a while does a real driving genius emerge from the pack. Born 4 march 1936 died 7 april 1968 aged 32 formula one world championship career nationality british active years 1960 1968 teams lotus races 73 72 starts championships 2. This year, bbc sport is profiling 20 of the greatest formula 1 drivers of all time. Clark, 32, was at the wheel of his lotuscosworth which left the track at 170mph 274kmh, somersaulted through the air and collided with a tree on a remote part of the german track. Jim clark prints posters and paintings historic car art. It included the 1964 world championship of drivers, won by john surtees. The world championship of drivers has been held since 1950. He never intended to make racing a way of life, let alone become the best in the world in a sport that for him began as farm boys hobby. The world of motorsport lost one of its greatest drivers on this day in 1968 when twotime formula one world champion jim clark was killed at hockenheim. Jim clark, the former world motor racing champion was killed when his lotuscosworth skidded off the track and somersaulted into a wood at about 170mph during a formula two race here today. Jim clark the best driver formula 1 has ever seen r.
Jim clark won the world championship in 1963 and 1965, the indy 500 in 1965, finished. At the peak of his powers, jim clark was easily the greatest racing driver on earth, with a world record haul of grand prix wins and twice world champion in 1963 and 1965. Nobody stood a chance against jim clark and this lotus 49. One such driver was jim clark, the legendary twotime formula one world champion, and as an admirer of his for many years now, it came as a pleasant surprise to find out that much like myself, clark seemed to have a small though impressive collection of welldesigned chronographs. Jul 11, 2019 at the peak of his powers, jim clark was easily the greatest racing driver on earth, with a world record haul of grand prix wins and twice world champion in 1963 and 1965. Jim clark, farmer and twotime f1 world motor racing champion, was killed while driving in a meaningless formula two. Jim clark driver data born 4 march 193619360304 kilmany, fife, scotland, uk died 7 april 196819680407 aged 32 hockenheim, badenwurttemberg, germany nationality gbr formula one world championship career status deceased fatal accident races 73 73 starts pole positions 33 wins 25 championships 2 podiums 32 fastest laps 28 career points 274 first race 1960 dutch grand prix last. Jim clark, the scottish driver who became an american idol. He was the son of a scottish hill farmer and farming remained his passion despite winning two formula one world championships in. Motor racing world champion jim clark has been killed in a car crash during a formula two race at hockenheim. The best f1 drivers of all time, as chosen by science. Jim clarks impact on america was tangible, even quantifiable.
Bbc sport is profiling 20 of the greatest formula 1 drivers of all time. Jim clark won a thenrecord 25 races before he was killed in a crash aged just 32 in 1968 and is surely another man worthy of consideration. When i started following formula 1 in 1982, at the ripe age of 5, my dad gave me a magazine he had bought when he discovered that mum was pregnant again. Names like michael schumacher, ayrton senna, and juan manuel. The race, which would be the first canadian grand prix to be staged as part of the world championship, would be remembered for a qualifying record and a decisive blow in the. Obe 4 march 1936 7 april 1968 was a british formula one racing driver from scotland, who won two world championships, in 1963 and. Jim clark is widely regarded as one of the greatest racing drivers of all time, admired for his remarkable achievements and famous for his humility. Jim clark customs services and international tracking provided 1963 formula 1 jim clark lotus 25 1. Formula 1 races that were not qualification rounds. Clark won 25 of the 72 formula 1 races he contested before he was killed at age 32 during a formula 2 race at hockenheim, germany. The late 1960s was an era when driver fatalities were commonplace, but clark was so good noone thought it could happen to him. Your say should jim clark be higher or lower in f1s greatest drivers. James jim or jimmy clark, jr obe born 4 march 1936 in kilmany, scotland died 7 april 1968 in hockenheim, germany was a british formula one driver who won the 1963 and 1965 world championships.