30 Jun Rear-view Mirror

A regular look back at old motoring and motor sport items…

There was a lot of talk during June about the possibility of South Africa hosting a Formula 1 GP at Kyalami next year. Naturally, there are pros and cons to this given the country’s current economic state, but some reasonable solutions were mentioned in the various discussions that took – and are still taking – place. It appears as though the FIA will release the 2023 race calendar in August, so then we will know. If not in 2023, then it could be 2024.

It has been 55 years since Kyalami hosted its first F1 GP so this month we look at some images of the first handful of races that took place at the Midrand circuit. The first Grand Prix to be held at Kyalami was in 1967 and the pic show John Surtees Honda RA273 leading eventual winner Pedro Rodriguez’s Cooper T81-Maserati V12 through Clubhouse Corner. In 1968 Jim Clark was the winner in his Lotus 49-Cosworth V8. The start of the 1969 GP shows pole man Jack Brabham (Brabham BT26A-Cosworth V8), Jochen Rindt (Lotus 49-Cosworth V8) and Denny Hulme (McLaren M7A-Cosworth V8) on the front row, ahead of eventual winner Jackie Stewart in car 7 (Matra MS10-Cosworth V8) alongside Chris Amon (Ferrari 312 V12). Imagine what the hoo-hah would be about those wings today… Next, 1970 winner Jack Brabham (Brabham BT33-Cosworth V8) overtakes Jacky Ickx (Ferrari 312B V12) on the inside of Crowthorne, with Jean-Pierre Beltoise (Matra MS20 V12) leading the chasing pack. And finally, SA’s Jody Scheckter at the wheel of his Tyrrell 007-Cosworth V8 in the 1976 GP in which he finished fourth. The car is a progression of the 1974 Tyrrell 007/3 that is part of the FMM collection and currently on display in Hall D.

(NB: No copyright infringement is intended with any of the images used to illustrate these articles.)