As stunning as it might appear right this moment, F1 has held Grands Prix on New Yr’s Day. To be exact, just one race was held on January 1, whereas two others passed off on adjoining days. In all three instances, these have been the South African Grands Prix, set within the timeline of the Sixties.
The historical past of System 1, particularly as much as the Nineties, is filled with anecdotes and historic occasions that, seen from right this moment’s perspective, appear unthinkable. The case of New Yr’s Day Grands Prix is simply the tip of the iceberg of a magical period on this sport. We’ve seen races on inconceivable circuits, groups and drivers collaborating in GPs with little to no assets or preparation, and far more.
1962 South African GP
Chronologically, the primary of the three F1 Grands Prix held round New Yr’s was the 1962 South African GP. This race was held on December 29 on the Prince George Circuit in East London, South Africa. The primary driver to cross the end line was Graham Hill, driving for British Racing Motors (BRM). The race was the ultimate one of many season, securing Hill the world championship title and BRM its solely Constructors’ Championship.
The final GP of the season passed off three months after the penultimate race in the US. Between the 2, there have been three non-championship races: one in Mexico and two at Kyalami. The East London GP marked System 1’s debut in South Africa, drawing 90,000 spectators.
On this GP, the championship battle was between Jim Clark and Graham Hill. Throughout qualifying, they secured the primary and second positions, establishing a detailed contest within the early phases of the race. Clark appeared to handle the hole to Hill till his Lotus was compelled to retire on account of an oil leak. This left the trail clear for Graham Hill, who gained with a margin of over 50 seconds forward of Bruce McLaren, thereby clinching the title.
1965 South African GP
The 1965 South African GP was held on January 2. The distinctive facet of this occasion is that it was a part of the 1964 season, because it was initially scheduled for the earlier week however was postponed. For this version, all groups used automobiles from the earlier 12 months. The championship had already been determined, with John Surtees topped champion for Ferrari.
The weekend started with Jim Clark securing pole place forward of John Surtees and Brabham. The Scotsman dominated all 85 laps of the race, crossing the end line first, adopted by the reigning world champion.
1968 South African GP
The 1968 South African GP passed off on January 1, making it the one race in historical past held on New Yr’s Day. Sadly, it’s remembered because the final race Jim Clark participated in earlier than his deadly accident in a System 2 race in April.
This weekend was held on the Kyalami circuit and commenced with Jim Clark on pole, adopted by his Lotus teammate, Graham Hill. The pair, driving the Lotus 49 powered by a Ford-Cosworth engine, maintained their positions till the end, marking the group’s thirtieth victory. For Jim Clark, it was his twenty fifth win, surpassing Juan Manuel Fangio’s document.
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