The 1965 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian national motor racing title open to racing cars complying with the Australian National Formula or the Australian 1½ Litre Formula. [1] The title was contested over a six race series with the winner awarded the 1965 CAMS Gold Star. [1] It was the ninth Australian Drivers' Championship. [2]
The championship was won by Victorian racer Bib Stillwell driving a Repco Brabham [3] BT11A-Coventry Climax. [4] Stillwell won by 19 points from Jack Brabham (Repco Brabham BT11A-Coventry Climax). Three drivers shared third place, Spencer Martin (Repco Brabham BT11A-Coventry Climax), Leo Geoghegan (Lotus 32-Ford) and John McDonald (Cooper T53-Coventry Climax and Cooper T70-Coventry Climax).
Stillwell won three of the six races with the remaining race wins attained by Jim Clark (Lotus 32B-Coventry Climax), Bruce McLaren (Cooper T79-Coventry Climax) and Martin.
The championship was contested over a six race series. [5]
| Race | Circuit | Date | Race winner [6] | Car [6] |
| International 100 [5] | Warwick Farm [5] | 14 February [5] | Jim Clark | Lotus 32B Coventry Climax |
| Australian Grand Prix [5] | Longford [5] | 1 March [5] | Bruce McLaren | Cooper T79 Coventry Climax |
| Victorian Road Racing Championship [7] | Sandown Park [7] | 11 April [7] | Bib Stillwell | Repco Brabham [7] BT11A Coventry Climax |
| Governor's Trophy [5] | Lakeside [5] | 25 July [5] | Spencer Martin | Repco Brabham [8] BT11A Coventry Climax |
| Country Club Gold Star Championship Race [3] | Mallala [3] | 11 October [3] | Bib Stillwell | Repco Brabham [9] BT11A Coventry Climax |
| Hordern Trophy [10] | Warwick Farm [10] | 5 December [10] | Bib Stillwell | Repco Brabham [10] BT11A Coventry Climax |
The International 100 and the Australian Grand Prix were also rounds of the 1965 Tasman Series.
Championship points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis to the first six placegetters, however only holders of a current and valid full General Competition Licence issued by CAMS were eligible. [1] The title was awarded to the driver gaining the highest points total in the Australian Grand Prix and any four of the other races. [1]
| Position | Driver [6] | Car [6] | Entrant [6] | War. [6] | Lon. [6] | San. [6] | Lak. [6] | Mal. [6] | War. [6] | Total [6] |
| 1 | Bib Stillwell | Repco Brabham [3] BT11A Coventry Climax | BS Stillwell | 4 | 6 | 9 | - | 9 | 9 | 37 |
| 2 | Jack Brabham | Repco Brabham [11] BT11A Coventry Climax | Ecurie Vitesse | 9 | 9 | - | - | - | - | 18 |
| 3 | Spencer Martin | Repco Brabham [3] BT11A Coventry Climax | Scuderia Veloce | - | - | - | 9 | 6 | - | 15 |
| = | Leo Geoghegan | Lotus 32 Ford | Total Team | 3 | - | - | 6 | - | 6 | 15 |
| = | John McDonald | Cooper T70 Coventry Climax | Bill Patterson Motors | - | 3 | 4 | 4 | - | 4 | 15 |
| 6 | Frank Matich | Repco Brabham [11] BT7A Coventry Climax | Total Team | 6 | - | 6 | - | - | - | 12 |
| 7 | John Ampt | Alexis Mk6 Ford | John Ampt | - | - | 3 | 3 | - | - | 6 |
| 8 | Glyn Scott | Lotus 27 Ford | Glyn Scott Motors | - | 4 | - | - | - | 1 | 5 |
| 9 | Garrie Cooper | Elfin Mono Mk1 Ford | Elfin Sports Cars | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | 4 |
| 10 | John Walker | Elfin Catalina Ford | Gilbert Motor Bodies | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | 3 |
| = | John Harvey | Repco Brabham [10] BT14 Ford | RC Phillips | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| = | Mel McEwin | Elfin Mono [12] Ford | Mel McEwin | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 3 |
| 13 | Rocky Tresise | Cooper T62 Coventry Climax | Ecurie Australie | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| = | Jack Hobden | Cooper T51 Coventry Climax | Lewis Hobden Pty Ltd [13] | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| = | Barry Collerson | Repco Brabham [8] BT2 Ford | Hunter & Delbridge | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 2 |
| = | Noel Potts | Elfin Catalina Ford | Noel Potts | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 2 |
| 17 | Bob Jane | Elfin Mono Mk1 Ford | Bob Jane Autoland | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| = | Greg Cusack | Repco Brabham [11] BT10 Ford | Greg Cusack | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 19 | Don Fraser | Cooper T53 BRM | Don Fraser | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| = | Jimmy Orr | Austin Special [3] | Jimmy Orr | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |