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John Surtees: The One Who Ruled All Kind of Wheels
Words Roberto Marrone
Another great one left us last March 10th at the St. Georges Hospital in London: his name was John Surtees and was 83 years old – to celebrate eternally for being the only racing driver in history to win the world title on two wheels and with four, in Formula One. Born in Tatsfield, UK, 11 February 1934, in 1952 he was already racing with Norton and his name entered in the top rankings of Class 500 at the Ulster motorcycle G.P. Three years after competing in the 350 and 250 series, at the very Ulster G.P., riding an NSU, gets his first win.
The following year he became official driver for the MV Agusta where he gets great achievements and various records. In motorcycle racing he won seven world titles from 1958 to 1960 in the 350 class in 1956 and from 1958 to 1960 in the 500 class. His automotive career began but this didn’t made him stopping motorcycle racing neither. In 1960, after a retirement due to mechanical problems at the Montecarlo Grand Prix, he was able to arrive second at the England G.P. driving a Lotus. Despite the few proposals made by Ferrari, he decided to take his time until a few years later he felt ready and in 1962 signed with the house of the Prancing Horse. In 1964 he won the world title right with Ferrari and then try other experiences with BRM, Honda, Cooper, and finally, not to miss anything, he founded his own team in the maximum Formula bearing his own name, initially also as a driver and later as Team Manager.
Talking about the F1 World Title, we should remember the last race on calendar in Mexico, fundamental for the final ranking. It as the 25th of October 1964 and to contend for the podium there were Jim Clark, Graham Hill and John Surtees. As already happened in the previous G.P. of the United States, Ferrari was racing with a different livery than usual – the red was gone, giving space to some blue and white, the colors of the North American Racing Team, referring to Luigi Chinetti, importer of the Prancing Horse for the USA. Enzo Ferrari wanted to protest against the F.I.A. who had rejected the approval of the Ferrari 250 GT Le Mans, considering it only a Sports Prototype. Thus Ferrari returned the competition license to C.S.A.I. (Italian Motor Sport Commission) and asked Chinetti to race his cars with NART colors for the last two races. The race was the closing stage for the 1964 season and Jim Clark took easily the lead with Graham Hill remaining in fifth position and able to get the necessary points to secure the title – Surtees and Bandini are behind. The English on his Ferrari has problems and lost many positions in the early laps, then gradually recovers until getting behind his team mate. On lap 31 there is a contact between the Ferrari of the Italian driver and Hill on his B.R.M., the latter loses many positions and then with the damaged car must return to the pits and is forced to retirement. The twists are not finished, the Lotus of the Scotsman begins to have problems, Clark slows the pace dramatically – oil pressure is the cause. Team Ferrari orders Bandini to give way for Surtees to earn valuable points when only two laps were missing to the end – then Dan Gurney on his Brabham Climax overtakes the Lotus of Jim Clark who now has the engine that is exhaling its last breath and it is forced to stop before the checkered flag. John Surtees is in second place and six points allow him to bounce at the top and win the title. Then, a certain regulation for overall points proves to be decisive for the assignment of the title, as Hill scored an actual point more than Surtees, but had to discard a fifth place and the two corresponding points. In 1964, Ferrari also won the manufacturers’ title.
But in the course of his extraordinary career he also competed in races with Ferrari sports cars and prototypes, obtaining important victories in endurance racing. He took also part in the Can-Am championship in North America – difficult to find a steering wheel that never felt his hands. Later on, after his retirement, he remained in close contact with the world of motoring attending the most important events. He received the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his contribution in sports by Queen Elizabeth II. Not to forget the terrible tragedy that lived in 2009, when his young son Henry was killed in a fatal accident during a Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch, due to a wheel lost by another car that hit him with tragic consequences. John created a foundation in his honor named the “Henry Surtees”, which is responsible for providing vital support to those who are injured in accidents following it in person until the very end. Pilot, gentleman, John was everything and much more – and he always will be.
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