Posted on 03/10/2017 7:19:46 PM PST by ZirconEncrustedTweezers
Former Formula 1 and motorcycling world champion John Surtees has died at the age of 83.
Surtees is the only man to have won the grand prix world championship on both two wheels and four.
He won four 500cc motorcycling titles - in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960 - and the F1 crown with Ferrari in 1964.
Surtees died at St George's Hospital, London, on Friday afternoon after being treated for an existing respiratory condition, a family statement said.
"We deeply mourn the loss of such an incredible, kind and loving man as well as celebrate his amazing life," the statement added.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
RIP.
Wasn’t there a big stink about him being kicked off the Ford team in ‘65?
CC
He was involved in a very heavy crash during 1965, driving a Lola T70. At the time he was driving for Ferrari in F1, along with driving in their endurance efforts. Due to his injuries from the 1965 crash, Ferrari did not include him in their driver lineup for the ‘66 24 Hours of LeMans, and this upset him the point that he quit driving for Ferrari altogether.
He ended up going to Honda’s F1 team after that, and won at Monza with them in ‘67.
I’ll never forget the 20 minutes he gave me in the Goodwood paddock several years ago, reminiscing about the first race I ever went to, and the first race he won for the Scuderia: the 1963 12 Hours of Sebring.
His dual world championships will probably never be duplicated.
You are correct, today it is specialization, drivers do not race much outside their chosen discipline.
I marvel at someone like Mario Andretti who had success in everything from midgets to Formula 1. Surtees went from world championships in motorcycles to one in Formula 1. Racing yes, but entirely different. It is simply amazing.
May he Rest In Peace.
As a longtime auto racing fan, I have to say that most of my all-time favorite drivers are those from many years ago who drove pretty much whatever was put in front of them. It should be said that for a lot of them, back in those days it was what they had to do to make a living as drivers.
Mike Hailwood and Surtees were heroes of mine. Currently, both Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi have the talent, connections and star power to have a go at a “double” a la Surtees. Whether their steely nerves and race wisdom will carry them far enough or even translate to 4-wheels, is always the issue.
Jimmy Clark was the all time best.
I met him at Daytona in 1986 when he was managing a motorcycle race team running a Cosworth Norton in the Battle of the Twins class. I had my own team running a Moto Guzzi and our garage was next door to his.
He also hosted a breakfast where he gave a very interesting talk about his experiences in racing.
He is the only man in History to have won world championships in both two wheels and four wheels.
Watching video of the Isle Of Man TT Race reminds me of the Speeder Bike chase scenes in Star Wars VI - Return of the Jedi.
I keep expecting a rider to smash into a tree!
So many did not: von Trips, Clark, Rindt, McLaren, Bandini, Donohue....
Ave atque vale, Fearless John!
What 500 CC bike ?
“Mike Hailwood and Surtees were heroes of mine.”
You must be an old coot like me. Mike made some of the worst handling bikes look good. He could ride anything. I was helping with a race team at Mid Ohio during a classics event shortly after he died and at the banquet many of his peers spoke efectionately about him. I am currently building a man cave/bike shop in my barn and am organising my memorabilia to decorate the walls. There will be a picture of “Mike The Bike” along with Burt Monroe (met him as a child) and others.
“What 500 CC bike ?”
He won the championships on MV Augusta’s, but he was also real fast on a single cylinder Manx Norton.
“What 500 CC bike ?”
He won the championships on MV Augusta’s, but he was also real fast on a single cylinder Manx Norton.
I got to hear one of the Honda sixes on a track once. Sounded like a panther passing a kidney stone.
I owned a 441 Victor in my early, misspent years...
I certainly will not disagree with you on that point. He held a number of records in F1 at the time he died, and his record for career poles stood until 1987.
That one was broken by some guy named Senna.
But I have to say that what really impresses me about Jim Clark is that he didn’t come from money. He just had an incredible amount of natural talent, and at the time he was working his way through the ranks in auto racing that was enough to get him to the top.
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