Remembering Jim Clark & the Lotus 43 | DriveTribe In Detail - Episode 03

[@kyongslist]

I think its worth noting the correlation between Jim Clark and Ayrton Senna. The place in this video, along with the museum, has actually been visited by Senna, his name is on the check in list. Reverence was indeed Ayrtons perspective of Clark, and in a somewhat unusual display of modesty, he spoke of Jim as "the best of the best." Senna actually commissioned a famous Mexican artist to create a painting of the grid at Monaco, with all of Formula 1 histories greatest champions lining the grid.... the order didn't matter, however Senna had specifically stipulated that Jim Clark occupy pole. Sadly, both the circumstances around their deaths would be eerily similar. Both of them were in their early 30s, both suddenly and mysteriously careening off the track at high speed for no apparent reason, both known for their immense natural talent being tragically cut short.... Even more odd, the teammate for Clark in the 1968 season was Graham Hill, who lifted the spirits of the team afterwards by proceeding to win the championship that year. 26 years later, Ayrtons teammate for the 1994 season? Grahams own son, Damon Hill, who would also proceed to win the championship, becoming the first ever father-son duo to accomplish the feat. May they rest in peace.

[@samoksner]

Kyong Hansen thank you for the insight, I did not know this and love to learn more about these immense drivers. I think I recall Jackie Stewart talking about Jim shutting his car off mid corner to preserve it from low oil pressure during the heavy G of that turn without losing any time. How do you make breaks and tires last 3 times longer? Wow

[@kyongslist]

sam oksner absolutely, in my opinion Jim Clark embodies what the Greatest truly means. His unparreled ability to maintain momentum, truly communicate with the vehicle and be sympathetic to the machinery, and be amazingly consistent. Another great stat, imo, is that Jim only finished 2nd in a Grand Prix a single time in his career, illustrating that he won often, and when he didn't, it typically was due to mechanical issues

[@raffaeledivora9517]

@@kyongslist And what a race... if I'm not mistaken it was the 1967 Italian GP, the greatest grand prix performance of all time

[@snappy452]

Wow wow wow. Really great addition by you. Wish it were part of the video. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

[@psk5746]

Thanks Kyong, learnt something

[@rossdinius3303]

That was an amazing tribute Mike thank you for that.

[@bullmilk]

This is how a racecar should sound.

[@chicobicalho5621]

The greatest F1 driver of all time, not only for his unparalleled talent, but for his grace and character as well.

[@ballaking1000]

Chico Bicalho I agree, I think Gilles Villeneuve is right up there with him as well. I’d put everyone’s beloved Senna in 4th after Fangio, and Niki Lauda/Jackie Stewart (tie for 5th) before schumacher.. my opinion of course but do agree with you

[@KeithWilliamMacHendry]

Hey Chico, from a Scotsman as I am, you nailed it pal, grace. 🙏🏻♥

[@SiVlog1989]

It's partly because of his driving style, mechanical smoothness and general lack of arrogance that lead to Jim Clark becoming my favourite driver in F1 history. Like Murray Walker said of him, "... Jimmy had no interest in being rich or famous, he just loved driving cars fast." My favourite thing about him was how humble he was about his ability. While club racing in Scotland, he asked his good friend Ian Scott-Watson, "why is everyone driving so slowly?" To which Scott-Watson replied, "Jim, it's not that they [the other drivers] are going so slowly, it's you going so damn fast!" He was so undramatic in his natural driving style, saying, "I don't drive any harder, I just concentrate harder, which makes me go faster." A true genius and a gentleman, a pity for me due to my aforementioned admiration of his ability and achievements that he'd been gone for over 20 years by the time I was born in 1989. At least his driving style and achievements have gone down in history and he's more than just a footnote

[@Just_lift_anyone]

Well said mate, well said :)

[@boatman222345]

I was fortunate enough to witness Jim Clark's stunning victory at Watkins Glen in 1966. Better yet I stood about 25' away from him in the Tech Building and to this day I remember the quiet, modest aura he gave off. Like many others I have always doubted that driver error played a role in his fatal accident. Lotus Formula 1 cars owed much to cutting edge design but they were also fragile cars.

[@mirrorblue100]

Jim Clark was really someone special - not ashamed to write that I wept when he was killed. Thank you for this touching homage to a great man. JG

[@fingerhorn4]

Beautifully done tribute. And it's all true. I saw Jim Clark in many races, from F1 to F2, Sportscars, and of course the iconic Lotus Cortinas. He was utterly brilliant in all of these different types. BTW if you discount the numerous mechanical failures of Lotus F1 after 1963, Clark won almost every single race he entered, giving him by far the highest win/race ratio of all time. No-one who saw him race a Cortina around paddock hill bend could ever forget they were witnessing most gifted driver ever. Did you know he also won THREE Tasman F1 series in four years? And the British Saloon Car Championship. No other driver in history was so consistently fast in a huge variety of different car types.

[@StephenLMW]

Jim Clark is one of the greatest drivers of all time he’s the king of the 60s

[@asad61065]

When I hear Jim Clark being called the greatest ever I feel justice being done. Forever my hero. Rest in peace the Champion of Champions.

[@peterlovett5841]

I possibly saw Jim Clark win the last open-wheeler race of his career when one month before his death he competed in the last round of the Tasman Series at Longford in Tasmania. The race meeting was held over a long-weekend with practice on Friday, non-championship races on Saturday, day off on Sunday and then the championship round on Monday. From memory, Jim Clark won both the non-championship rounds on the Saturday driving a 49 with a 2.5 litre Ford V8. On Monday the heavens opened up and it rained, and rained and then rained some more. The Tasman championship was still a contest between Chris Amon and Jim Clark so the race went ahead. Piers Courage in a McLaren formula 2 car won in a canter being better able to put its power to the ground than the 2.5 litre cars. There is an interesting theory on Clark's fatal crash in the recent biography on Sir Jack Brabham. Brabham felt that Clark's legendary ability to drive around a problem masked his ability to understand that something was going wrong with the car. At Hockenheim, Brabham thought that Clark may have had a slow leak in one of his tyres but his ability to compensate allowed him to continue without realising the danger until the tyre exploded. He certainly felt that it wasn't a mistake on Clark's part that led to the crash.

[@galahadskeys]

Undoubtedly THE greatest driver ever to have graced a Formula One grid.

[@leewhitworth9142]

I'd say that was Fangio but Jim Clark is definitely second

[@Truenofan86]

@@leewhitworth9142 Lauda and Senna are 3rd and 4th in my opinion. ;)

[@jamespicksley5781]

@@leewhitworth9142 well Fangio considered Clark the best ever

[@josedacunhafilho]

As a Brazilian who accompanies F1 for well over 50 years and who has seen so many great drivers race in front of my eyes like Hill, Stewart, Fittipaldi, Lauda, Piquet, Prost, Villeneuve, Senna, Hakkinen, Schumacher, Alonso, and Hamilton, I am confident, and certain that the greatest of all time was Jim Clark, and had he not been killed he would have won the 1968, 1970, and 1972 championships for Lotus, and would be, as I write this, driving a high tech tractor in on his farm in Scotlant every day.

[@federicogallo849]

Juan Manuel Fangio say "Jim Clark is the best car racer"... Jimmy was one of the best. Regards from Argentina, nice video... that insane sound make my skin like a chicken skin!!! (sorry about my basic and dirty english), and the final pipes sound.... very nice end

[@Vampirebear13]

Mike Fernie you should be extremely proud, this video is top shelf excellent!!! Thumbs up from Ohio.

[@myface694]

Jim Clark an icon no other racing driver will ever come close to touching your driving skills , rest in the knowing you are the best and always be the best racing driver ever !!!!! (AKA HONEST HUMBLE AND TRUE)

[@1320crusier]

Even before I was really an F1 fan, I knew of Jim Clark. A true great.

[@bv2225]

What a car! What a driver! Thank you for this!

[@bennyhygum9281]

Yes, by all accounts probably the greatest racingdriver ever. Thanks for making this video!

[@jayc3110]

Such a beautiful video. A terrific tribute to the great Jim Clark. Thank you so much.

[@-ZIO]

Jim Clark was my fathers favorite driver.

[@KeithWilliamMacHendry]

As a young Scots lad born in 1960, Jim Clark was my idol, when he died I obviously couldn't quite comprehend it, I just felt sad. My Dad who is a mechanic to trade & a superb driver on motor cars & motor bikes said to me in my twenties of Jim Clark, aye he was smooth son. It is only in my later years that I realised what Dad meant, that Jim left his cars after a race virtually pristine. Hey Jim, you are loved & I am so proud that you are a Scot. but more importantly, a lovely human being. You are loved 💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@DennisBerkhout1]

Great video. These stories about the great racing legends are always fascinating. Keep up the good work Drivetribe.

[@adgillespie3051]

In the 1.5 liter era, Lotus used a Coventry-Climax engine, not a BRM. The BRM engine was only used for one year until the Cosworth was ready.

[@didieryvonet]

The GREATEST ! As a pilot and as a Man! What else?

[@scotty8949]

Nice tribute. Jimmy will always be the undisputed no 1. Only Tazio Nuvolari in the same league...

[@peterdukess9115]

that picture of Jim Clark sitting on car with kilt on my dad has autographed as he worked with lotus and Jim Clark

[@therealg9843]

This video nearly made me cry 😢

[@pagano126]

The sound of bagpipes always have that effect on me!

[@sbc1t]

Me too .

[@wmw3629]

No nearly for me..😥

[@burblingbarbacoa4944]

I've been chucking this thing around the Feldbergring all afternoon and it is pure ecstasy, I'm telling you.

[@Tearolla]

Beautiful video, thank you guys!

[@bobbyross2023]

Good god, that engine is ridiculous!!

[@liverpoolscottish6430]

Jim Clark IS the GOAT, no doubt about it. His statistics speak volumes. Not only that, he was the Greatest Champion- humble, down to earth, modest and he always raced cleanly and fairly- he never resorted to ramming an opponent off the track like Senna or Schumacher did. Jim Clark could drive the wheels off anything, he was and is THE MASTER. The Yoda of motorsport!

[@g3whg247]

What an interesting and lovely film, well done.

[@morganrees6807]

Team Lotus used Coventry Climax engines in the 1.5 ltr era. It was only CC's decision not to make a 3.0L engine that prompted Lotus to use the BRM H-16 (as well as a stretched 2 ltr Climax V8)

[@JerseyDevilBM]

Thank you for pointing this glaring error out. Although the BRM was used by many Lotus customers, the factory F1 team almost exclusively was committed to the CC starting in 1958 with the Lotus 12 and 16.

[@bloqk16]

The predominant thought that comes to mind about that BRM H-16 engine: *What a beast!*

[@andrewlipsiner9791]

Thanks for another great video Jim Clark WON the 1966 USGP at Watkins Glen NY in the LOTUS 43 BRM H-16 The ONLY WIN for that WILD BRM H-16

[@geoffbuck6865]

It may have been useless, but in my opinion the Lotus 43 is one of the most gorgeous and aggressive looking of all Grand Prix racing cars. And of course driven by unquestionably the greatest driver.

[@Just_lift_anyone]

2:30 Jesus Hector Christ. That sound instantly makes me think of Steve McQueen and the Dave Clark Five, love it!

[@tracylemme1375]

If my memory serves me right, BRM brought out the 1.5 liter flat eight in 65 with some success. Then the formula changed for 66 and BRM simply put one engine on top of the other to form the H-16. This proved to be extremely unreliable. Brabham went on to win the championship with the Repco ( Olds ) powered car. I cried when I learned of Jimmy’ s crash. May his memory live forever. He was and always will be the best.

[@vxcav]

My old boss joke Russell from west calder r.i.p had this car in his garage in bits with all intentions of rebuilding it but obviously never did. He was more of a buyer not a seller. It must of broke his heart to sell it on glad he did to see it now is amazing would love to see it in the flesh fully restored. Maybe one day i will.

[@CaTe-hg4sl]

Congratulations on reminding this Scottish legend, you also could, remember the rally legend: Colin McRae! Still this year we saw the tributes written on stones and on the asphalt of the classification of "fafe-lameirinha" in the rally of Portugal! See you soon Colin Mcrae, "king of Fafe".

[@karltinsley6012]

Awesome 👏🏻 Great Tribute to a Great Man

[@twillis449]

Great review of the Lotus 43. As discussed here, JIm's touch with a racing car was incredible. If something wasn't working just right with the car, Clark could adjust his driving style to compensate for the car's behaviour. If someone with Jim's talent drove a modern F1 car with its much greater reliability, real-time engineering feedback to the driver, etc, I'm sure that his winning percentage would be over 50 percent.

[@NarekAvetisyan]

Beautiful tribute mate.

[@polygamous1]

No question about it Jim n Ayrton where the best two drivers of ALL times the two drivers that thrilled the public the most with their amazing skills n daring bravery, who I love the most? the truth when I see Clark racing at that moment he Is the best when I see Senna driving at that moment he is the best, so here we have it TWO number 1 drivers of ALL times, No disrespect to other real great drivers like Jackie Steward Nelson Pique M Schumacher n few others they where all Great 99% of perfection But we will always have the 2 greatest each on 100% thank you Jim thank you Ayrton

[@angelomeda9517]

Un vero corridore, una classe insuperabile questo era Jim Clark

[@markmorey799]

Between 1962 and his death in 1968, Jim Clark won every race where he wasn't delayed by mechanical or tyre problems, and indeed he won many races nursing major mechanical issues such as the debut win of the Lotus 49 (glazed brakes and a faulty clutch). No driver before or since has come close to that. A few corrections to this video. In 1965 Team Lotus used Coventry Climax engines, not BRM. Lotus only ever intended to use the BRM H16 as an interim until the new Cosworth V8, then under design, was ready. Oddly, Colin Chapman turned down Jack Brabham's offer of the Repco V8, which would have guaranteed many victories and probably the world championship. The first car with the engine as a fully stressed member was the Ferarri 158 of 1964, designed by Vittoria Jano. Jano had previously used a V8 engine as a part of the chassis of the Lancia D50 of 1954, augmented by two frame tubes.

[@Bojanmarsetic]

Nice music credit man!

[@42DBH]

Thank you for this video :)

[@arthurkuhn2118]

A wonderful presentation of a great car, a great engine and a great driver. I also enjoyed the anecdote by Mr. Hansen. What food for thought. Good piping. I am a piper myself but I don't the name of the tune you played. Please comment. Thanx again for this superb and informational video.

[@jmacr02]

The tune is The Heroes of Kahima

[@FerrariKangaroo]

H-16 engine requirement for Formula One in 2021 FIA. Make it happen.

[@thiswillprobhrt]

That outro was special.

[@dougauzene8389]

Saw Jim Win-All Car Types As Kid-Kid Now(Me)Says: Jim=All-Around Top Driver!

[@und13s]

Proud to own a car with a LOTUS badge.

[@bobz1736]

Nicely done guys 😎

[@williamcap2236]

The man died 5 months before i was born. Too many greats went this way

[@markbrown7275]

Thank you😉

[@camnewton4980]

Never knew Mike could play the bagpipes

[@robertl2856]

Great item many thanks

[@julesn.8601]

3:47 isn't the Lancia D50 the first F1 car to use a stressed member chassis? Unless I was misled by an article I read a couple of weeks ago.

[@davidenativo]

Jules N. Yes the Lancia D50 was the first F1 car to use the engine as stressed member (beware, saying 'chassis as stressed member', as you did, means an entirely different thing). The host made the usual mistake by thinking that Chapman's was the first, but it was Jano's car really.

[@julesn.8601]

Thanks for the correction :)

[@davidenativo]

You're welcome mate! :)

[@57blackaxe]

1959 Le Mans 2nd IN CLASS, 10th overall. His best finish was a year later, 3rd overall in an Aston martin DBR1.

[@davidbloom2079]

nice racecar

[@waltermunoz8642]

gran piloto made in ARGENTINA

[@Mark_Williams300]

Can we get the Top Gear band back together with Mike on bagpipes? 😃

[@vandelayofficial492]

Lotus was apparently concerned when the BRM engine showed up because it took 5 men to get it off of the truck.

[@MrSociophobia]

The '60s had the absolute best sounding f1 cars and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.

[@jerryldavis1823]

Lotus was so great back then . What happened to it now .

[@xI2aiizza]

jerryl davis Say that to Lancia, lol. It's really unfortunate but memories of your prime alone won't keep you economically safe and sound.

[@Skydrag.V60]

Colin Chapman died

[@cdjhyoung]

Modern racing teams require significantly greater amounts of money to remain competitive, compared to the 1960's. Formula 1 is famous for an unfair formula of support for the racing teams, and to some extent, Lotus is a victim of this, having much less money available to fund its research as compared to Ferrari. But yes, Chapman was Lotus and cannot be replaced.

[@andrewmacgregorpiping2961]

Could anyone be so kind as to tell me what the name of the tune is at the end of this video? Thank you.

[@jimstoffaire8521]

The BRM H16 was about as reliable as a fifty cent watch.

[@Real_Claudy_Focan]

Flatening a V-8 won't make it a Boxer-8 like it is said here ! 3:15

[@rshackelford4445]

And the 60th running of the Daytona 500 and the 102nd running of the Indy 500

[@svelob1944]

What happened to ep 2?

[@777-m4q]

bruh can you imagine jim driving that with 8 turbos?

[@JohannDaart]

I love this 3.0 cars, but I think they are abomination. 1.5 engines were reasonable for this era/chassis type. Obviously they weren't safe at all, but the power was spot on. With 3.0 and no aero, this cars became something out of this world. Meat grinding machines.

[@markmorey799]

Even when they fitted wings these three litre cars with aluminium chassis on the circuits of the time were death traps. It would have been better to increase engine capacity from 1.5 litres to 2 litres.

[@JohannDaart]

@@markmorey799 True, but aero/downforce made carrying such power through corners more reasonable. You at least had something to lean on. Otherwise, what's the point of 3.0 engine if you only have mechanical grip to keep you in the corner. Anyway, for me, guys that drove this demons successfully were gods. I don't think there's something more exciting than this cars in motorsport history. Maybe Mercedes W125? 600 bhp Messerschmit bomber engine fitted to a bicycle without disc brakes haha?

[@alancamilleri]

Most of the car is original. Rear paint wish bones calipers etc. The owner got also rims and original tyres . The time when man and machines were at their best and writing history. Manuel Fangio said he was the best.

[@marnieclark3302]

R I P

[@tonyb9735]

Wow, judging from the bagpipes at the end he must have really disliked Jim Clark.

[@georgebrown8201]

They don't make them like this anymore.

[@DennisBloodnokPhotographyVideo]

In the history of F1 (or any form of Motorsport) facts and figures do have significance. Due to the accident of his birth and the era that Jim Clark actually raced in, there were fewer F1 races per year. Jim Clark's entire F1 career was just 72 Grands Prix. Equally the cars were much less safe and much less reliable than in today's era. Of the 72 Formula One Grands Prix that Jim Clark competed in, on 46 occasions something went wrong with the car and Jim Clark either retired from the race or was slowed down dramatically. Of the remaining 26 races, Jim Clark finished second on one occasion. Of the remaining 25 races, Jim Clark won the lot....... All 25 !! (NB This was whilst competing against Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and John Surtees. Four men who won 9 World Championships between them). In the history of motor racing , it is not a matter of how you rate the drivers. There is Jim Clark................................. .......................................... and then there are the rest.

[@raffaeledivora9517]

Well put! RIP Jim Clark

[@philrod1]

He's in a class of one. If his car finished the race, Jim was the winner.

[@senatorjosephmccarthy2720]

Thanks for the best evaluation of all of the hardest worker of all. I was so privileged as to see him win the '65 Indi 500, the most coveted race. We didn't see the Greek gods, the exploring gods, but we saw the racing one.

[@1969JohnnyM]

Also other World Champs Clark raced against were Phil Hill, Denny Hulme, and Jochen Rindt, whilst Bruce McClaren, Wolfgang von Trips and Chris Amon came close but regardless were top, top drivers.

[@northern_lights9333]

I couldn’t have summed this up any better. Clark is and always will be the greatest racing driver that ever lived. 8 grand slams from only 72 GP’s & that’s not even including the grand slams from all the unofficial F1 races & other categories that he competed in. Hamilton has 6 grand slams but from 300 GP’s, Schumacher has 5!, Senna even less. That is the marker of the genius of Jim Clark Senna & Schumacher take all the accolades as the GOAT because they competed in the sport after it became a huge global commercial machine & Clark is ignorantly forgotten about by the younger generation or they’re not even aware of who he was & how supernaturally talented the man was. I’d pick Clark every time over any other driver in history

[@Bruce-1956]

'Passing' ?, the man died.

[@CJoke23]

imho wings destroyed F1

[@1320crusier]

"Jim Clark won Spa by FIVE MINUTES"

[@biketech60]

My take is a lack of cost control did it . Maybe they should be "pink slip" races .? At the end anyone can buy any car for a half million dollars .

[@lameduck3630]

According to Chris Amon the Ferrari wasn't that powerful, nearer to 350 HP than 420.

[@jerryldavis1823]

Back then formula 1 was not as restricted . That is how innovations happened .But now its just shit .

[@trigger565]

jerryl davis f1 has always been restricted. The word “formula 1” comes from the fact that the cars had to adhere to the formulas defined for the specific racing series. Today, the rules are just more restrictive (e.g. Everyone has to have a V6 1.6, while before cars could have e.g. A 1.5 forced induction or a 3.0 NA - and you could figure out yourself how you’d comply to those restrictions)

[@CaTe-hg4sl]

For it is true that the new restrictions only made cars faster, for example, than last year! What is the difference of times per lap compared to 1965?

[@jerryldavis1823]

Trigster that is why wec,le mans will always be above formula 1 because of way less restrictions it has and the choice to do your own thing.

[@1320crusier]

well.. except for when the WEC threatens to punish teams if they are faster than Toyota or stint length maximums.

[@v_alexiadis]

Yeah do your own thing as long as it follows a certain set of regulations, many of them even sillier than F1's. So in the end, you can barely do your own thing. Also, BoP alone make your claim fall apart. In F1, those cars perform at their maximum. They're the ultimate. LMP1s are severely restricted. That's proven by the incredible unrestricted Porsche 919 EVO. It's no coincidence F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport.

[@nikosvytogiannis3436]

I wouldn’t say he is the best of all time. Senna is who I believe is the best of all time. Clark is definitely one the greatest drivers. But not better than Senna

[@raffaeledivora9517]

Look up Clark, and then come back

[@frankhoward7645]

I believe even Senna would disagree with you.

[@fingerhorn4]

Suggest you time warp back to 1965 and actually watch Clark with your own eyes. If you did then you'd realise he was by far the greatest. Please don't forget he won not just in F1, but in EVERY type of car he drove.

[@Stuntman175]

Senna himself considered Jim Clark as the best driver that has ever sat behind the wheel of a F1 car.

[@kevintibbetts5249]

Great video but horrible narration

[@cdjhyoung]

The narration is fine. The audio is pretty poor, really needs to be redone.

[@TheFokker03]

interesting,but he's below Senna on my top 10.

[@TheGrinch_]

Was an Jim Clark racists

[@peterlovett5841]

You are thinking of the sherif of Selma (I think) who was also called Jim Clark who was a segregationist.

[@TheGrinch_]

Peter Lovett jk chill I was just joking but how do you know he was a segregationist