South African Grand Prix 1962

Held at the Prince George Circuit in East London, this was the final race of the1962 FIA Formula One World Championship, The race served as the Championship decider, with either Graham Hill or Jim Clark set to leave South Africa with a maiden Formula One crown. It had been advantage Clark after qualifying, with the Scot claiming pole in what was the biggest sporting event ever to be held in South Africa at that time. At the start it was the Lotus that led into the first corner, with Clark immediately setting fastest lap as Hill ran in second.The Scot put together a dominant display to pull ever further ahead of his rival, and with a quarter of the race to go the title was in his hands before an oil leak cruelly ended his race. Hill inherited the lead and twenty laps later was officially confirmed as World Champion, having pulled clearly ahead of Bruce McLaren.BRM also completed a double by winning the Intercontinental Cup for Manufacturers. Raymond May’s vision and dream announced at Folkingham Airfield 13 years earlier had finally been realised and with a team never exceeding 120 people, BRM had won the World Championship, in a car designed and built in Britain with all British components and with a British driver.