Formula One 1962 Season

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1962 B.R.M. Formula One
1962 B.R.M. Profile ...
Regulations:

Engine:
1300 cc - 1500 cc (normally aspirated)

Weight:
450 kg (minimum)

Points - Driver & Constructors:

1st: 9, 2nd: 6, 3rd: 4, 4th: 3, 5th: 2, 6th: 1
Although the Maranello cars had the jump on the competition in 1961, by 1962 the British teams had caught up some of their lost impetus and the season saw a sterling battle between Clark's Lotus and Graham Hill's BRM. The championship was eventually resolved at the very last round, in favour of Hill - who had taken four superb victories during the season in Holland, Germany, Italy and that final race in South Africa. Clark scored in Belgium, England and the United States and was within a few laps of winning his first world title when his engine failed.

The season started in Holland where Hill scored his own first Grand Prix win and BRM's second - at the same circuit where they opened their tally in 1959. Hill won at95.44mph from Lotus's new driver Trevor Taylor, who surprised many by his performance. John Surtees, making the switch from two to four wheels, in a Lola, had a lucky escape when a wishbone on the car broke at high speed. One driver who was not so lucky in 1962 was Stirling Moss who crashed heavily and inexplicably during a non-championship race at Goodwood on Easter Monday. 32-year-old Moss was released, bleeding and partially paralysed, from his wrecked Lotus and, although he recovered to what would be regarded as full fitness by any other person, his racing career was over: the fine edge had gone forever from his judgement and reactions.

Moss never did gain the world title he so thoroughly deserved, a mixture of national pride, when he drove sub-standard machinery simply because it was British, and bad luck keeping that honour from him. He had risen from his first appearance at Prescotthill-climb, in a 500cc Cooper on 9 May 1945, through almost every kind of racing, to be a works Formula One driver for Mercedes, Maserati, Vanwall and Connaught. He also drove BRMs, Lotuses; Coopers and many more. He was second in the World Championship for Drivers four times but he never won. The end of Moss's career severed a link with an earlier generation of drivers and left a space at the pinnacle of racing for someone else to fill.

The man who was to fill it was the young Scot who finished second in the 1962 championship, Jim Clark. Clark was born on 4 March 1936 and began his motoring career in the early 1950s, first in local rallies and then in circuit races. Early support from the Scottish Border Reivers team led Clark through saloon, Formula Junior, sports car and Formula Two racing, to a contract for Formula One with Lotus. In all his career, Clark never lost faith with Lotus and never drove for another Grand Prix team. Clark and Lotus were a combination whose story is woven into the web of racing for many years; he was a worthy successor to fill the void left by Moss.

Clark collected his first Grand Prix win at Spa in 1962, beating Graham Hill and Phil Hill into second and third places-and averaging 131.59 mph in the process, with a fastest lap at 133.95 mph. The season saw the first championship victory for both Porsche and their lanky Californian driver, Dan Gurney, who inherited victory at Rouen when race leader Graham Hill's engine went - off song twelve laps from home. The only other winner in 1962 was Bruce Mcl.aren, who won the Monaco Grand Prix at an average speed of 70.46 mph, after leader Graham Hill retired with no oil pressure. PhiI Hill was just 1.3 seconds behind for Ferrari after making a tremendous effort to catch McLaren.
1962 Grand Prix Calendar
Date
Grand Prix Circuit
Pole Position
Winner
May 20th, 1962
Netherlands
Dutch GP Zandvoort
John Surtees Graham Hill
June 3rd, 1962
Monaco
Monaco GP Monte Carlo Jim Clark Bruce McLaren
June 17th, 1962
Belgium
Belgian GP Spa-Francorchamps Graham Hill Jim Clark
July 8th, 1962
France
ACF GP Rouen
Jim Clark Dan Gurney
July 21st, 1962
Great Britain
British GP Aintree Jim Clark Jim Clark
August 5th, 1962
Germany
German GP Nürburgring
Dan Gurney Graham Hill
September 16th, 1962
Italy
Italian GP Monza Jim Clark Graham Hill
October 7th, 1962
United States
United States GP Watkins Glen Jim Clark Jim Clark
December 29th, 1962
South Africa
South African GP East London Jim Clark Graham Hill
1962 F1 Drivers
Championship
Position
Driver
Points
C
Graham Hill
42
2
Jim Clark
30
3
Bruce McLaren
27
4
John Surtees
19
5
Dan Gurney
15
6
Phil Hill
14
7
Tony Maggs
13
8
Richie Ginther
10
1962 F1 Constructors
Championship
Position
Manufacturer
Points
C
BRM / BRM
42
2
Lotus / Climax
36
3
Cooper / Climax
29
4
Lola / Climax
19
5
Porsche / Porsche
18
6
Ferrari / Ferrari
18
7
Brabham / Climax
6
8
Lotus / BRM
1
1962 BRM
The BRM was very successful in 1962 in the hands of Graham Hill, who captured the World Championship in the Type 56. It was powered by a 1498cc V8, and 1962 marked the beginning of a four-year run of success for the marque.
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