John Surtees F1 stats & info

John Surtees wiki info & stats

NameJohn Surtees
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Height1.73 meter / 5 feet 8 inch
Place of BirthTatsfield
Date of BirthFeb 11th 1934
Date of DeathMar 10th 2017 - 83 years old
Season Entries13
Car Number7
First Race1960 Monaco F1 GP
Last Race1972 Italian F1 GP
First Pole1960 Portuguese F1 GP
Last Pole1968 Italian F1 GP
First Win1963 German F1 GP
Last Win1967 Italian F1 GP
First Win from Pole1964 German F1 GP
Last Win from Pole1966 Mexican F1 GP
First Hat-trick1964 German F1 GP
Last Hat-trick1966 Belgian F1 GP

F1 Teams HistoryTeam Lotus (1960)
Cooper-Climax (1961)
Lola (1962)
Ferrari (1963-1966)
Cooper-Maserati (1966)
Honda (1967-1968)
BRM (1969)
McLaren (1970)
Surtees (1970-1972)

John Surtees F1 Stats

Drivers' Titles1
Grand Prix Entries112
Grand Prix Starts111
Total Points180.00
Avg. Points per GP1.61
Grand Prix Wins6 (5,4%)
Wins from pole4 (3,6%)
Pole Positions8 (7,1%)
Front Row Starts18 (16,1%)
Avg. GP Grid7.7
GP Podiums24 (21,4%)
GP Fastest Laps11 (9,8%)
GP Points Finish40 (35,7%)
Avg. GP Position4.8
Hat-tricks3 (2,7%)
GP Retirements62 (55,4%)
GP DNF's55 (49,1%)
Total GP Laps4.992



Biography

 

John Surtees Biography


1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

John Surtees at the 1966 British F1 GP

John Surtees is the only Formula 1 champion that also scored a championship in Motor racing on two wheels.

From dominating in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing to being introduced to cars after almost beating a young Jim Clark in a Formula 3 event, John Surtees motorsport career is one to remember for its unique achievements. Born on the 11th of February of 1934 in Surrey, England, he grew up around bikes and soon enough learn to work with them with perfect synergy, riding and fixing them.

His rise in the motorcycle world was stunning. At just 15 years of age, he competed in his first race (a Grasstrack event). Then, he made his motorcycle World Championship debut at 18, won his first race as a 21-year-old, took his first World Championship at 22 and his seventh —and last title— at 26 years old. 

Four 500cc World Championships and three in the 350cc division looked well enough to imagine Surtees heading off to retirement. However, his tough mindset and unique competitiveness saw him add a couple of wheels to the machines he was going fast with.

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

John Surtees, Honda RA273, 1967 German GP

The “Figlio del Vento” was his nickname in Italy, where he cemented his motorcycling legacy riding for MV Agusta. A natural racer, he entered a race at Goodwood and finished second in a Cooper behind the legendary Jim Clark, who was a young driver at the time. Colin Chapman signed him to drive for Lotus in the 1960 F1 season and his four-wheel journey began.

Surtees made his Formula 1 debut in the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix and had to retire due to a transmission failure on his Lotus 18. Just seven days before his F1 debut, he was winning the first races of the 350cc and 500cc classes in the motorcycle World Championship at France.

He missed the next four races as he was still busy winning motorcycle Grands Prix and on the way to winning the 350cc and 500cc championships, which would be his last two. Then, he returned to Formula 1 racing with a great second place at Silverstone in the 1960 British Grand Prix after starting 11th.

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

John Surtees, Honda, 1967 Italian GP, Podium

At his third F1 race, the 1960 Portuguese Grand Prix, Surtees qualified on Pole Position but was forced to retire from the race with radiator trouble. In the last race of the year and Surtees’ fourth in F1, he qualified sixth but retire after just three laps. For 1961, he was a solid name amongst F1 teams and he chose to leave Lotus and drive a Cooper T53 for the Yeoman Credit Racing Team. However, that year he only finished in the points twice with two fifth places in Belgium and Germany.

For 1962, he drove a Lola Mk4 with a V8 engine for the Bowmaker-Yeoman team. Although results improved (two podiums, a Pole Position and five of the nine races finished in the points), he wouldn't drive for them the following campaign. In the race where he achieved his first podium of that season and his second overall, the 1962 British Grand Prix, he started second and finished second behind the Lotus of Clark. The result was special for Surtees, as he was dealing with gearbox issues from the early stages of the race.

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

John Surtees, Honda RA301, 1968 Italian GP, Pole Position

Surtees decided to leave Yeoman and took the chance to return to the country which saw him conquer the motorcycling world with dominating fashion. As he joined Ferrari, the “Son of the Wind” was looking to replicate the success he had already enjoyed with an Italian outfit in bikes.

The highlight of his first year with Ferrari came in Nürburgring, where he won the 1963 German Grand Prix with a commanding gap over Clark. Surtees ended 1963 in fourth place in the World Drivers’ Championship with 22 points, his biggest tally at that point. 

In 1964, he finished on the podium sixth times and won at Germany again with an outstanding drive. For the WDC, only the six best results counted and Surtees met the criteria perfectly, achieving six podiums. He won at Monza from Pole and lapped every driver outside the top 2. In the penultimate race of the year, he finished second at Watkins Glen as Graham Hill won.

His second place at the USA pushed Surtees up to second in the WDC, behind Hill. In the title-decider in Mexico, Surtees looked like a doubtful challenger at the beginning of the race, but a crash between Hill and Surtees’ teammate Lorenzo Bandini put him in contention. Clark was leading the race and on pace to win the championship, but an oil leak ended his hopes. Bandini let Surtees pass on the last lap, thus giving him second place and the historical championship.

John Surtees driving the BRM during the 1969 Monaco F1 GP

John Surtees driving the BRM during the 1969 Monaco F1 GP

After becoming the first (and so far only) person to win world championships in motorcycles and cars, Surtees and Ferrari had a down year in 1965. He only achieved three podiums and a fourth-place at Monaco, which gave him fifth in the WDC with just 17 points. Late in 1965, Surtees had a near-fatal accident at Mosport, Canada, when driving his Lola car for the Can-Am Series. He missed the last two rounds of the F1 calendar at the USA and Mexico due to his injuries.

Surtees recovered and returned for the 1966 season with a good level, winning the second race of the year, the 1966 Belgian Grand Prix in his Ferrari 312/66. However, his success with Ferrari at Spa-Francorchamps was his last outing with the team. Surtees, a tough person with a nack for discussion during his racing days, had issues with team manager Eugenio Dragoni. Dragoni elected to leave Surtees out of Ferrari’s lineup for the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans and Surtees decided it was the last problem they would ever have.

Surtees completed the 1966 F1 season driving for Cooper, where he achieved a victory in Mexico and other two podiums to finish second in the championship behind a dominant Jack Brabham. He moved to Honda for 1967 and earned a podium in his first race for them. That year, he also won the 1967 Italian Grand Prix, which would be his last victory in Formula 1.

1971 Engeland Surtees

1971 Engeland John Surtees driving the Surtees team car

Between 1968 and 1969, he managed to score just three podiums with Honda. Then, he decided to enter his own team, but the success was not there. He could only score six points combined in 1970 and 1971 and retired in 1972 after starting only in the 1972 Italian Grand Prix.

He dedicated his life to his team until 1978, when he left Formula 1 altogether. He had three kids. Henry Surtees, his son, competed in single-seaters but sadly died in a Formula Two accident in 2009, which made John found The Henry Surtees Foundation to help improve the safety of the racing world.

Surtees, the great champion in the biggest categories of bikes and cars, died on the 10th of March of 2017 at the age of 83.

“It is basically a love affair, isn’t it? You come together with machinery. Sometimes is, of course, a little bit of a hate affair when they don’t work. But other times, things become special in your life.”

Seasons

 

John Surtees Final Championship Results

1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
13th12th4th4th1st5th2nd5th7th11th
197019711972       
18th20th42nd       

 

John Surtees F1 Seasons Summary

YearTeamEngineGP1st2nd3rdPodPoleLapsFLAvg PtsPoints
1972 United Kingdom Surtees Ford1000002000.000
1971 United Kingdom Surtees
United Kingdom Surtees
Ford
Cosworth
110000053300.273
1970 United Kingdom McLaren
United Kingdom Surtees
Ford
Ford
110000051210.273
1969 United Kingdom BRM BRM90011045500.676
1968 Japan Honda Honda120112150911.0012
1967 Japan Honda Honda91012050602.2220
1966 United Kingdom Cooper-Maserati
Italy Ferrari
Maserati
Ferrari
92114237833.1128
1965 Italy Ferrari Ferrari80123043302.1317
1964 Italy Ferrari Ferrari102316246224.0040
1963 Italy Ferrari Ferrari101113146732.2022
1962 United Kingdom Lola Climax90202136602.1119
1961 United Kingdom Cooper-Climax Climax80000021700.504
1960 United Kingdom Team Lotus Climax40101113411.506

Races

 

John Surtees F1 GP Race Classifications

1st6 Times
2nd10 Times
3rd8 Times
4th5 Times
5th8 Times
6th3 Times
7th4 Times
8th3 Times
9th3 Times
11th3 Times
17th1 Time
DNF55 Times
DSQ1 Time
NC1 Time
DNS1 Time

John Surtees F1 GP Race Results

YearRaceNoTeamEngineGridPosRetiredPts
11219721972 Italian F1 GP7SurteesFord22DNFFuel System0
11119711971 USA F1 GP18SurteesFord13170
11019711971 Canadian F1 GP22SurteesFord14110
10919711971 Italian F1 GP7SurteesFord15DNFEngine0
10819711971 Austrian F1 GP22SurteesFord18DNFEngine0
10719711971 German F1 GP7SurteesFord1570
10619711971 British F1 GP23SurteesFord1161
10519711971 French F1 GP22SurteesFord1380
10419711971 Dutch F1 GP23SurteesFord752
10319711971 Monaco F1 GP22SurteesFord1070
10219711971 Spanish F1 GP24SurteesFord22110
10119711971 South African F1 GP20SurteesCosworth6DNFGearbox0
10019701970 Mexican F1 GP17SurteesFord1580
9919701970 USA F1 GP17SurteesFord8DNFEngine0
9819701970 Canadian F1 GP4SurteesFord552
9719701970 Italian F1 GP14SurteesFord10DNFElectrical0
9619701970 Austrian F1 GP15SurteesFord12DNFEngine0
9519701970 German F1 GP7SurteesFord159Engine0
9419701970 British F1 GP20SurteesFord19DNFOil Pressure0
9319701970 Dutch F1 GP16McLarenFord1461
9219701970 Monaco F1 GP14McLarenFord13DNFOil Pressure0
9119701970 Spanish F1 GP8McLarenFord12DNFGearbox0
9019701970 South African F1 GP7McLarenFord7DNFEngine0
8919691969 Mexican F1 GP14BRMBRM10DNFGearbox0
8819691969 USA F1 GP14BRMBRM1134
8719691969 Canadian F1 GP14BRMBRM14DNFEngine0
8619691969 Italian F1 GP14BRMBRM10NCNot Classified0
8519691969 German F1 GP14BRMBRM11DNSNon Starter0
8419691969 British F1 GP14BRMBRM6DNFSuspension0
8319691969 Dutch F1 GP14BRMBRM1290
8219691969 Monaco F1 GP14BRMBRM6DNFGearbox0
8119691969 Spanish F1 GP14BRMBRM952
8019691969 South African F1 GP10BRMBRM18DNFEngine0
7919681968 Mexican F1 GP5HondaHonda6DNFOverheating0
7819681968 USA F1 GP5HondaHonda934
7719681968 Canadian F1 GP8HondaHonda7DNFGearbox0
7619681968 Italian F1 GP14HondaHonda1DNFAccident0
7519681968 German F1 GP7HondaHonda7DNFIgnition0
7419681968 British F1 GP7HondaHonda952
7319681968 French F1 GP16HondaHonda726
7219681968 Dutch F1 GP7HondaHonda9DNFAlternator0
7119681968 Belgian F1 GP20HondaHonda4DNFSuspension0
7019681968 Monaco F1 GP8HondaHonda4DNFGearbox0
6919681968 Spanish F1 GP7HondaHonda7DNFGearbox0
6819681968 South African F1 GP7HondaHonda680
6719671967 Mexican F1 GP3HondaHonda743
6619671967 USA F1 GP3HondaHonda11DNFAlternator0
6519671967 Italian F1 GP14HondaHonda919
6419671967 German F1 GP7HondaHonda643
6319671967 British F1 GP7HondaHonda761
6219671967 Belgian F1 GP7HondaHonda10DNFEngine0
6119671967 Dutch F1 GP7HondaHonda6DNFThrottle0
6019671967 Monaco F1 GP7HondaHonda3DNFEngine0
5919671967 South African F1 GP11HondaHonda634
5819661966 Mexican F1 GP7Cooper-MaseratiMaserati119
5719661966 USA F1 GP7Cooper-MaseratiMaserati434
5619661966 Italian F1 GP14Cooper-MaseratiMaserati4DNFFuel Leak0
5519661966 German F1 GP7Cooper-MaseratiMaserati226
5419661966 Dutch F1 GP24Cooper-MaseratiMaserati10DNFElectrical0
5319661966 British F1 GP12Cooper-MaseratiMaserati6DNFTransmission0
5219661966 French F1 GP10Cooper-MaseratiMaserati2DNFFuel System0
5119661966 Belgian F1 GP6FerrariFerrari119
5019661966 Monaco F1 GP17FerrariFerrari2DNFTransmission0
4919651965 Italian F1 GP8FerrariFerrari2DNFClutch0
4819651965 German F1 GP7FerrariFerrari4DNFGearbox0
4719651965 Dutch F1 GP2FerrariFerrari470
4619651965 British F1 GP1FerrariFerrari534
4519651965 French F1 GP2FerrariFerrari434
4419651965 Belgian F1 GP1FerrariFerrari6DNFEngine0
4319651965 Monaco F1 GP18FerrariFerrari54Out of Fuel3
4219651965 South African F1 GP1FerrariFerrari226
4119641964 Mexican F1 GP7FerrariFerrari426
4019641964 USA F1 GP7FerrariFerrari226
3919641964 Italian F1 GP2FerrariFerrari119
3819641964 Austrian F1 GP7FerrariFerrari2DNFSuspension0
3719641964 German F1 GP7FerrariFerrari119
3619641964 British F1 GP7FerrariFerrari534
3519641964 French F1 GP24FerrariFerrari3DNFEngine0
3419641964 Belgian F1 GP10FerrariFerrari5DNFEngine0
3319641964 Dutch F1 GP2FerrariFerrari426
3219641964 Monaco F1 GP21FerrariFerrari4DNFGearbox0
3119631963 South African F1 GP3FerrariFerrari4DNFEngine0
3019631963 Mexican F1 GP23FerrariFerrari2DSQDisqualified0
2919631963 USA F1 GP23FerrariFerrari39Engine0
2819631963 Italian F1 GP4FerrariFerrari1DNFEngine0
2719631963 German F1 GP7FerrariFerrari219
2619631963 British F1 GP10FerrariFerrari526
2519631963 French F1 GP16FerrariFerrari4DNFFuel pump0
2419631963 Dutch F1 GP2FerrariFerrari534
2319631963 Belgian F1 GP9FerrariFerrari10DNFInjection0
2219631963 Monaco F1 GP21FerrariFerrari343
2119621962 South African F1 GP6LolaClimax5DNFEngine0
2019621962 USA F1 GP18LolaClimax20DNFEngine0
1919621962 Italian F1 GP46LolaClimax8DNFEngine0
1819621962 German F1 GP14LolaClimax426
1719621962 British F1 GP24LolaClimax226
1619621962 French F1 GP18LolaClimax552
1519621962 Belgian F1 GP5LolaClimax1152
1419621962 Monaco F1 GP28LolaClimax1143
1319621962 Dutch F1 GP19LolaClimax1DNFAccident0
1219611961 USA F1 GP18Cooper-ClimaxClimax9DNFEngine0
1119611961 Italian F1 GP42Cooper-ClimaxClimax19DNFAccident0
1019611961 German F1 GP18Cooper-ClimaxClimax1052
919611961 British F1 GP34Cooper-ClimaxClimax10DNFDifferential0
819611961 French F1 GP40Cooper-ClimaxClimax7DNFAccident0
719611961 Belgian F1 GP24Cooper-ClimaxClimax452
619611961 Dutch F1 GP12Cooper-ClimaxClimax970
519611961 Monaco F1 GP22Cooper-ClimaxClimax1211Engine0
419601960 USA F1 GP11Team LotusClimax6DNFAccident0
319601960 Portuguese F1 GP18Team LotusClimax1DNFRadiator0
219601960 British F1 GP9Team LotusClimax1126
119601960 Monaco F1 GP26Team LotusClimax15DNFTransmission0

Comparison

 

John Surtees Teammate Comparison

YearTeamTeam MateBest PosPointsWinsPolesPosQuali
1960Team LotusAlan Stacey15130000000101
David Piper2126000001010
Innes Ireland2261100101322
Jim Clark236400101212
Jim Hall2370000000110
Stirling Moss10101602120312
1961Cooper-ClimaxAlfonso Thiele26360000001010
Bernard Collomb5192000001120
Bruce McLaren5341100003553
Geoff Duke5322000001010
Hap Sharp19100000000110
Ian Burgess5122000001010
Jack Brabham544400013535
Jack Fairman26250000000110
Jackie Lewis544300004141
John Campbell-Jones5332000001010
Lorenzo Bandini584000002240
Massimo Natili25300000002020
Masten Gregory5104000004260
Maurice Trintignant574000002350
Menato Boffa26380000001010
Renato Pirocchi5122000001120
Roger Penske1980000000110
Roy Salvadori562200001441
Walt Hansgen19180000000110
1962LolaRoy Salvadori21119000107290
1963FerrariLorenzo Bandini950400100440
Ludovico Scarfiotti364100003030
Willy Mairesse11112010003021
1964FerrariLorenzo Bandini11402321206491
Ludovico Scarfiotti199010101010
Pedro Rodríguez266100001010
1965FerrariLorenzo Bandini22171000004462
Nino Vaccarella19120000000110
1966Cooper-MaseratiChris Amon1680000000110
Guy Ligier296000001340
Jo Bonnier1619110104150
Jo Siffert1413310102460
Jochen Rindt12191810103461
Moisés Solana1179010101010
FerrariLorenzo Bandini1291010101120
1968HondaDavid Hobbs17100000100110
Jo Bonnier1550200000110
Jo Schlesser2176000001010
1969BRMBill Brack1580000000110
George Eaton3104000002011
Jackie Oliver366100006482
Pedro Rodríguez572000002121
1970McLarenAndrea de Adamich6171000003030
Bruce McLaren620600001212
Dan Gurney6191000001010
Denny Hulme620900001203
Peter Gethin6181000001001
SurteesDerek Bell2460100000110
1971SurteesBrian Redman1570000000110
Derek Bell6201000001010
Gijs Van Lennep582000001010
Mike Hailwood1740300000220
Rolf Stommelen553300006464
Sam Posey17250000001010
1972SurteesAndrea de Adamich18160000000101
Mike Hailwood1820600000101
Tim Schenken18190000001001

News

 

Latest John Surtees News



1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

F1 Spa's Day of Days by Peter Windsor

It was a pivotal race in the history of F1 in terms of both the safety of the sport and sheer, demonstrable brilliance: more than half the field was eliminated on the opening lap..

August 25, 2021

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

Formula 1 documentary ᴴᴰ - Pit Stop in Two Seconds

CONTENT: Documentary looking at the history of Formula 1 pit stops to coincide with the third anniversary of its sub-two second stop at the 2013 US Grand Prix. The Milton..

December 18, 2020

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

Ferrari's Road to 1000 - Mexican GP 1964

A season finale at Mexico City with John Surtees who takes the 1964 F1 World Championiship ?. This was also the last time that Ferrari cars raced in any colour other than Rosso..

June 10, 2020

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

John Surtees - F1's Master Remastered by Peter Windsor

F1 circuits have never been more demanding than the original Spa road course in Belgium's Ardennes forest. Ultra-fast and ultra-treacherous, particularly in the semi-wet, the old..

April 2, 2020

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

A Champion Of 2 Worlds – Remembering John Surtees (1934-2017) | M1TG

Mobil 1 The Grid remembers John Surtees – the only man in motorsport to have won world titles on both 2 & 4 wheels. The British legend won the 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix..

March 14, 2017

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

Surtees: Hamilton should re-think 'halo' stance

Mar.10 - F1 veterans have revealed they disagree with reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton's stance about the 'halo' cockpit cage slated for 2017. Some of the Mercedes driver's..

March 10, 2016

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

1960 Isle of Man TT with John Surtees

Remastered footage of the 1960 Isle of Man TT race with driver who later became F1 drivers and even champion. Senior TT Result / 1st: John Surtees (MV Agusta) 2nd: John Hartle (MV..

April 25, 1960

Read more John Surtees News »

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