Formula one motor racing is not just about noisy cars and egotistical drivers jet setting around the World. It is indeed a clear commentary on life itself. The year is 1967.

 

The final F1 race of the year in Mexico City.

 

Dennis Hulme the no nonsense Brabham driver, set out to secure the championship in this the final race of the year.Believe me Bernie could not have staged it any better!. However the line up of drivers of the day makes for very sad reading some 33 years latter. Both Chris Amon and Jack Brabham are still with us, but I understand Jack Brabham has almost lost his hearing, no doubt from all of the years of having a thumping racing engine within a few inches of his ears for hours on end.

 

What about the rest of the line up? Virtually all deceased. The great Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren, Dennis Hulme, Rindt, Bonnier, Mike Spence, Siffert, all no longer with us. Only two of those not through racing accidents. It was a very dangerous time to be racing at the top level of motor sport.

 

Will the next ten years see such an annihilation of such wonderful men, and such extremely talented characters? Clark did go on to win the race with Hulme finishing good enough to win the World Championship, and that was done with a year of steady finishing and a few wins.

 

Both Monaco and The German Grand Prix at the famous old fourteen mile Nurburgring. Some years before as a 13 year old I had shaken hands with Jack Brabham after a Grand Prix win, and in fact finished drinking his coke left in the driver's seat after this, as it was just sitting on the seat of his little Cooper. Much to the amusement of those with me, and in fact demonstrating a lot of cheek! Try that now-a-days! Oh how things have changed! Of course I didn't realize quite the significance of the occasion but that's what happened and for those of us overfifties we realise that's how things have changed and that's just life.

 

 

 

In looking back I'm sure he expected that, and that he would do nothing less!

 

I found it unbelievable when Clark was not on pole at Monza one year! Amazing he was only fourth on the grid!!

 

Stirling Moss was off the scene at that point. I can clearly remember the straight arm style of Jim Clark, and watching this special man totally committed to drifting a high speed corner, no seat belts, tiny useless role over bar and totally focused on the task in hand. Dark blue helmet, white peak on his helmet, white Firestone overalls but with, I think, a yellow tinted screen. What a memory!

 

Was the Lotus that much better? Was the Ford vee eight engine that much better or was it Clark that was just that much better than the others. I feel in my bones that Clark was just simply the best. Just remember Stirling Moss had been off the scene for about a decade or less. I look at the current line up and is there a Jim Clark there? Ayrton Senna would be the closest I think? Michael Schumacher? Nigel Mansell? Mika Hakkinen?

 

I would like to say yes, but for those of us so fortunate to have witnessed this and with those clear memories still in my mind even though I didn't realise it at the time, for me, modern F1 is different. What a wonderful chapter in history this was for F1 Motor Sport. There will never be another 1967.

 

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