Automobile World Championship 1961

Automobile World Championship 1961

World Champion
Driver:	Phil Hill
Constructor:	Ferrari
Season dates
Number of races:	8th
<1960 season	1962 season>

Stirling Moss at the 1961 European Grand Prix on the Nürburgring

The 1961 automobile world championship was the 12th season of the automobile world championship, which is now known as the Formula 1 world championship . Over eight races from May 14, 1961 to October 8, 1961, the drivers' world championship and the International Cup of Formula 1 Constructors were held within this framework .

The FIA honorary title Grand Prix of Europe was awarded to the Grand Prix of Germany in 1961 .

Phil Hill won the World Drivers Championship for the first time. Ferrari became constructors' world champions for the first time. Hill was the first American to win the Formula 1 World Championship.

Changes in 1961

During the season, the decision to return to Formula 2 cars , which was decided in autumn 1958 , was implemented and the permissible engine displacement was reduced to 1.3 to 1.5 liters. Commercial premium gasoline has been approved for this. In order to limit the lightweight construction, a minimum weight of 450 kg and roll bars were prescribed for the first time, but these were still without the safety standards and tests that are common today.

Most designers initially rejected these rule changes. In 1960, the British teams in particular, but also Scuderia Ferrari, openly threatened to boycott the Formula 1 World Championship from 1961. In the expectation that the 1.5-liter Formula 1 would fail prematurely, they developed plans for an alternative racing series called Intercontinental Formula , which essentially had to maintain the previous Formula 1 regulations. Ultimately, all the teams decided to participate in the Formula 1 World Championship. The Intercontinental Formula only existed for five months at the same time: from March to August 1961, five races took place, all of which were held on British courses.

Teams and drivers

team	chassis	engine	tires	driver	run
Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 156	Ferrari 178 V6 1.5	D.
				Phil Hill	1-7
				Wolfgang von Trips	1-7
				Richie Ginther	1-7
				Olivier Gendebien	3
				Willy Mairesse	6th
				Ricardo Rodríguez	7th
Owen Racing Organization	BRM P48 / 57	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Tony Brooks	1-8
				Graham Hill	1-8
Cooper Car Company	Cooper T58	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Jack Brabham	1-5
	Cooper T55				6-8
				Bruce McLaren	1-8
Team Lotus	Lotus 21	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Jim Clark	1-8
				Willy Mairesse	4th
				Innes Ireland	1, 3-6, 8
	Lotus 18/21				7th
	Lotus 18			Trevor Taylor	2
Porsche System Engineering	Porsche 787	Porsche 547/3 F4 1.5	D.	Joakim Bonnier	1-2
	Porsche 718				3-8
	Porsche 718			Dan Gurney	1, 3-8
	Porsche 787				2
	Porsche 718			Hans Herrmann	1, 6
Rob Walker Racing Team	Lotus 18	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Stirling Moss	1, 2
	Lotus 18/21				3-6, 8th
	Lotus 21				7th
	Ferguson P99			Jack Fairman	5
Yeoman Credit Racing Team	Cooper T53	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	John Surtees	1-8
				Roy Salvadori	4-8
British Racing Partnership	Lotus 18	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Cliff Allison	1, 3
				Henry Taylor	1
	Lotus 18/21				4-6
				Lucien Bianchi	4-5
				Masts Gregory	7-8
				Olivier Gendebien	8th
Camoradi International	Cooper T53	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Masts Gregory	1-4
				Ian Burgess	5
	Lotus 18				2-4
Ecurie Maarsbergen	Porsche 718	Porsche 547/3 F4 1.5	D.	Carel Godin de Beaufort	2-7
				Hans Herrmann	2
Scuderia Colonia	Lotus 18	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Michel May	1, 4, 6
				Wolfgang Seidel	3, 5-7
H&L Motors	T53	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Jackie Lewis	3-7
Scuderia Serenissima	Cooper T51	Maserati 6-1500 L4 1.5	D.	Maurice Trintignant	1, 3, 4, 6, 7
	De Tomaso F1 001	OSCA 372 L4 1.5		Giorgio Scarlatti	4th
	De Tomaso F1 003	Conrero Giulietta L4 1.5		Nino Vaccarella	7th
Scuderia Centro Sud	Cooper T53	Maserati 6-1500 L4 1.5	D.	Lorenzo Bandini	3, 5-7
	Cooper T51			Massimo Natili	5, 7
Equipe Nationale Belge	Emeryson 61	Maserati 6-1500 L4 1.5	D.	Olivier Gendebien	1
				Lucien Bianchi	1
	Lotus 18	Climax FPF L4 1.5			3
				Willy Mairesse	3
	Emeryson 61			André Pilette	7th
Gerry Ashmore	Lotus 18	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Gerry Ashmore	5-7
Tony Marsh	Lotus 18	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Tony Marsh	3, 5, 6
Bernard Collomb	Cooper T53	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Bernard Collomb	4, 6
Team Louise Bryden-Brown	Lotus 18	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Tony Maggs	5, 6
		Climax Straigt-4		Ken Miles	1-7
Scuderia Sant'Ambroeus	Ferrari 156	Ferrari 178 V6 1.5	D.	Giancarlo Baghetti	5, 7
Team Parnell	Lotus 18	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Tim Parnell	5, 7
JBW Cars	JBW 61	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Brian Naylor	7th
Isobele de Tomaso	De Tomaso F1 004	Conrero Giulietta L4 1.5	D.	Roberto Bussinello	7th
FISA	Ferrari 156	Ferrari 178 V6 1.5	D.	Giancarlo Baghetti	4th
Fred Tuck Cars	Cooper T45	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Jack Fairman	7th
Gilby Engineering	Gilby 61	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Keith Greene	5
Team Hap Sharp	Cooper T53	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Hap Sharp	8th
J Frank Harrison	Lotus 18	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Lloyd Ruby	8th
J Wheeler Autosport	Lotus 18/21	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Peter Ryan	8th
Jim Hall	Lotus 18/21	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Jim Hall	8th
John M Wyatt III	Cooper T53	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Roger Penske	8th
Momo Corporation	Cooper T53	Climax FPF L4 1.5	D.	Walt Hansgen	8th
Pescara Racing Club	Cooper T51	Maserati 6-1500 L4 1.5	D.	Renato Pirocchi	7th
Gaetano Starrabba	Lotus 18	Maserati 6-1500 L4 1.5	D.	Gaetano Starrabba	7th
Scuderia set colli	De Tomaso F1 002	OSCA 372 L4 1.5	D.	Roberto Lippi	7th

Race reports

Monaco Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1961 Monaco Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Stirling Moss	Lotus Climax	2: 45: 50.1
2	Richie Ginther	Ferrari	+ 3.6
3	Phil Hill	Ferrari	+ 41.3
PP	Stirling Moss	Lotus Climax	1: 39.1
SR	Stirling Moss Richie Ginther	Lotus-Climax Ferrari	1: 36.3

The Monaco Grand Prix took place on May 14th on the street circuit of Monte Carlo . 100 laps with a length of 3.145 kilometers were driven. The total distance was thus 314,500 kilometers.

Stirling Moss started from pole position for the last time in Formula 1 .

Grand Prix of the Netherlands

→ Main article : Dutch Grand Prix 1961

space	driver	team	time
1	Wolfgang von Trips	Ferrari	2: 01: 52.1
2	Phil Hill	Ferrari	+ 0.9
3	Jim Clark	Lotus Climax	+ 13.1
PP	Phil Hill	Ferrari	1: 35.7
SR	Jim Clark	Lotus Climax	1: 35.5

The Dutch Grand Prix was held on May 22nd at Circuit Park Zandvoort . The race lasted 75 laps of 4.193 kilometers, which corresponded to a total length of 314.475 kilometers.

Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips was the first German to win a race in Formula 1. The race went down in history as the first Grand Prix in which all the drivers who started reached the finish.

Belgian Grand Prix

→ Main article : Belgian Grand Prix 1961

space	driver	team	time
1	Phil Hill	Ferrari	2: 03: 03.8
2	Wolfgang von Trips	Ferrari	+ 0.7
3	Richie Ginther	Ferrari	+ 19.5
PP	Phil Hill	Ferrari	3: 59.3
SR	Richie Ginther	Ferrari	3: 59.8

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps was the venue for the Belgian Grand Prix on June 18th . The race went over 423 kilometers, which corresponded to 30 laps of 14.1 kilometers each.

French Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1961 French Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Giancarlo Baghetti	Ferrari	2: 14: 17.5
2	Dan Gurney	Porsche	+ 0.1
3	Jim Clark	Lotus Climax	+1: 01.0
PP	Phil Hill	Ferrari	2: 24.9
SR	Phil Hill	Ferrari	2: 27.1

The French Grand Prix took place on July 2nd on the 8.302 kilometer Circuit de Reims-Gueux . The 52 laps driven resulted in a total distance of 431.704 kilometers.

Giancarlo Baghetti won his first Grand Prix straight away, the only podium in his Formula 1 career.

Great Britain Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1961 British Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Wolfgang von Trips	Ferrari	2: 40: 53.6
2	Phil Hill	Ferrari	+ 46.0
3	Richie Ginther	Ferrari	+ 46.8
PP	Phil Hill	Ferrari	1: 58.8
SR	Tony Brooks	BRM-Climax	1: 57.8

The Great Britain Grand Prix was held on July 15th at the Aintree Circuit . The race lasted 75 laps of 4.828 kilometers each, which corresponded to a total length of 362.1 kilometers.

Grand Prix of Germany / Europe

→ Main article : 1961 German Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Stirling Moss	Lotus Climax	2: 18: 12.4
2	Wolfgang von Trips	Ferrari	+ 21.4
3	Phil Hill	Ferrari	+ 22.5
PP	Phil Hill	Ferrari	8: 55.2
SR	Phil Hill	Ferrari	8: 57.8

The German Grand Prix with the additional designation “European Grand Prix” ran over 15 laps on the 22.81 kilometer Nordschleife of the Nürburgring on August 6th . After 342.15 kilometers, Stirling Moss stood on the podium for the last time in his Formula 1 career.

The favorites of the race were the Ferrari 156 of Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips and Phil Hill, which developed around 30 hp more than the other cars in the field of a total of 26 starters. But on the first lap of the race, Stirling Moss overtook Phil Hill, who was the fastest in training, in a Lotus-Climax and took the lead after Jack Brabham, who was initially ahead, had already strayed off the track in the Hatzenbach section - just over two kilometers after the start . Moss won the race after heavy rain in places in the final phase.

On the tenth lap, Wolfgang von Trips was the first to break the 9-minute limit at the Nürburgring with 8: 59.9 minutes. Seconds later, however, Phil Hill followed with the fastest race lap in 8: 57.8 minutes.

Porsche had registered four works cars for the home Grand Prix, three of which were among the top six at the start with drivers Joakim Bonnier , Hans Herrmann and Dan Gurney . However, the team was denied a good finish at the end. After a collision with Graham Hill, Gurney was seventh, 3: 12.6 minutes behind the winner; Herrmann fell far behind due to a defective clutch and Bonnier retired with engine failure.

Italian Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1961 Italian Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Phil Hill	Ferrari	2: 03: 13.0
2	Dan Gurney	Porsche	+ 31.2
3	Bruce McLaren	Cooper-Climax	+ 2: 28.4
PP	Wolfgang von Trips	Ferrari	2: 46.3
SR	Giancarlo Baghetti	Ferrari	2: 48.4

The Italian Grand Prix took place on September 10th at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza . 43 laps with a length of 10 kilometers were driven. The total distance was 430 kilometers.

Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips , up to then leader of the table, had a fatal accident while braking on the Parabolica after a slight contact with Jim Clark . 15 spectators were also killed in the accident and 60 others were injured, some seriously.

United States Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1961 United States Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Innes Ireland	Lotus Climax	2: 13: 45.8
2	Dan Gurney	Porsche	+ 4.3
3	Tony Brooks	BRM-Climax	+ 49.0
PP	Jack Brabham	Cooper-Climax	1: 17.0
SR	Jack Brabham	Cooper-Climax	1: 18.2

The US Grand Prix on October 8th was the last race of the season in 1961. The race distance was 100 laps of 3.701 kilometers, which corresponded to a total distance of 370.100 kilometers.

Innes Ireland achieved his first and only Formula 1 victory. For Stirling Moss , who had a serious accident in a national race in Goodwood in April 1962, his racing career ended.

World championship ratings

Driver ranking

1	Phil Hill	Ferrari	34 (38)
2	Wolfgang von Trips †	Ferrari	33
3	Stirling Moss	Lotus Climax	21st
4th	Dan Gurney	Porsche	21st
5	Richie Ginther	Ferrari	16
6th	Innes Ireland	Lotus Climax	12
7th	Jim Clark	Lotus Climax	11
8th	Bruce McLaren	Cooper-Climax	11
9	Giancarlo Baghetti	Ferrari	9
10	Tony Brooks	BRM-Climax	6th
11	Jack Brabham	Cooper-Climax	4th
12	John Surtees	Cooper-Climax	4th
13	Jackie Lewis	Cooper-Climax	3
14th	Olivier Gendebien	Ferrari	3
15th	Joakim Bonnier	Porsche	3
16	Graham Hill	BRM-Climax	3
17th	Roy Salvadori	Cooper-Climax	2

The first six places got 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 points. Only the best five results of the eight races counted towards the championship.

Constructors' championship

The best five of the eight individual results were evaluated.

1	Ferrari	45 (52)
2	Lotus Climax	35
3	Porsche	22 (23)
4th	Cooper-Climax	14 (18)
5	BRM-Climax	7th

Web links

Commons : 1961 Automobile World Championship  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

• Official Formula 1 website Results Season 1961 (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Werner J. Haller, Christian Eichenberger, Leopold Wieland: Big rule changes and their consequences, Motorsport aktuell , issue MSA 4/2014, page 6.