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1971 World Championship Victory Race

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1971 World Championship Victory Race
Non-championship race in the 1971 Formula One season
Race details[1]
Date 24 October 1971
Official name Rothmans World Championship Victory Race
Location Brands Hatch, Kent
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.265 km (2.65 miles)
Distance 40 laps, 170.59 km (106 miles)
Pole position
Driver BRM
Time 1:22.8
Fastest lap
Driver Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi Lotus
Time 1:24.0
Podium
First BRM
Second Lotus
Third Tyrrell
Jackie Stewart driving the Tyrrell 003 on his way to third place

The Rothmans World Championship Victory Race[2] was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 24 October 1971 at Brands Hatch, Kent. The race was to be run over 40 laps of the circuit, but was stopped on lap 15 following the fatal accident suffered by Swiss driver Jo Siffert. The result was taken from the race order after 14 laps, with Peter Gethin being declared the winner in his BRM P160. The entry included several Formula 5000 cars which were contesting Round 12 of the 1971 Rothmans European Formula 5000 Championship.

Siffert's accident led to a rapid overhaul of safety, both in-car and on circuit. In the subsequent Royal Automobile Club (the UK organising and regulatory representative of the FIA at the time) investigation, it was discovered that the crash itself caused non-fatal injuries but Siffert had rather been killed by smoke inhalation. None of the trackside fire extinguishers worked, and it was found to be impossible to reach the car and extract Siffert because of the intense fire. On-board fire extinguishers (using BCF—Bromochlorodifluoromethane, an aircraft product) became mandatory and also piped air directly into the drivers' helmets.[citation needed]

Qualifying

[edit]

Note: a blue background indicates a Formula 5000 entrant.

Pos No. Driver Constructor Lap Gap
1 5 Switzerland Jo Siffert BRM 1:22.8
2 6 United Kingdom Peter Gethin BRM 1:22.8 +0.0
3 8 Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi Lotus-Cosworth 1:23.6 +0.8
4 4 Sweden Ronnie Peterson March-Cosworth 1:23.6 +0.8
5 17 United Kingdom Mike Hailwood Surtees-Cosworth 1:23.8 +1.0
6 1 United Kingdom Jackie Stewart Tyrrell-Cosworth 1:23.8 +1.0
7 12 Australia Tim Schenken Brabham-Cosworth 1:23.8 +1.0
8 7 New Zealand Howden Ganley BRM 1:24.2 +1.4
9 10 United Kingdom Jackie Oliver McLaren-Cosworth 1:24.6 +1.8
10 16 United Kingdom John Surtees Surtees-Cosworth 1:24.6 +1.8
11 14 Argentina Carlos Reutemann Brabham-Cosworth 1:24.6 +1.8
12 11 United Kingdom Graham Hill Brabham-Cosworth 1:24.8 +2.0
13 2 France François Cevert Tyrrell-Cosworth 1:25.0 +2.2
14 23 Australia Frank Gardner Lola-Chevrolet 1:25.8 +3.0
15 15 France Henri Pescarolo March-Cosworth 1:26.2 +3.4
16 77 United Kingdom Mike Walker Lola-Chevrolet 1:27.0 +4.2
17 26 United Kingdom Alan Rollinson Surtees-Chevrolet 1:27.0 +4.2
18 21 Sweden Reine Wisell McLaren-Chevrolet 1:27.0 +4.2
19 25 United Kingdom Keith Holland McLaren-Chevrolet 1:27.6 +4.8
20 44 United Kingdom Gordon Spice McLaren-Chevrolet 1:28.2 +5.4
21 28 United Kingdom Ray Allen McLaren-Chevrolet 1:28.4 +5.6
22 33 Belgium Teddy Pilette McLaren-Chevrolet 1:28.4 +5.6
23 41 United Kingdom Trevor Taylor Leda-Chevrolet 1:29.2 +6.4
24 40 United Kingdom Ian Ashley Lola-Chevrolet 1:29.6 +6.8
25 27 United Kingdom David Prophet McLaren-Chevrolet 1:29.6 +6.8
26 24 United Kingdom Guy Edwards McLaren-Chevrolet 1:31.0 +8.2
27 66 United Kingdom Fred Saunders Crosslé-Rover 1:32.2 +9.4
Sources:[3][4]

Race

[edit]

Although the race only lasted for less than half of its intended distance, there were several incidents. On lap 2, Henri Pescarolo and Reine Wisell collided at the Druids hairpin, with both cars retiring. Then Mike Hailwood and Ronnie Peterson also collided and had to pit for repairs. Hailwood's car was deemed unfit to continue, but Peterson rejoined the race, albeit nearly a lap down. Jo Siffert had fallen several places at the start, but had made his way back to 4th by lap 14. Approaching Hawthorn Bend at high speed on lap 15, Siffert's BRM suffered a mechanical failure which pitched it across the track into an earth bank. The car rolled over and caught fire, trapping Siffert underneath, and he died of smoke inhalation in the flames. The race was stopped with the track blocked, and all the cars were stranded out on the circuit except for John Surtees, who was able to drive around to the pits, his car damaged by debris.[4]

Results

[edit]
Pos No. Driver Entrant Constructor Time/Retired Grid
1 6 United Kingdom Peter Gethin Yardley-BRM BRM 19:54.4 2
2 8 Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi Gold Leaf Team Lotus Lotus-Cosworth + 0.2 s 3
3 1 United Kingdom Jackie Stewart Elf Team Tyrrell Tyrrell-Cosworth + 5.4 s 6
4 5 Switzerland Jo Siffert Yardley-BRM BRM + 12.8 s 1
5 12 Australia Tim Schenken Motor Racing Developments Brabham-Cosworth + 15.6 s 7
6 16 United Kingdom John Surtees Team Surtees Surtees-Cosworth + 16.0 s 10
7 2 France François Cevert Elf Team Tyrrell Tyrrell-Cosworth + 24.8 s 13
8 11 United Kingdom Graham Hill Motor Racing Developments Brabham-Cosworth + 31.6 s 12
9 14 Argentina Carlos Reutemann Motor Racing Developments Brabham-Cosworth + 33.4 s 11
10 26 United Kingdom Alan Rollinson Alan Rollinson Surtees-Chevrolet + 56.4 s 17
11 23 Australia Frank Gardner Motor Racing Research Lola-Chevrolet + 56.6 s 14
12 77 United Kingdom Mike Walker Doug Hardwick Lola-Chevrolet + 58.0 s 16
13 44 United Kingdom Gordon Spice Gordon Spice McLaren-Chevrolet + 1:10.2 s 20
14 33 Belgium Teddy Pilette Racing Team VDS McLaren-Chevrolet + 1:11.4 s 22
15 25 United Kingdom Keith Holland Keith Holland McLaren-Chevrolet + 1:12.2 s 19
16 4 Sweden Ronnie Peterson STP March March-Cosworth + 1:15.8 s 4
17 28 United Kingdom Ray Allen Team Trojan McLaren-Chevrolet 13 laps 21
18 40 United Kingdom Ian Ashley Kaye Griffiths Lola-Chevrolet 13 laps 24
19 27 United Kingdom David Prophet David Prophet Racing McLaren-Chevrolet 13 laps 25
20 24 United Kingdom Guy Edwards J.T. Butterworth McLaren-Chevrolet 12 laps 26
Ret 10 United Kingdom Jackie Oliver Bruce McLaren Motor Racing McLaren-Cosworth Brakes 9
Ret 41 United Kingdom Trevor Taylor Malaya Garages Leda-Chevrolet Overheating 23
Ret 7 New Zealand Howden Ganley Yardley-BRM BRM Engine 8
Ret 17 United Kingdom Mike Hailwood Team Surtees Surtees-Cosworth Suspension (collision) 5
Ret 66 United Kingdom Fred Saunders Fred Saunders Crosslé-Rover Engine fire 27
Ret 15 France Henri Pescarolo Frank Williams Racing Cars March-Cosworth Collision 15
Ret 21 Sweden Reine Wisell Sid Taylor McLaren-Chevrolet Collision 18
Sources:[4][5][6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1971 Victory Race". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Rothmans World Championship Victory Race". British Automobile Racing Club. 24 October 1971. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  3. ^ "1971 Victory Race – Qualification". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Pritchard, Anthony (1972). The Motor Racing Year No. 3. New York City, United States: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. pp. 144–147. ISBN 0-393-08502-3 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ^ "1971 Victory Race – Classification". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  6. ^ "1971 World Championship Victory Race". Motor Sport. Retrieved 28 February 2024.


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