According to Motor Sport readers, Jim Clark is by far the most popular British Formula 1 World Champion.
Last month, in association with The Daily Telegraph, we launched an online poll asking you to vote for your favourite British World Champion – along with our honorary ‘11th man’, Sir Stirling Moss. Over 5500 of you voted in just over three weeks, propelling the sheep farmer from Fife to another emphatic victory. In true Clark fashion, the double World Champion built up an early lead and ran away with it, taking 31.5 per cent of the vote.
Proving that Mansell Mania is still going strong, Nigel came home second with 13.1 per cent, with Moss – who finished as championship runner-up for four straight seasons – coming in third with 10.9.
The poll was launched to coincide with National Motorsport Week, a joint initiative run by the Motor Sports Association to promote racing in Britain. The UK has produced more F1 champions than any other nation, the 10 eclipsing the totals of three each from Brazil and Finland.
just goes to show you Nigel, Jimmy will always be no one -
that’s number one
YES!
Well, you did say favourite, so I went with JYS; three F1 World championships, a massive contribution to racing safety, and played a significant part in the design of the Tyrrell Cars we won many races in.
Still, no problem at all with Jimmy Clark coming top, and very pleased to see Stirling up there as well.
Having been fortunate to have seen Jimmy Clark race against the likes of Stewart, Hill, Brabham & McLaren in the ‘Tasman series, there is not doubt in my mind Jimmy was far and away the best of them all. His car control was sublime and he really was in a class of his own. Sadly missed to this day.
A sound choice, and glad Mansell didn’t take the win. I like Mansell, but his only championship came when he was in the absolute best car of 1992. The rest of the time he was picking up the scraps Senna and Prost had left behind.
The world is as it should be. Clark victorious! I was fortunate to see Jimmy three times at Indianapolis. It was amazing to see the best America had to offer in Foyt, Jones and Gurney be able to do nothing in his presence. The greatest driver of my youth is still the greatest in my heart.
“Mansell only picked up the scraps Prost and Senna left behind” – that is so much “BS”! Mansell won in the best car in 92 – true, as did Senna and Prost in 88 through 90/91, Prost in 85, (but not 84) etc etc. Prost won in 86 because he had, for all intents and purposes, no internal competition at McLaren, whereas Mansell had in intra team battle at Williams – no great magic required for that I think. Not disputing result of this poll, I also went for Clark, or Senna/Prosts place near the top of the all time list of drivers in the history of the sport. There is however so much c**p talked about Mansell by people who cant differentiate between the man (moaning Brummie limping everywhere)and the driver(often brilliant and usually veeeery exciting). Senna, the driver, was also brilliant and usually very exciting but, as the man, he is forgiven his failings i.e. his willingness to place other drivers at risk and his weird quasi religeous ramblings – go figure, as our US friends might say!
Gotta get that off my chest!!
Byeeee!
“religeous” – Jeez
I did go to school, honestly, so “religious” it is
Your writer of the comments on Jim Clark winning the poll, is possibly rather immature in years, but to my knowledge, the great “JC” came from Duns in Berwickshire and I would believe his family still run a sheep farm there, and I have been an expat for twenty plus years in the antipodes.
Regards
Tom Gibb
Jim Clark was born at Kilmany in Fife and, when he was six, the family moved to Edington Mains farm at Chirnside in Berwickshire. He remains one of the greatest drivers ever and I’m only sorry that I was too young to see him race. The day he died remains etched in my memory.
Tom, Jimmy was born in Fife, but later moved to Berwickshire. And anyone who wants to know where at least some of his sublime talent was honed should enjoy a long weekend exploring the open moorland roads around there. Visit the Jim Clark Room in Duns, stay in one of the fine traditional hotels and enjoy the photo galleries dedicated to the man in many of the fine wee pubs that dot the Borders. You’ll be made very welcome: it’s a great weekend for the knowledgable fan who likes a bit of nostalgia…
I choose Jim Clark as the most popular British World Champion. He was the fastest driver of his time, think about how he took the BRM H16 Lotus to victory in the 1966 US Grand Prix. The H16 was the most unreliable engine of its era and only managed a handful of finishes, but JC drove it gently (but faster than the opposition) to victory. Remember the debut of the Lotus 49 Cosworth at Zandvoort in 1967 – he hadn’t seen the car before practice, but worked his way from a low grid position to take fastest lap and victory. The Italian GP 1967 hallmarked his greatness. Following a puncture and wheel change which cost him a lap, Jim Clark unlapped himself, took the lead and then ran out of fuel allowing John Surtees and Jack Brabham to pass him as they approached the chequered flag. Today’s races are won by seconds. Check on Clark’s victories and you will find that he often won by minutes, managing to lap most of the field in the process.
i would add to the comment regarding Jim Clark’s room at Duns, for any affeciando of motor sport its really a must-see- after all Ayrton Senna famously visited it once, now me being a sad so and so i visit every year- but hadn’t considered staying there – last time i was there we talked of a Jim Clark ‘trail’ taking us to Edgington Mains to his final and still tragic resting place, and anyone who thinks JYS’s safety campaigns misguided – visit there – incidentally why isn’t that brilliant film ‘The Quiet champion’ available?
I first saw him race at Oulton Park in ’63, just loved the green & yellow Lotus & his Blue Helmet. At 9yrs old I was hooked & followed his career from then on.
Simply the best, in an era when danger was ever present, but rarely thought about. It was his seemingly effortless style & ability to win in any car, sometimes 3 different @ each meeting be it in 25/33, 32, Elan or Cortina. Just Brilliant & a joy to watch. Always Missed.