1968 South African Grand Prix

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1968 South African Grand Prix
Kyalami 1961 - 1988 Layout.png
The Kyalami Circuit (1967–1985)
Race details
Date1 January 1968
Official name 2nd AA Grand Prix of South Africa
Location Kyalami, Midrand, Transvaal Province, South Africa
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.104 km (2.550 miles)
Distance 80 laps, 328.320 km (204.009 miles)
Weather Very hot, dry
Pole position
Driver Lotus-Ford
Time 1:21.6
Fastest lap
Driver Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jim Clark Lotus-Ford
Time 1:23.7 on lap 73
Podium
First Lotus-Ford
Second Lotus-Ford
Third Brabham-Repco
Lap leaders
  • 1968 South African Grand Prix

The 1968 South African Grand Prix, formally the 2nd AA Grand Prix of South Africa (Afrikaans: Tweede AA Suid-Afrikaanse Grand Prix), was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami Circuit on Monday 1 January 1968. It was race 1 of 12 in both the 1968 World Championship of Drivers and the 1968 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The 80-lap race was won by two time World Drivers' Champion and 1965 Indianapolis 500 winner Jim Clark for Lotus-Ford after starting from pole position. The race is significant as not only the last Formula One race to be won by Clark, but also the last in which he ever competed, due to his fatal crash at the Hockenheimring in Germany three months later. At this race Team Gunston became the first Formula One team to paint their cars in the livery of their sponsors instead of national colours when they entered a private Brabham for John Love [1] and an LDS for Sam Tingle.

Contents

This was also Mike Spence's final race, as he too was killed a few months later, while practising for the 1968 Indianapolis 500.

The first six slots on the grid were filled by either previous or future world champions. However the reigning champion, Denny Hulme, only started in ninth.

Clark broke many records during the weekend, such as leading the most Grands Prix (43), having the most laps led (1,943), having the most perfect weekends (11), achieving the most pole positions (33) and finally achieving 25 race wins, beating Juan Manuel Fangio's 11-year-old record.

Classification

Qualifying

The qualifying session was held on 31 December 1967.

PosNoDriverConstructorTimeGap
14 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jim Clark Lotus-Ford 1:21.6
25 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Graham Hill Lotus-Ford 1:22.6+1.0
316 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jackie Stewart Matra-Ford 1:22.7+1.1
43 Flag of Austria.svg Jochen Rindt Brabham-Repco 1:23.0+1.4
52 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jack Brabham Brabham-Repco 1:23.2+1.6
67 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees Honda 1:23.5+1.9
710 Flag of Italy.svg Andrea de Adamich Ferrari 1:23.6+2.0
88 Flag of New Zealand.svg Chris Amon Ferrari 1:23.8+2.2
91 Flag of New Zealand.svg Denny Hulme McLaren-BRM 1:24.0+2.4
1011 Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg Pedro Rodríguez BRM 1:24.9+3.3
119 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jacky Ickx Ferrari 1:24.9+3.3
126 Flag of the United States.svg Dan Gurney Eagle-Weslake 1:25.6+4.0
1312 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mike Spence BRM 1:25.9+4.3
1422 Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Dave Charlton Brabham-Repco 1:26.2+4.6
1515 Flag of Italy.svg Ludovico Scarfiotti Cooper-Maserati 1:26.3+4.7
1619 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Jo Siffert Cooper-Maserati 1:26.4+4.8
1717 Flag of Rhodesia (1964-1968).svg John Love Brabham-Repco 1:27.0+5.4
1821 Flag of France.svg Jean-Pierre Beltoise Matra-Ford 1:27.2+5.6
1920 Flag of Sweden.svg Jo Bonnier Cooper-Maserati 1:27.3+5.7
2025 Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Basil van Rooyen Cooper-Climax 1:27.8+6.2
2114 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brian Redman Cooper-Maserati 1:28.0+6.4
2218 Flag of Rhodesia (1964-1968).svg Sam Tingle LDS-Repco 1:28.6+7.0
2323 Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Jackie Pretorius Brabham-Climax 1:29.0+7.4

Race

PosNoDriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
14 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jim Clark Lotus-Ford 801:53:56.619
25 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Graham Hill Lotus-Ford 80+ 25.326
33 Flag of Austria.svg Jochen Rindt Brabham-Repco 80+ 30.444
48 Flag of New Zealand.svg Chris Amon Ferrari 78+ 2 Laps83
51 Flag of New Zealand.svg Denny Hulme McLaren-BRM 78+ 2 Laps92
621 Flag of France.svg Jean-Pierre Beltoise Matra-Ford 77+ 3 Laps181
719 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Jo Siffert Cooper-Maserati 77+ 3 Laps16 
87 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees Honda 75+ 5 Laps6 
917 Flag of Rhodesia (1964-1968).svg John Love Brabham-Repco 75+ 5 Laps17 
NC23 Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Jackie Pretorius Brabham-Climax 71+ 9 Laps23 
Ret6 Flag of the United States.svg Dan Gurney Eagle-Weslake 58Oil Leak12 
Ret9 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jacky Ickx Ferrari 51Oil Leak11 
Ret20 Flag of Sweden.svg Jo Bonnier Cooper-Maserati 46Overheating19 
Ret16 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jackie Stewart Matra-Ford 43Engine3 
Ret18 Flag of Rhodesia (1964-1968).svg Sam Tingle LDS-Repco 35Overheating22 
Ret25 Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Basil van Rooyen Cooper-Climax 22Engine20 
Ret11 Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg Pedro Rodríguez BRM 20Fuel System10 
Ret2 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jack Brabham Brabham-Repco 16Engine5 
Ret10 Flag of Italy.svg Andrea de Adamich Ferrari 13Accident7 
Ret12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mike Spence BRM 7Fuel System14 
Ret14 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brian Redman Cooper-Maserati 4Oil Leak21 
Ret22 Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Dave Charlton Brabham-Repco 3Differential14 
Ret15 Flag of Italy.svg Ludovico Scarfiotti Cooper-Maserati 2Water Pipe15 
Source: [2]

Championship standings after the race

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References

  1. "'SA was ahead of the curve' – 50 years of sponsorship in F1". wheels24.co.za. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  2. "1968 South African Grand Prix". Formula One. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  3. 1 2 "South Africa 1968 - Championship • STATS F1". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 20 March 2019.

Further reading

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1967 Mexican Grand Prix
FIA Formula One World Championship
1968 season
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1968 Spanish Grand Prix
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1967 South African Grand Prix
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1969 South African Grand Prix