David Clapham

Last updated
Dave Clapham
Born(1931-05-17)17 May 1931
Rawmarsh, Yorkshire, England, UK
Died 22 October 2005(2005-10-22) (aged 74)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg South African
Active years 1965
Teams privateer Cooper
Entries 1 (0 starts)
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums 0
Career points 0
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First entry 1965 South African Grand Prix
Last entry 1965 South African Grand Prix

David Philip Clapham (17 May 1931 in Rawmarsh, Yorkshire, UK – 22 October 2005) was a racing driver and motor sport journalist from South Africa.

Rawmarsh large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England

Rawmarsh is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England. Historically within the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is 2 miles (3 km) north north east from Rotherham town centre and 3 miles (5 km) south south west of Swinton. The village also forms part of the Sheffield Urban Area.The Rawmarsh ward of Rotherham MBC had a population of 13,389 only at the 2011 Census. Rawmarsh also contains other output areas from neighbouring wards giving it a population of 18,498 in 2011 and 18,535 in 2014.

Yorkshire historic county of Northern England

Yorkshire, formally known as the County of York, is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Due to its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform. Throughout these changes, Yorkshire has continued to be recognised as a geographical territory and cultural region. The name is familiar and well understood across the United Kingdom and is in common use in the media and the military, and also features in the titles of current areas of civil administration such as North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire.

South Africa Republic in the southernmost part of Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini (Swaziland); and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho. South Africa is the largest country in Southern Africa and the 25th-largest country in the world by land area and, with over 57 million people, is the world's 24th-most populous nation. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere. About 80 percent of South Africans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different African languages, nine of which have official status. The remaining population consists of Africa's largest communities of European (White), Asian (Indian), and multiracial (Coloured) ancestry.

Contents

Career

Clapham participated at many levels of motor sport in South Africa, including Formula Vee, Formula Ford and saloon car racing, as well as the South African Formula One Championship. He was instrumental in bringing Formula Vee and Formula Ford to South Africa, and helped Jody Scheckter move to Europe where he got his big break into international motorsport.

Formula Vee race car class

Formula Vee or Formula Volkswagen is a popular open wheel, single-seater junior motor racing formula, with relatively low costs in comparison to Formula Ford or Formula BMW.

Formula Ford race car class

Formula Ford is an entry-level class of single seater, open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held across the world form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers. Formula Ford has traditionally been regarded as the first major stepping stone into formula racing after karting. The series typically sees professional career minded drivers enter alongside amateurs and enthusiasts. Success in Formula Ford can lead directly to other junior formulae such as a Formula Renault 2.0 or a Formula Three seat.

The South African Formula One Championship, was a Formula One motor racing championship held in South Africa between 1960 and 1975, including a race in Rhodesia during each season.

He took part in the Formula One Rand Grand Prix in 1963 and 1964, blowing the engine of his Cooper in the latter. He had entered the 1965 South African Grand Prix two weeks later, but he withdrew the entry before the meeting took place. [1]

Formula One is the highest class of single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and owned by the Formula One Group. The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the premier forms of racing around the world since its inaugural season in 1950. The word "formula" in the name refers to the set of rules to which all participants' cars must conform. A Formula One season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, which take place worldwide on purpose-built circuits and on public roads.

The Rand Grand Prix was a motor race held at various circuits in South Africa. The first event took place in 1937 but it was not held regularly until the 1960s, when it was run to Formula One rules and formed part of the non-Championship calendar. At that time it represented an annual warm-up race before the South African Grand Prix.

Cooper Car Company auto racing team

The Cooper Car Company is a car manufacturer founded in December 1947 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles's small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England, in 1946. Through the 1950s and early 1960s they reached motor racing's highest levels as their rear-engined, single-seat cars altered the face of Formula One and the Indianapolis 500, and their Mini Cooper dominated rally racing. Due in part to Cooper's legacy, Great Britain remains the home of a thriving racing industry, and the Cooper name lives on in the Cooper versions of the Mini production cars that are still built in England, but are now owned and marketed by BMW.

Clapham also wrote articles and columns in the South African motor sport press, both during and after his racing career, and later remained in the sport in various administrative capacities. He died in 2005 after a short illness, leaving behind his wife Margaret, son Jeremy and daughter Bridget.

Results

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Yr Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WDC Points
1965 Lawson Organisation Cooper T51 Maserati Straight-4 RSA
WD		 MON BEL FRA GBR NED GER ITA USA MEX NC 0

Non-Championship Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1963 Scuderia Los Amigos LDS Climax Straight-4 LOM GLV PAU IMO SYR AIN INT ROM SOL KAN MED AUT OUL RAN
17
1964 Lawson Organisation Cooper T51 Maserati Straight-4 DMT NWT SYR AIN INT SOL MED RAN
Ret

Related Research Articles

Jochen Rindt German racing driver

Karl Jochen Rindt was a German-born racing driver who represented Austria during his career. In 1970, he was killed during practice for the Italian Grand Prix and became the only driver to be posthumously awarded the Formula One World Drivers' Championship.

Jackie Stewart British racecar driver

Sir John Young "Jackie" Stewart, is a British former Formula One racing driver from Scotland. Nicknamed the "Flying Scot", he competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships, and twice finishing as runner-up over those nine seasons.

The South African Grand Prix was first run as a Grand Prix motor racing handicap race in 1934 at the Prince George Circuit at East London, Eastern Cape Province. It drew top drivers from Europe including Bernd Rosemeyer, Richard "Dick" Seaman, Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth and the 1939 winner Luigi Villoresi.

1970 South African Grand Prix Formula One motor race held in 1970

The 1970 South African Grand Prix, formally titled the Fourth AA Grand Prix of South Africa, was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami Circuit on 7 March 1970. It was race 1 of 13 in both the 1970 World Championship of Drivers and the 1970 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. It was also the last Formula One victory for triple world champion Jack Brabham.

Hans-Joachim Stuck German racecar driver born in 1951

Hans-Joachim Stuck, nicknamed "Strietzel", is a German racing driver who has competed in Formula One and many other categories.

Marc Surer Swiss racing driver

Marc Surer is a former racing driver from Switzerland currently working as TV commentator and racing school instructor. He participated in 88 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 9 September 1979. He scored a total of 17 championship points.

Harald Ertl racecar driver

Harald Ertl was an Austrian racing driver and motorsport journalist. Ertl was born in Zell am See and attended the same school as Grand Prix drivers Jochen Rindt and Helmut Marko.

Michael Henderson Spence was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 37 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 8 September 1963. He achieved one podium, and scored a total of 27 championship points. He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races, as well as sports car racing.

Trevor Taylor was a British motor racing driver from England.

Ian Ewart Raby was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 7 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 20 July 1963 in the British Grand Prix, where he retired on Lap 60. He scored no championship points. He was a garage-owner in Brighton, Sussex trading as Empire Cars Ltd. As a privateer he came to Formula One late in life.

Paul Hawkins (racing driver) racecar driver

Robert Paul Hawkins was an Australian motor racing driver. The son of a racing motorcyclist-turned-church minister, Hawkins was a capable single-seater driver but really made his mark as an outstanding sports car competitor driving Ford GT40s and Lola T70s. In 1969 Hawkins was included in the FIA list of graded drivers, an elite group of 27 drivers who by their achievements were rated the best in the world.

Peter Westbury British racing driver

Peter Westbury was a British racing driver from England. He participated in two World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, scoring no championship points. In 1969 he raced a Formula 2 Brabham-Cosworth, driving in his first Grand Prix in the 1969 German Grand Prix. He finished ninth on the road, fifth in the F2 class. The following year he failed to qualify for the 1970 United States Grand Prix driving a works BRM, after an engine failure.

John Maxwell Lineham Love was a Rhodesian racing driver. He participated in 10 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 29 December 1962. He achieved one podium, and scored a total of six championship points.

Peter Arundell British racing driver

Peter Arundell was a British racing driver from England, who raced in Formula One for the Lotus team. He participated in 13 World Championship Grands Prix, scoring 12 championship points.

Richard Attwood British racing driver

Richard James David "Dickie" Attwood is a British motor racing driver, from England. During his career he raced for the BRM, Lotus and Cooper Formula One teams. He competed in 17 World Championship Grands Prix, achieved one podium and scored a total of 11 championship points. He was also a successful sports car racing driver and won the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans race, driving a Porsche 917, the first of Porsche's record 19 victories at the famous race.

John Taylor (racing driver) race car driver, completed four Formula One races 1964-1966, died from a crash at the 1966 German Grand Prix

John Malcolm Taylor was a racing driver from England. He participated in five World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, and also participated in several non-championship Formula One races. His Formula One debut was on 11 July 1964, at the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch driving a one-litre, 4-cylinder, Cooper–Ford T73, where he finished fourteenth, 24 laps down, after an extended pit–stop due to a gearbox problem. Taylor did not compete in the Formula One World Championship in 1965, but continued to drive in non–championship races. He returned to Grand Prix racing in 1966 driving a two-litre Brabham–BRM for privateer David Bridges. His first race that season was the French Grand Prix at Reims where he scored his one championship point. There followed eighth places at both the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch and the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Desiré Randall Wilson is a former racing driver from South Africa and one of only five women to have competed in Formula One. Born in Brakpan, she entered one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix in 1980 with a non-works RAM Racing-prepared Williams FW07, but failed to qualify. She also raced in the 1981 non-world championship South African Grand Prix in a one off deal with Tyrrell Racing. This race was not part of the 1981 world championship due, in part, to the FISA–FOCA war. She qualified 16th and, after a disastrous start where the car stalled, she moved up though the field in wet conditions, as conditions dried she fell back and damaged the car when it touched a wall while she was letting the race leader through.

Rory Byrne South African engineer

Rory Byrne is a South African semi-retired engineer and car designer, most famous for being the chief designer at the Benetton and Scuderia Ferrari Formula One teams.

Tomas Scheckter South African racecar driver

Tomas Scheckter is a South African former racing driver.

Alex Blignaut was a racing driver and motor racing team owner from South Africa.

References

  1. ↑ John Thompson, "The Formula One Record Book", Frewin, 1974, pp.210-211.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.