1962 South African Grand Prix

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use South African English Template:Infobox Grand Prix race report The 1962 South African Grand Prix, formally titled the 9th International RAC Grand Prix of South Africa,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was a Formula One motor race held at East London on 29 December 1962. It was the ninth and final race in both the 1962 World Championship of Drivers and the 1962 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The 82-lap race was won by Graham Hill driving a BRM, the Englishman taking his first Drivers' Championship in the process, with New Zealander Bruce McLaren and local driver Tony Maggs second and third, respectively, in works Cooper-Climaxes.

Hill went into the race with a nine-point lead in the Drivers' Championship over Scotland's Jim Clark, driving a works Lotus-Climax. A Clark win would give him the championship regardless of Hill's performance because only the top 5 results counted for the championship. After taking pole position, Clark led comfortably until an oil leak 20 laps from the finish forced him to retire, handing the championship to Hill. The win also gave BRM their first and only Manufacturers' Cup.

Classification

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Template:Nowrap			Gap
				Q1	Q2	Q3
1	1	Template:Flagicon Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax	1:38.5	1:29.8	1:29.3†	—
2	3	Template:Flagicon Graham Hill	BRM	1:33.1	1:30.0	1:29.6	+0.3
3	10	Template:Flagicon Jack Brabham	Brabham-Climax	No time	1:32.3	1:31.0	+1.7
4	11	Template:Flagicon Innes Ireland	Lotus-Climax	No time	1:33.6	1:31.1	+1.8
5	6	Template:Flagicon John Surtees	Lola-Climax	1:35.5	1:36.1	1:31.5	+2.2
6	9	Template:Flagicon Tony Maggs	Cooper-Climax	1:39.7	1:31.7	1:32.7	+2.4
7	4	Template:Flagicon Richie Ginther	BRM	1:34.0	1:32.8	1:31.7	+2.4
8	8	Template:Flagicon Bruce McLaren	Cooper-Climax	No time	1:33.0	1:31.7	+2.4
9	2	Template:Flagicon Trevor Taylor	Lotus-Climax	No time	1:32.7	(1:30.9)†	+3.4
10	20	Template:Flagicon Neville Lederle	Lotus-Climax	No time	1:36.0	1:33.6	+4.3
11	7	Template:Flagicon Roy Salvadori	Lola-Climax	1:37.0	1:35.4	No time	+6.1
12	18	Template:Flagicon John Love	Cooper-Climax	No time	1:36.4	1:37.6	+7.1
13	14	Template:Flagicon Ernie Pieterse	Lotus-Climax	No time	1:37.3	1:36.8	+7.5
14	21	Template:Flagicon Doug Serrurier	LDS-Alfa Romeo	1:38.7	1:37.2	1:36.8	+7.5
15	22	Template:Flagicon Mike Harris	Cooper-Alfa Romeo	1:40.2	No time	1:39.1	+9.8
16	15	Template:Flagicon Carel Godin de Beaufort	Porsche	No time	1:39.3	1:39.2	+9.9
17	5	Template:Flagicon Bruce JohnstoneTemplate:Ref	BRM	—	—	—	—
Source:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Template:Note – Bruce Johnstone was unable to set a time in qualifying due to engine problems, and consequently had to start from the back of the grid.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• † — Jim Clark (1:28.9) and Trevor Taylor posted faster times in their back-up machines, fitted with fuel-injection engines, but these cars were discarded for the race due to reliability issues.

Race

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1	3	Template:Flagicon Graham Hill	BRM	82	2:08:03.3	2	9
2	8	Template:Flagicon Bruce McLaren	Cooper-Climax	82	+ 49.8	8	6
3	9	Template:Flagicon Tony Maggs	Cooper-Climax	82	+ 50.3	6	4
4	10	Template:Flagicon Jack Brabham	Brabham-Climax	82	+ 53.8	3	3
5	11	Template:Flagicon Innes Ireland	Lotus-Climax	81	+ 1 Lap	4	2
6	20	Template:Flagicon Neville Lederle	Lotus-Climax	78	+ 4 Laps	10	1
7	4	Template:Flagicon Richie Ginther	BRM	78	+ 4 Laps	7
8	18	Template:Flagicon John Love	Cooper-Climax	78	+ 4 Laps	12
9	5	Template:Flagicon Bruce Johnstone	BRM	76	+ 6 Laps	17
10	14	Template:Flagicon Ernie Pieterse	Lotus-Climax	71	+ 11 Laps	13
11	15	Template:Flagicon Carel Godin de Beaufort	Porsche	70	Fuel System	16
Ret	1	Template:Flagicon Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax	62	Oil Leak	1
Ret	21	Template:Flagicon Doug Serrurier	LDS-Alfa Romeo	62	Radiator	14
Ret	7	Template:Flagicon Roy Salvadori	Lola-Climax	56	Fuel Leak	11
Ret	22	Template:Flagicon Mike Harris	Cooper-Alfa Romeo	31	Wheel Bearing	15
Ret	6	Template:Flagicon John Surtees	Lola-Climax	26	Engine	5
Ret	2	Template:Flagicon Trevor Taylor	Lotus-Climax	11	Gearbox	9
WD	12	Template:Flagicon Gary Hocking	Lotus-Climax		Driver killed prior to event
WD	16	Template:Flagicon Syd van der Vyver	Lotus-Climax		Car damaged
WD	17	Template:Flagicon Tony Settember	Emeryson-Climax
WD	19	Template:Flagicon Sam Tingle	Lotus-Climax		Driver competing elsewhere
Source:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}

Notes

• This was the Formula One World Championship debut for South African drivers Neville Lederle, Ernie Pieterse, Doug Serrurier, Bruce Johnstone and Syd van der Vyver; and for Rhodesian drivers John Love, Mike Harris, Gary Hocking and Sam Tingle. It was also the first race for a Rhodesian driver.
• LDS also made its debut in the Formula One World Championship in this race, being the first South African constructor.
• This race was the 100th Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, excluding the eleven Indianapolis 500 races that were held between 1950-1960. In those 100 races:
  • Maurice Trintignant was the most experienced, having raced 75 of them, but also having the most retirements at 35.
  • Juan Manuel Fangio had achieved 29 pole positions, 23 fastest laps, 24 Grands Prix wins, 35 podium places, and 5 World Championships.
  • Ferrari was the most constant constructor and engine supplier, having raced 94 of them (93 as a constructor), BRM had had a record 12 retirements as a constructor. A Maserati-powered car had retired the race a record 13 times.
  • Ferrari also achieved 38 pole positions, 34 fastest laps, 35 Grands Prix wins, 128 podium places and 5 Drivers' World Titles in this timespan.
  • British engine supplier Coventry Climax had achieved 2 Constructors' World Titles.

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings

	Pos	Driver	Points
	1	Template:Flagicon Graham Hill	42 (52)
	2	Template:Flagicon Jim Clark	30
	3	Template:Flagicon Bruce McLaren	27 (32)
	4	Template:Flagicon John Surtees	19
	5	Template:Flagicon Dan Gurney	15
Source:<ref name="Championship">Template:Cite web</ref>

Constructors' Championship standings

	Pos	Constructor	Points
	1	Template:Flagicon BRM	42 (56)
	2	Template:Flagicon Lotus-Climax	36 (38)
	3	Template:Flagicon Cooper-Climax	29 (37)
	4	Template:Flagicon Lola-Climax	19
	5	Template:Flagicon Porsche	18 (19)
Source:<ref name="Championship"/>

• Notes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings. Only the best 5 results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.

References

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