In the roaring sixties, British drivers seized power in Formula 1 with six world titles, shared among four drivers. These were tough men with diverse personalities, but they all shared one common denominator: their boundless passion for motor racing. In the lead-up to the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit, we turn our attention to four icons: Graham Hill, John Surtees, Jim Clark, and Jackie Stewart.
In the sixties of the twentieth century, the British national anthem was increasingly heard after a Grand Prix. For a long time, Alfa, Ferrari, and Maserati had dominated Formula 1, but more and more British constructors began to build faster racing cars. Cooper, Aston Martin, BRM, Lotus. From Down Under, Brabham and McLaren joined the ranks.
‘Garage men,’ scoffed Ferrari. Tinkers who couldn’t even build their own engine. Yet, he had to watch as they gradually took over power, with British drivers behind the wheel. Six times a British driver became the Formula 1 world champion in the sixties. But it was also a dangerous time…
Graham Hill, the Joker
Graham Hill was the first British world champion in the sixties. On BRM, as it was called then. Hill, born in 1929, was a late bloomer. Initially, he worked as a mechanic at Lotus, but after persistent requests, he was allowed to drive. Chapman was immediately convinced of his talent, so Hill debuted for Lotus in Formula 1 in 1958.
Perhaps because he had experienced the Second World War very consciously, Hill was above all a bon vivant. He loved to be the jovial joker. For instance, Lotus mechanics found him in Zandvoort, singing rugby songs in a pub, after which he stirred up the whole crowd to go swimming in the sea. But on the circuit, he worked hard and meticulously. He always carried a black notebook in which he noted every detail about the setup of his car for each circuit.
