1967 Italian Grand Prix
The 1967 Grand Prix of Italy is considered by many to be one of the best Formula One races in history. It was also Scotsman Jim Clark’s best drive of his life, according to many of those same people. The irony is that Clark didn’t even win the race!
The Grand Prix of Italy was run at the Autodromo Nazional di Monza, just as it is today. The track layout was relatively the same as today, except no oring chicanes were present, just fast straightaways and daring fast bends. The Variante Ascari turn of today was a harrowing flatout left hand bend, but
no other turns of the track were different really, except for a lack of runoff in most turns.
After practice (there was no qualifying then; starting position was based opon practice speeds), Jim Clark started his Lotus 49 from the pole. He ulled out a lead upon the start of the 68 lap race after Jack Brabham was quick to the gun and jumped the start.
For thirteen laps, Clark drove his consistent, fast style to stretch out a fairly good-sized lead. But on lap fourteen, disaster befell Clark. One of his tires had a cut and needed to be replaced. After a long pitstop, the Scotsman found himself a lap behind the field in fifteenth place out of
eighteen starters.
A great drafting and outbraking battle developed at the front during this time. Lap after lap, the lead swapped hands. After all was said and done, there had been a total of twelve lead changes in the race. Just as it is rare for one to see that many lead changes during a race today, it was a remarkably competitive race then.
All during this battle at the front of the field, Jim Clark pushed his Lotus to the edge. Clark managed to chase down the race leaders and pass them to get back on the leader lap. Then Clark was able to pass the entire field once again to take the lead!
On the final lap of the race, the Lotus team was preparing to celebrate when disaster once again struck Jim Clark. The Ford Cosworth engine began to sputter, straining for the last few drops of gasoline. Clark pummeled his red steering wheel in frustration as his Lotus coasted slowly toward the
finish line.
The race, and possibly the win was thrown back to the Australian Black car of Jack Brabham and close behind was Britain’s John Surtees, in a white and red adorned Honda. Off the Parabolica turn, Surtees got a run on the small, lightweight Brabham. Surtees used the draft and slingshot his way around Brabham. Surtees brought the car to the right and ran it next to the pit wall. The “Japanese Screamers” with its powerful if overweight V-12 engine crossed the line in front of Black Jack’s V-8 powered Brabham by about fifteen feet to the delight of the screaming Italian race fans. This proved to be Honda’s first and last win under the 3.0 liter engine formula used in Formula One starting in 1966. Jim Clark’s car gently rolled past the line shortly thereafter, being just a few drops of gasoline away from what would have been his greatest victory in his racing career.
