F1
58 years ago, Formula 1 lost Jim Clark at Hockenheim
© DPPI
On April 7, 1968, the world of motorsport lost one of its greatest virtuosos. Cut down in his prime during a race Formula 2 On the Hockenheim circuit (Germany), Jim Clark left behind a colossal legacy, marked by his versatility and his relationship with the Lotus team.
It all truly began on December 26, 1958, during a GT race at Brands Hatch. That day, the young Scotsman finished second, just behind a certain Colin Chapman. Impressed by the boy's driving skill, the founder of Lotus would never leave his side again.
After having cut his teeth in rally, however, it is in Endurance that Clark begins his story. Between 1959 and 1961, he took part three times in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Border Reivers team, including his first time driving a Lotus Elite. In 1960, he achieved a superb third place driving a Aston MartinThat same year, he made his debut in Formula 1 during the season, at the Dutch Grand Prix, alongside John Surtees and Innes Ireland.
In 1961, however, his career was marked by a terrible trauma at the Italian Grand Prix. Jim Clark was involved in a collision with Wolfgang von Trips (Classic Ferrari for sale), The car of the German pilot crashing into the barriers, killing his co-pilot and 15 spectators. Initially investigated by Italian authorities, Clark was ultimately not prosecuted.
Jim Clark's successes
His crowning achievement came in 1962 with a first victory at the Belgian Grand Prix. The following year, he crushed the competition: with seven wins (a record at the time), he clinched his first world title in 1963. In 1965, he repeated his success, securing a second world championship, but his genius also crossed the Atlantic. That year, he won the Indianapolis 500, becoming the first non-American to win in 49 years.
Despite his 25 Grand Prix victories, one anomaly remains in his record: although he has tamed the Indianapolis oval, he has never managed to win on the streets of Monaco, as his mechanics have failed him on several occasions.
At the time of his tragic accident in 1968, Jim Clark was leading the world championship. At just 32 years old, he held the records for the most wins (25), pole positions (33), and fastest laps (28). A corner at the Hockenheimring ultimately claimed the life of the driver, who remains to this day one of the greatest in the sport.
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Joel Gaboriaud
07/04/2026 at 07:15 a.m.
It's so moving to remember the story of these "knights" from another era. Thank you. This article offers much more to enthusiasts than the one about Piastri's 25th anniversary.
Carrera46
07/04/2026 at 05:11 a.m.
Without really knowing why, he was my favorite F1 driver. The gentleman farmer demonstrated exceptional talent, impressive statistics, and an astonishing ability to adapt. There were others, of course (Ascari, Fangio, etc.), but his personality undoubtedly left its mark on my youth...
Yves-Henri RANDIER
07/04/2026 at 03:18 a.m.
A different era, when drivers were killed every season, and when drivers displayed an eclecticism rarely seen today. But in the 60s and 70s, drivers also chased prize money to make a decent living, readily traveling to race during the Southern Hemisphere summer in Southern Africa (South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, and Rhodesia), as well as in Australia/New Zealand, and even South America for the famous Temporadas! Jim Clark's death was my first painful encounter with single-seaters and motorsport... RIP the Scotsman