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Topic starter
18/02/2021 12:22 pm
The five-year-old 'British Invasion' finally broke through as Jim Clark and Colin Chapman triumphed in dominating fashion with the first rear engined Indy-winning car, a Lotus 38 powered by Ford.
Jim Clark, of Scotland, started from the front row, and led 190 laps, the most since Bill Vukovich (195) in 1953. He became the first non-American winner of the Indianapolis 500 since 1916.
Here is the winning Lotus 38 made by S.M.T.S.
Jim Clark won the 1965 Formula 1 Drivers Championship and Lotus won the Constructors Championship that year.
18/02/2021 2:51 pm
These cars had the drivers so exposed -- and many paid the price. As a sensitive kid i had to stop watching motor sports after witnessing favorite drivers killed.
Designs got safer and safer culminating in the current F1 tanks. After a long hiatus I now watch again.
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Topic starter
18/02/2021 2:58 pm
Hi Mark,
The 1950s and 60s were really hard on drivers. The majority died young and most survivors has serious injuries. It was not until Jackie Stewart retired in the 1970s that safety was taken seriously. Even today, we have deaths in Formula 1 and 2 on occasion despite all the precautions.
Lotus was particularly fragile and a mechanical breakdown likely killed Jim Clark.
18/02/2021 9:42 pm
Spark released a model of this car in 2014 (with Clark figure at the wheel). Sorry, haven't made pics of that one yet.
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