Ferrari’s last British F1 world champion

The failure of Jim Clark’s Lotus with simply over a lap of the Mexican Grand Prix to go, which robbed the Scot of a second consecutive System 1 title, could possibly be seen because the defining second of 1964. That, or the conflict in the identical race between championship contender Graham Hill and the second Ferrari of Lorenzo Bandini. However each promote John Surtees’s world crown far too brief.

Having moved to a beleaguered Ferrari – this was shortly after a crew break up and dire title defence in 1962 – Surtees had work to do. Not solely did he assist increase the Scuderia’s sport, however he additionally needed to dig deep to recuperate from a poor begin to the 1964 marketing campaign.

In contrast to Clark, Surtees’s exhausting luck got here initially of the yr. Within the first 4 rounds, the Englishman’s Mauro Forghieri-penned Ferrari 158 completed solely as soon as.

“The 158 suffered from being a bit late and never having fairly as a lot dedication into the package deal as we’d have appreciated, if Ferrari had been completely targeted on F1,” says Surtees. “Sadly, the primary focus was on testing vehicles for the prototype collection – the Monza 1000Km and Nurburgring. I had nice enjoyment driving these tremendous vehicles, nevertheless it was tinged by the very fact we have been neglecting the F1 programme.”

The semi-monocoque 158 was not a foul chassis, however engine efficiency – supposedly one among Ferrari’s fortes – was a key situation. Not solely did the crew run or develop six-, eight- and 12-cylinder engines throughout the season, it additionally had hassle with direct gasoline injection.

Surtees: “Whereas the six-cylinder tubular automobile [of 1963] was a bit of extra just like the Cooper to drive – driveable however consuming a little bit of energy when travelling sideways – the eight-cylinder grew to become a good-handling automobile, actually extra economical with its energy. To not the diploma a Lotus was, however actually an enchancment.

“The Climax engine [as used by Brabham and Lotus] had an excellent mid-range. This was one of many issues that Ferrari needed to come to phrases with – Climax tended to supply a extra useable energy vary. The Italian-type engines tended to be a bit of bit top-endy.

“Ferrari tried to do a little bit of a catch-up by pondering that direct injection, working with Michael Might and utilizing developments of the programs that had been utilized by Mercedes-Benz vehicles, was the way in which to go. Making that work on the smaller-capacity [1500cc] engines introduced plenty of teething issues and early-season retirements.”

Gearbox hassle was the primary downside on the season-opening Monaco GP, which Hill received. Surtees took second on the Dutch GP, however engine points prevented a attainable win within the Belgian GP, the place Clark took a uncommon fortunate victory when three vehicles failed forward of him on the ultimate lap.

When Clark narrowly beat the constant Hill within the British GP – Surtees was third – it appeared like a two-horse race for the title. At that midway mark, Surtees had simply 10 factors to Clark’s 30 and the 26 of Hill.

However then two issues occurred: Ferrari hit type and unhealthy luck befell the 2 championship leaders.

“The saddest factor, in some methods, was in Austria when the automobile broke once I was main the race. The circuit was very tough, however one factor I didn’t anticipate was for the Ferrari to interrupt its suspension” John Surtees

“It wasn’t till Le Mans [in June] was over that we went to Bosch and did some extra testing, and that we received the higher regulation launched to the injection system,” provides Surtees. “We received it working simply earlier than the German GP. That made the automobile extra driveable, with out issues within the energy curve.”

Surtees was all the time a drive on the Nurburgring’s superior Nordschleife, having taken his first Ferrari win there in 1963. He had been an in depth second for Lola the yr earlier than too.

Race of My Life: John Surtees – 1963 German GP

He took pole and shortly overcame a fast-starting Clark. After a cube with Dan Gurney, Surtees drew clear to win with what Autosport’s Gregor Grant described as “a show of driving virtuosity that wore down your complete opposition”. Hill was second, taking the championship lead, whereas Clark retired with engine hassle of his personal.

Surtees led the Austrian GP early on, solely to endure a uncommon Ferrari chassis (versus engine) failure on the bumpy Zeltweg circuit. “The saddest factor, in some methods, was in Austria when the automobile broke once I was main the race,” says Surtees. “The circuit was very tough, however one factor I didn’t anticipate was for the Ferrari to interrupt its suspension.”

Surtees took full benefit of his rivals’ reliability woes with victory at Monza

Photograph by: David Phipps

Happily for Surtees, all the most important runners broke down, leaving Bandini to win within the six-cylinder Ferrari, however now there have been simply three rounds left to catch Clark and Hill. The ‘best-six-results-count’ rule gave him an opportunity, however he was nonetheless 13 factors off the highest of the desk with 9 on provide for a win.

Regardless of a crash at Goodwood earlier than the Italian GP, Surtees was on effective type at Monza. “You do not have such a requirement for torque as you’ve gotten at among the circuits,” says Surtees. “We received the automobile working very effectively by Curva Grande and the Lesmos, which managed all of your pace up the again part.”

The Ferrari took pole earlier than partaking in a slipstreaming struggle with Gurney, which was resolved when the Brabham’s battery went flat within the closing phases. Hill’s clutch had failed on the startline, whereas Clark went out with extra Climax engine issues.

PLUS: Surtees’ 10 greatest F1 races

Surtees was now again within the sport, nevertheless it was at this second that Enzo Ferrari had a falling-out with the game’s governing physique. The Italian agency had tried to homologate the prototype-like 250 LM as a GT automobile and failed. Enzo responded in typical vogue by threatening by no means to enter F1 once more…

Ferrari’s F1 squad did make its solution to America for the season-ending US and Mexican GPs, albeit within the white-and-blue colors of the North American Racing Workforce (which might, mockingly, go on to win Le Mans in 1965 with… a 250 LM). Issues, nonetheless, didn’t go proper for Surtees at Watkins Glen.

“We have been aggressive, however I had a little bit of an off within the race once I was with Graham and we have been lapping somebody, which misplaced me the possibility of really profitable that race,” he says.

Clark led, solely to hit but extra engine hassle, however Hill received. Though the BRM driver discarded his factors for fifth within the Belgian GP – his seventh-best results of the season – he was nonetheless 5 forward going into the finale. Clark, who hadn’t scored since his win at Manufacturers Hatch in July, might nonetheless take the crown however needed to win in Mexico.

Apparently, Autosport printed its GP driver scores earlier than the ultimate spherical. It awarded Surtees, Hill, Clark and Gurney 5 stars, however put Surtees on high. “John’s absolute dedication, along with magnificent drives at Nurburgring and Monza, have given him a fractional choice,” wrote Grant. “To our mind-set, John Surtees is the only cause for Ferrari’s comeback in F1 racing.”

Surtees remained the surface title wager going into the Mexican finale

Photograph by: Motorsport Photos

Autosport 70: Ranking the best drivers of an epic F1 battle

As soon as up and operating on the Mexico Metropolis circuit, issues gave the impression to be heading Clark’s method. The Lotus simply took pole, whereas Surtees and Hill each had automobile points.

“Our large downside got here in Mexico in that we discovered it troublesome to regulate the injection for the altitude,” remembers Surtees. “We’d already had issues with the metering and we have been tempted to make use of the 12-cylinder, as a result of that was on Lucas and was working higher. However there was some concern concerning the reliability as a result of, as most individuals discovered with flat-configuration engines on the time, it’s a must to overcome the query of oil surge and pick-up. Mexico had a nook the place you bought fairly excessive g-forces as a result of it was banked and this was a little bit of a fear.

“It was determined to stay with the eight-cylinder they usually adjusted the injector a bit extra and this meant, when it went off the road, it wasn’t operating cleanly on eight cylinders. I had some misfires till the factor overheated. As soon as the engine had received scorching it began to run on eight!”

“After among the misfortune that had befallen us, on this event I had some success in that Jim retired. I feel that balanced it up” John Surtees

Whereas Clark led Gurney, Hill and Surtees moved by the pack. Hill engaged in a struggle for third with Bandini, as Surtees reeled in each. On lap 31 of the 65-lapper Bandini clipped the rear of Hill’s BRM exiting the hairpin, spinning it. Hill made it again to the pits however was now now not an element.

“I feel the incident happened as a result of in a single second Graham had one Ferrari – that was not that vital – after which I appeared, within the vital one,” says Surtees, who noticed the incident. “He was attempting to guard his observe place in opposition to me.

“Graham was taking tight strains on the hairpin with a purpose to safeguard his place, however the tighter you went within the wider you went so that you had probably three vehicles there, which couldn’t actually be on the identical a part of the street.”

Into the ultimate phases the title nonetheless going to Clark, who would tie on factors with Hill however beat him on victories countback, with Gurney being the very important issue separating the Ferraris from the runner-up spot Surtees wanted. However the main Lotus was dropping oil and, as he accomplished the penultimate tour, the Scot slowed, permitting Gurney to shoot previous.

A single level noticed Surtees champion for Ferrari over Hill

Photograph by: Motorsport Photos

As Clark cruised to salvage fifth place, Bandini stepped apart to permit Surtees into second. The title was the Englishman’s, by only a level from Hill.

“After among the misfortune that had befallen us, on this event I had some success in that Jim retired,” says Surtees. “I feel that balanced it up.”

Ferrari’s rivals

There have been 4 standout vehicles in 1964. In addition to the Ferrari 158, the BRM P261 and the main Climax-engined runners – the Lotus 25/33 and Brabham BT7 – all received races.

Reliability was combined, apart from the BRM, which had the perfect ending file of all of the vehicles. “The BRM at the moment was a really well-engineered automobile,” says Surtees. “The 1.5-litre engine was engine, very progressive on the high finish. It was a really driveable, sorted automobile.”

However, Surtees is evident on which crew he thinks had the perfect package deal. Given the variety of poles (5 from 10) and quickest laps (4) scored by Clark, it’s exhausting to disagree.

“As they’d with each Climax and later Cosworth, Lotus had the works growth engines due to their successes,” says Surtees. “Colin Chapman was somebody who put a really particular crew collectively, impressed by him, and it was essentially the most full automobile.”

PLUS: F1’s great Lotus landmarks – Lotus 25

Surtees celebrates his F1 title triumph with Ferrari

Photograph by: Motorsport Photos