Jim Clark: 40 Years On
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Jim Clark and his green and yellow Lotus carve an iconic picture of motor racing in the 1960s. His record in all forms of the sport are remarkable, and his untimely death in a Formula Two race in 1968 cut to the heart of the wider motorsport community.
A quiet Scotsman, Clark grew up on a farm, the youngest of five children and the only boy, his parents initially discouraged his racing. During his early career he caught the eye of Colin Chapman, and in 1960 signed a Formula Two contract with Lotus. When the Aston Martin Formula One project fell through Clark extended his agreement with Lotus to a Formula One seat too.
Clark is regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time, his name whispered in the same hushed tones reserved for Nuvolari and Fangio. Winner of 25 Grands Prix and the Indianapolis 500 he was a hugely versatile driver. His exploits behind the wheel of a Lotus Cortina, raising the front wheel as he threw the car around corners are legendary. His career however was cut short in its prime. He looked certain to win the 1968 World Championship after dominating the South African Grand Prix, teammate Graham Hill eventually claiming it in the glorious Lotus 49.
A small stone memorial at Hockenheim are all that mark the point at which Clark was killed, and is frequented still by fans who continue to pay their respects. Just beyond where the first chicane once stood on the Hockenheim circuit, sat back some way, it is a place with a unique aura.
While the events of his death remain a mystery to this day, Clarks has become a myth, a name synonymous with greatness and that dark blue helmet. His death 40 years ago today was a tragic event and was one of the catalysts for close friend Jackie Stewart’s campaign to make racing safer. The hard work by his friend has saved countless lives, and this is one of the legacies Clark leaves behind.
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