Jim Clark

British racecar driver

The Lotus years of Jim Clark

Jim Clark won two world titles and the Indianapolis 500 with Lotus, and set records for wins and pole positions that lasted for years.

Jim Clark was born in Kilmany, in Fife, Scotland, on March 4, 1936, and grew up in the Scottish Borders. He began in road rallies and hill climbs, then raced sports cars with the Border Reivers team, where Lotus founder Colin Chapman noticed him. After winning in Formula Junior and impressing in Formula Two, he joined Lotus in Formula 1 midway through 1960, starting at the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix and finishing third in Portugal four races later.

His first win came at the 1962 Belgian Grand Prix, followed by victories in Britain and the United States as he finished second to Graham Hill. In 1963 he won seven races and the championship. Reliability cost him in 1964 despite three more wins, but in 1965 he won six races and a second title, and that same year he won the Indianapolis 500 for Lotus.

The new engine rules of 1966 left Lotus behind for a season, with Clark's only win coming at the United States Grand Prix. Ford Cosworth power in 1967 brought four more victories, and he opened 1968 by winning the South African Grand Prix, his last championship start.

While leading the 1968 standings, Clark was killed in a Formula Two race at Hockenheim. Our record shows 73 starts with 25 wins, 33 pole positions, 28 fastest laps and 32 podiums, all with Lotus, and titles in 1963 and 1965. His wins total stood as the record until 1973. Beyond Grand Prix racing he won the British Saloon Car Championship and three Tasman Series titles.

2 world titles, 25 wins, 33 pole positions, 73 starts.

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