1968 South African Grand Prix
Race details | ||
---|---|---|
Race 1 of 12 in the 1968 Formula One season | ||
![]() The Kyalami Circuit (1967-1985) | ||
Date | 1 January 1968 | |
Official name | XIV South African Grand Prix | |
Location | Kyalami, Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa | |
Course | Permanent racing facility 4.104 km (2.550 mi) | |
Distance | 80 laps, 328.320 km (204.009 mi) | |
Weather | Very hot, dry | |
Pole position | ||
Driver | ![]() |
Lotus-Ford |
Time | 1:21.6 | |
Fastest lap | ||
Driver | ![]() |
Lotus-Ford |
Time | 1:23.7 on lap 73 | |
Podium | ||
First | ![]() |
Lotus-Ford |
Second | ![]() |
Lotus-Ford |
Third | ![]() |
Brabham-Repco |
The 1968 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami Circuit on Monday 1 January 1968. It was the first round of the 1968 Formula One season. The race, contested over 80 laps, was won by two time World Drivers' Champion and 1965 Indianapolis 500 winner Jim Clark for Lotus-Ford after starting from pole position. The race is significant as not only the last Formula One race to be won by Jim Clark, but also the last in which he ever competed, due to his fatal crash at the Hockenheimring in Germany three months later.
This was also Mike Spence's final race, as he was killed a few months later, while practicing for the 1968 Indianapolis 500.
Clark broke many records during the weekend, such as leading the most Grands Prix (43), having the most laps led (1,943), having the most perfect weekends (11), achieving the most pole positions (33) and finally achieving 25 race wins, beating Juan Manuel Fangio's 11-year-old record.
Classification
Qualifying
Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | ![]() |
Lotus-Ford | 1:21.6 | — |
2 | 5 | ![]() |
Lotus-Ford | 1:22.6 | +1.0 |
3 | 16 | ![]() |
Matra-Ford | 1:22.7 | +1.1 |
4 | 3 | ![]() |
Brabham-Repco | 1:23.0 | +1.4 |
5 | 2 | ![]() |
Brabham-Repco | 1:23.2 | +1.6 |
6 | 7 | ![]() |
Honda | 1:23.5 | +1.9 |
7 | 10 | ![]() |
Ferrari | 1:23.6 | +2.0 |
8 | 8 | ![]() |
Ferrari | 1:23.8 | +2.2 |
9 | 1 | ![]() |
McLaren-BRM | 1'24.0 | +2.4 |
10 | 11 | ![]() |
BRM | 1:24.9 | +3.3 |
11 | 9 | ![]() |
Ferrari | 1:24.9 | +3.3 |
12 | 6 | ![]() |
Eagle-Weslake | 1:25.6 | +4.0 |
13 | 12 | ![]() |
BRM | 1:25.9 | +4.3 |
14 | 22 | ![]() |
Brabham-Repco | 1:26.2 | +4.6 |
15 | 15 | ![]() |
Cooper-BRM | 1:26.3 | +4.7 |
16 | 19 | ![]() |
Cooper-Maserati | 1:26.4 | +4.8 |
17 | 17 | ![]() |
Brabham-Repco | 1:27.0 | +5.4 |
18 | 21 | ![]() |
Matra-Ford | 1:27.2 | +5.6 |
19 | 20 | ![]() |
Cooper-Maserati | 1:27.3 | +5.7 |
20 | 25 | ![]() |
Cooper-Climax | 1:27.8 | +6.2 |
21 | 14 | ![]() |
Cooper-Maserati | 1:28.0 | +6.4 |
22 | 18 | ![]() |
LDS-Repco | 1:28.6 | +7.0 |
23 | 23 | ![]() |
Brabham-Climax | 1:29.0 | +7.4 |
Race
Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | ![]() |
Lotus-Ford | 80 | 1:53:56.6 | 1 | 9 |
2 | 5 | ![]() |
Lotus-Ford | 80 | + 25.3 | 2 | 6 |
3 | 3 | ![]() |
Brabham-Repco | 80 | + 30.4 | 4 | 4 |
4 | 8 | ![]() |
Ferrari | 78 | + 2 Laps | 8 | 3 |
5 | 1 | ![]() |
McLaren-BRM | 78 | + 2 Laps | 9 | 2 |
6 | 21 | ![]() |
Matra-Ford | 77 | + 3 Laps | 18 | 1 |
7 | 19 | ![]() |
Cooper-Maserati | 77 | + 3 Laps | 16 | |
8 | 7 | ![]() |
Honda | 75 | + 5 Laps | 6 | |
9 | 17 | ![]() |
Brabham-Repco | 75 | + 5 Laps | 17 | |
NC | 23 | ![]() |
Brabham-Climax | 71 | Not Classified | 23 | |
Ret | 6 | ![]() |
Eagle-Weslake | 58 | Oil Leak | 12 | |
Ret | 9 | ![]() |
Ferrari | 51 | Oil Leak | 11 | |
Ret | 20 | ![]() |
Cooper-Maserati | 46 | Overheating | 19 | |
Ret | 16 | ![]() |
Matra-Ford | 43 | Engine | 3 | |
Ret | 18 | ![]() |
LDS-Repco | 35 | Overheating | 22 | |
Ret | 25 | ![]() |
Cooper-Climax | 22 | Engine | 20 | |
Ret | 11 | ![]() |
BRM | 20 | Fuel system | 10 | |
Ret | 2 | ![]() |
Brabham-Repco | 16 | Engine | 5 | |
Ret | 10 | ![]() |
Ferrari | 13 | Accident | 7 | |
Ret | 12 | ![]() |
BRM | 7 | Fuel System | 14 | |
Ret | 14 | ![]() |
Cooper-Maserati | 4 | Oil Leak | 21 | |
Ret | 22 | ![]() |
Brabham-Repco | 3 | Differential | 14 | |
Ret | 15 | ![]() |
Cooper-BRM | 2 | Water Pipe | 15 |
Championship standings after the race
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- Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.
Notes
Last race: Brabham BT11
References
- Lang, Mike (1982). Grand Prix! Vol 2. Haynes Publishing Group. pp. 60–61. ISBN 0-85429-321-3.
- "The Official Formula 1 website". Retrieved 2007-06-13.
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