Surtees Racing Organisation

Last updated

Surtees
Surteeslogo.png
Full nameSurtees Racing Organisation
Base Edenbridge, Kent, United Kingdom
Founder(s) John Surtees
Noted staff Len Terry
Noted drivers Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Derek Bell
Flag of Brazil.svg Carlos Pace
Flag of Italy.svg Andrea de Adamich
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mike Hailwood
Flag of Germany.svg Jochen Mass
Formula One World Championship career
First entryAs a team
1970 South African Grand Prix
As a constructor
1970 British Grand Prix
Races enteredAs a team:
123 entries (122 starts)
As a constructor:
119 entries (118 starts)
Engines Cosworth DFV
Constructors'
Championships
0
Drivers'
Championships
0
Race victories 0
Podiums2
PointsAs a team: 54 [lower-alpha 1]
As a constructor: 53
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 3
Final entry 1978 Canadian Grand Prix

The Surtees Racing Organisation was a race team that spent nine seasons (1970 to 1978) as a constructor in Formula One, Formula 2, and Formula 5000.

Contents

History

The team was formed by John Surtees, a four-time 500cc motorcycle champion and the 1964 Formula One champion in 1966 to compete in the newly formed Canadian-American Challenge Cup (CanAm) "unlimited" sports car racing series. Entering as an owner/driver, Surtees won the championship in its first year, driving a Lola T70.

Surtees also fielded an entry in another newly formed series in 1969, becoming part of Formula 5000 after taking over a project started by Len Terry and Roger Nathan, [1] and his team constructed its own cars for the first time. His team was successful, winning five races, consecutively at Mondello Park, [2] Koksijde, [3] Zandvoort, [4] Snetterton [5] and Hockenheim, [6] during a twelve race season. [7]

This inspired Surtees to expand to Formula One, and after having had a difficult season with BRM in 1969, he decided to become an owner/driver again. The team ran the full 1970 season, but Surtees was forced to run the first four races in an old McLaren due to a delay in the construction of his in-house F1 car. The new BP-sponsored car earned its first (and only) points that year in the Canadian Grand Prix.

Surtees added a second full-time car in 1971 for German driver Rolf Stommelen, and ran a third car for various drivers in a number of races. Three drivers, Surtees, Stommelen, and motorcycling champion Mike Hailwood earned three points each for the marque that year.

After the 1971 season, Surtees retired from full-time competition, and the team ended up with three new full-time drivers in 1972. Hailwood returned to Surtees for a full year; joining him were Australian Tim Schenken and Italian Andrea de Adamich, the latter of whom brought sponsorship money to the team. Hailwood produced Surtees' first podium finish that year in the Italian Grand Prix, finishing second to Emerson Fittipaldi. All three drivers scored points for the team, and Surtees finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship.

Schenken was replaced in 1973 by Brazilian Carlos Pace, and the team only ran two full-time cars after de Adamich left following the season opener. Pace finished third in Austria and fourth in Germany, but it was the only points finishes the team had all season, as Hailwood was left scoreless. Hailwood departed for McLaren after the year, being replaced by Jochen Mass in 1974. It was a difficult year for Surtees, as Pace left the team in mid-season, and replacement Derek Bell struggled to qualify for races, capped by Austrian driver Helmut Koinigg's fatal crash at the 1974 United States Grand Prix. A fourth place by Pace at his home track were the only points Surtees managed to get, and they failed to finish in the top ten in the Constructors' Championship.

Low on money for 1975, the team pared back to a single car for John Watson (although a second car was entered for Dave Morgan at Silverstone). The season was a tremendous struggle for Surtees, with no points scored, and the team missed three of the final four races. 1976 was much better, however, as Surtees landed a well-known, but otherwise controversial sponsorship deal with Durex condoms, and Australian Alan Jones joined the team. Jones finished fifth in Belgium and at Brands Hatch, and fourth in Japan. A second car, with Chesterfield sponsorship, was entered for American Brett Lunger, while a customer car was raced by Frenchman Henri Pescarolo during the second half of the season. With seven points, Surtees placed tenth in the Constructors' Championship.

Jones's success resulted in him leaving the team for the emerging Shadow team, and money problems forced Surtees to run one car regularly again in 1977, this time for Vittorio Brambilla. Brambilla's season was effective, also finishing in the points three times. Still, his good results did not prevent Surtees from further monetary troubles. In 1978, the team added a second car for pay driver, Briton Rupert Keegan, but the money problems continued. A lack of decent results caused further problems.

Unable to get sufficient money, the team left F1 after the 1978 season, despite having a car built for 1979. After racing the car in the British Aurora championship (formerly F5000) briefly that year, Surtees Racing Organization was closed for good.

Models

Complete Formula One World Championship results

The first table below details the complete World Championship Grand Prix results for the Surtees "works" team. The second table includes results from privately owned Surtees cars in World Championship Grands Prix.

Works team entries

(key)

YearChassisEnginesTyresDrivers1234567891011121314151617 Points WCC
1970 McLaren M7C Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 F RSA ESP MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA MEX [lower-alpha 2]
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees RetRetRet6
TS7 Ret9RetRet5Ret838th
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Derek Bell 6
1971 TS7
TS9
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 F RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 88th
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees Ret1175867RetRet1117
Flag of Germany.svg Rolf Stommelen 12Ret6DSQ115107DNSRet
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brian Redman 7
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Derek Bell Ret
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mike Hailwood 415
Flag of the United States.svg Sam Posey Ret
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Gijs van Lennep DNS
1972 TS9B
TS14
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 F ARG RSA ESP MON BEL FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 185th
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tim Schenken 5Ret8RetRet17Ret1411Ret7Ret
Flag of Italy.svg Andrea de Adamich RetNC47Ret14Ret1314RetRetRet
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mike Hailwood RetFRetRet46RetRet4217
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees RetDNS
1973 TS9B
TS14A
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 F ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR NED GER AUT ITA CAN USA 77th
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mike Hailwood RetRetRetRetRet8RetRetRetRet141079Ret
Flag of Brazil.svg Carlos Pace RetRetRetRet8Ret1013Ret74F3FRetRetRet
Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Bueno 12
Flag of Italy.svg Andrea de Adamich 8
Flag of Germany.svg Jochen Mass Ret7Ret
1974 TS16 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 F ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 311th
Flag of Brazil.svg Carlos Pace Ret41113RetRetRet
Flag of France (lighter variant).svg José Dolhem DNQDNQRet
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Derek Bell DNQ11DNQDNQDNQ
Flag of Germany.svg Jochen Mass Ret17RetRetRetDNSRetRetRet14Ret
Flag of France.svg Jean-Pierre Jabouille DNQ
Flag of Austria.svg Helmut Koinigg 10Ret
Flag of Austria.svg Dieter Quester 9
1975 TS16 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 G ARG BRA RSA ESP MON BEL SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA 014th
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Watson DSQ10Ret8Ret1016Ret131110
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dave Morgan 18
1976 TS19 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 G BRA RSA USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN 710th
Flag of the United States.svg Brett Lunger 11DNQDNQRet1516RetRet10141511
Flag of Sweden.svg Conny Andersson Ret
Flag of Japan.svg Noritake Takahara 9
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Alan Jones NC95Ret13Ret510Ret8121684
1977 TS19 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 G ARG BRA RSA USW ESP MON BEL SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN JPN 611th
Flag of Italy.svg Vittorio Brambilla 7Ret7RetRet84Ret13851512Ret1968
Flag of Austria.svg Hans Binder RetRet11119Ret11RetRet
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Larry Perkins 12DNQDNQ
Flag of France (lighter variant).svg Patrick Tambay DNQ
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Vern Schuppan 12716DNQ
Flag of Italy.svg Lamberto Leoni DNQ
1978 TS19
TS20
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 G ARG BRA RSA USW MON BEL ESP SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN 113th
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Rupert Keegan RetRetRetDNSRetDNQ11DNQRetDNQDNQDNQDNS
Flag of Italy.svg Gimax DNQ
Flag of France (lighter variant).svg René Arnoux 9Ret
Flag of Italy.svg Vittorio Brambilla 18DNQ12RetDNQ137Ret179Ret6DSQRet
Flag of Italy.svg Beppe Gabbiani DNQDNQ

Results of other Surtees cars

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEnginesTyresDrivers1234567891011121314151617
1971 Stichting Autoraces Nederland TS7 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 F RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Gijs van Lennep 8
1972 Team Gunston TS9 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 G ARG RSA ESP MON BEL FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA
Flag of Rhodesia (1968-1979).svg John Love 16
Champcar Inc. TS9B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 G Flag of the United States.svg Sam Posey 12
1974 AAW Racing TS16 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 F ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA
Flag of Finland.svg Leo Kinnunen DNQRetDNQDNQDNQDNQ
1976 Team Norev Racing with BS Fabrications TS19 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 G BRA RSA USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN
Flag of France (lighter variant).svg Henri Pescarolo DNQRetRetDNQ9111719NC
ShellSport Whiting TS16 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 G Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Divina Galica DNQ
1977 Melchester Racing TS19 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 G ARG BRA RSA USW ESP MON BEL SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN JPN
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Tony Trimmer DNPQ

Can-Am results

YearChassisEngine(s)Drivers123456PosPts
1966 Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet MNT BRD CAN LGS RIV STA
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees 1RetRet12111st27
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Graham Hill 39th4
1967 Lola T70 Mk.2/3B Chevrolet ROA BRD MNT LGS RIV STA
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees 34RetRetRet13rd16

See also

Notes

  1. 53 points in Surtees cars plus 1 point for John Surtees' sixth-placed finish in the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix driving a McLaren.
  2. Not entered as a Constructor.

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References

  1. "Surtees TS5 and Surtees TS5A car-by-car histories". oldracingcars.com. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  2. "Guards F5000 Championship round - Mondello Park, 13 Jul 1969". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  3. "Trofee der Noordzee - Koksijde, 3 Aug 1969". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  4. "Guards F5000 Championship round - Zandvoort, 10 Aug 1969". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  5. "Guards F5000 Championship round - Snetterton, 1 Sep 1969". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  6. "Guards F5000 Championship round - Hockenheim, 14 Sep 1969". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  7. "British Formula 5000 1969". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 14 February 2024.