The Surtees Racing Organisation was a race team that spent nine seasons (1970 to 1978) as a constructor in
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
,
Formula 2
Formula Two (F2 or Formula 2) is a type of open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009–2012 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The name re ...
, and
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 (or F5000) was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars tha ...
.
History
The team was formed by
John Surtees
John Surtees, (11 February 1934 – 10 March 2017) was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver. On his way to become a seven-time Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion, he won his first title in 1956, and followed with ...
, a four-time
500cc motorcycle champion and the 1964
Formula One champion. Surtees formed the team in 1966 for the newly formed
CanAm series (an unlimited
sports car
A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
series), winning the championship as an owner/driver in its first year. He fielded an entry in another newly formed series in 1969, becoming part of
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 (or F5000) was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars tha ...
after taking over the failed Leda F5000 project, and his team constructed its own cars for the first time. His team was successful, winning five races, consecutively, during a twelve race season.
This inspired Surtees to expand to
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
, and after having had a difficult season with
BRM in 1969, he decided to become an owner/driver again. The team ran the full 1970 season, but John Surtees was forced to run the first four races in an old
McLaren due to a delay in the construction of his in-house F1 car. The new
BP-sponsored car earned its first (and only) points that year in the
Canadian Grand Prix
The Canadian Grand Prix (french: Grand Prix du Canada) is an annual motor racing event held since 1961. It has been part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967. It was first staged at Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, as a spor ...
.
Surtees added a second full-time car in for German driver
Rolf Stommelen
Rolf Johann Stommelen (11 July 1943 – 24 April 1983) was a racing driver from Siegen, Germany. He participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points. He also particip ...
, and ran a third car for various drivers in a number of races. Three drivers, Surtees, Stommelen, and motorcycling champion
Mike Hailwood
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, (2 April 1940 – 23 March 1981) was a British professional motorcycle racer and racing driver. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycl ...
earned three points each for the marque that year.
After the 1971 season, Surtees retired from full-time competition, and the team ended up with three new full-time drivers in . Hailwood returned to Surtees for a full year; joining him were Australian
Tim Schenken
Timothy Theodore Schenken (born 26 September 1943) is a former racing driver from Sydney, Australia. He participated in 36 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 16 August 1970. He achieved one career podium at the 1971 Austri ...
and Italian
Andrea de Adamich
Andrea Lodovico de Adamich (born 3 October 1941) is a former racing driver from Italy. He participated in 34 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, making his debut on 1 January 1968. He scored a total of six championship points. He also p ...
, the latter of whom brought sponsorship money to the team. Hailwood produced Surtees' first podium finish that year in the
Italian Grand Prix
The Italian Grand Prix ( it, Gran Premio d'Italia) is the fifth oldest national Grand Prix motor racing, Grand Prix (after the French Grand Prix, the United States Grand Prix, the Spanish Grand Prix and the Russian Grand Prix), having been he ...
, finishing second to
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fittip ...
. All three drivers scored points for the team, and Surtees finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship.
Schenken was replaced in 1973 by Brazilian
Carlos Pace
José Carlos Pace (October 6, 1944 – March 18, 1977) was a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 73 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting at the 1972 South African Grand Prix. He won one race, achieved six podiums, a ...
, and the team only ran two full-time cars after de Adamich left following the season opener. Pace finished third in
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and fourth in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, but it was the only points finishes the team had all season, as Hailwood was left scoreless. Hailwood departed for
McLaren after the year, being replaced by
Jochen Mass in . It was a difficult year for Surtees, as Pace left the team in mid-season, and replacement
Derek Bell struggled to qualify for races, capped by Austrian driver
Helmut Koinigg
Helmuth Koinigg (3 November 1948 – 6 October 1974) was an Austrian racing driver who died in a crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix, in his second Grand Prix start.
Racing career
Koinigg was born in Vienna. Like several other Formula One ...
's fatal crash at the
1974 United States Grand Prix
The 1974 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on October 6, 1974, at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York. It was race 15 of 15 in both the 1974 World Championship of Drivers and the 1974 Intern ...
. A fourth place by Pace at his home track were the only points Surtees managed to get, and they failed to finish in the top ten in the Constructors' Championship.
Low on money for , the team pared back to a single car for
John Watson (although a second car was entered for
Dave Morgan at
Silverstone). The season was a tremendous struggle for Surtees, with no points scored, and the team missed three of the final four races. 1976 was much better, however, as Surtees landed a well-known, but otherwise controversial sponsorship deal with
Durex
Durex is a brand of condoms and personal lubricants owned by the British company Reckitt Benckiser. It was initially developed in London under the purview of the London Rubber Company and British Latex Products Ltd, where it was manufactured be ...
condoms, and Australian
Alan Jones joined the team. Jones finished fifth in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
and at
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit in West Kingsdown, Kent, England, United Kingdom. Originally used as a grasstrack motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently host ...
, and fourth in
Japan. A second car, with
Chesterfield sponsorship, was entered for American
Brett Lunger, while a customer car was raced by Frenchman
Henri Pescarolo
Henri Jacques William Pescarolo (born 25 September 1942) is a former racing driver from France. He competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans a record 33 times, winning on four occasions, and won a number of other major sports car events including the 2 ...
during the second half of the season. With seven points, Surtees placed tenth in the Constructors' Championship.
Jones's success resulted in him leaving the team for the emerging
Shadow
A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, ...
team, and money problems forced Surtees to run one car regularly again in 1977, this time for
Vittorio Brambilla
Vittorio Brambilla (11 November 1937 – 26 May 2001) was a Formula One driver from Italy who raced for the March, Surtees and Alfa Romeo teams. Particularly adept at driving in wet conditions, his nickname was "The Monza Gorilla", due to his ...
. Brambilla's season was effective, also finishing in the points three times. Still, his good results did not prevent Surtees from further monetary troubles. In 1978, the team added a second car for
pay driver
A pay driver is a driver for a professional auto racing team who, instead of being paid by the owner of their car, drives for free and brings with them either personal sponsorship or personal or family funding to finance the team's operations. Th ...
, Briton
Rupert Keegan
Rupert Keegan (born 26 February 1955) is a former racing driver from England. He participated in 37 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 8 May 1977. He scored no championship points.
Keegan won the 1976 British Formula 3 Cha ...
, but the money problems continued. A lack of decent results caused further problems.
Unable to get sufficient money, the team left F1 after the season, despite having a car built for . After racing the car in the
British Aurora championship (formerly F5000) briefly that year, Surtees Racing Organization was closed for good.
Models
File:SurteesTS7BarryBoor.jpg, John Surtees at the wheel of the TS7 at its Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit in West Kingsdown, Kent, England, United Kingdom. Originally used as a grasstrack motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently host ...
debut.
File:Surtees TS9B Goodwood 2008.jpg, The TS9B being demonstrated at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed
The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual motorsports festival featuring modern and historic motor racing vehicles taking part in a hill climb and other events, held in the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England, in late June or ...
.
File:Surtees TS14 Mallory Park.JPG, The TS14 being driven at Mallory Park
Mallory Park is a motor racing circuit situated in the village of Kirkby Mallory, just off the A47, between Leicester and Hinckley, in central England. Originally used for grass-track until 1955, a new, basically oval hard-surfaced course ...
in 2009.
File:John Watson TS16.jpg, John Watson in the TS16 at the 1975 British Grand Prix.
File:SurteesTS19BarryBoor.JPG, Brett Lunger entering Hawthorn's Bend at Brands Hatch during the 1976 British Grand Prix
The 1976 British Grand Prix (formally the John Player Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 18 July 1976 at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, England, United Kingdom. The 76-lap race was the ninth round of the 1976 Formula One season ...
in a TS19.
File:Surtees TS19 2007.jpg, Alan Jones' TS19 being driven in 2007.
File:SurteesTS20BarryBoor.JPG, Vittorio Brambilla
Vittorio Brambilla (11 November 1937 – 26 May 2001) was a Formula One driver from Italy who raced for the March, Surtees and Alfa Romeo teams. Particularly adept at driving in wet conditions, his nickname was "The Monza Gorilla", due to his ...
driving the TS20 at the 1978 British Grand Prix
The 1978 British Grand Prix (formally the XXXI John Player British Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held at Brands Hatch on 16 July 1978. It was the tenth race of the 1978 World Championship of F1 Drivers and the 1978 International Cup ...
.
* TS5 1969-1970
F5000/Formula A. Based on the abandoned Leda prototype. Runner up in the 1969 Guards F5000 championship. Intended as a customer car, but there were no takers.
* TS7 1970
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
. Designed by Surtees, Shahab Ahmed, and
Peter Connew.
DFV/
Hewland
Hewland is a British engineering company, founded in 1957 by Mike Hewland, which specialises in racing-car gearboxes. Hewland currently employ 130 people at their Maidenhead facility and have diversified into a variety of markets being particul ...
"kit car" followed closely on TS5 layout. Surtees won the
Oulton Park International Gold Cup
The International Gold Cup is a prize awarded annually to the winner of a motor race held at the Oulton Park circuit, Cheshire, England. In the 1950s and 1960s it formed one of a number of highly regarded non-Championship Formula One races, which ...
non-Championship race in this car.
* TS8 1971-1972 F5000. Runner up in Rothmans Championship in 1971.
* TS9 1971-1972 Formula One. A derivative of the TS7 with a longer wheelbase and wider track. Surtees repeated his Oulton Park win in 1971.
* TS10 1972
Formula 2
Formula Two (F2 or Formula 2) is a type of open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009–2012 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The name re ...
. Powered by a
Cosworth BDA
Cosworth is a British automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in high-performance internal combustion engines, powertrain, and electronics for auto racing, automobile racing (motorsport) and mainstream Automotiv ...
engine
Mike Hailwood
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, (2 April 1940 – 23 March 1981) was a British professional motorcycle racer and racing driver. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycl ...
convincingly won the 1972 European F2 Championship in this car. Two independent teams purchased TS10s but were not contenders in the series.
* TS11 1972-1973 F5000. Based on the TS9 with a
Chevrolet engine.
Gijs van Lennep
Gijsbert van Lennep (born 16 March 1942, in Aerdenhout, North Holland) is a Dutch racing driver who competed in eight Formula One races. However his main achievements were in sports car racing. He is a member of the untitled Dutch nobility.
Ca ...
won the
1972 Rothmans European Formula 5000 Championship driving the TS11 and a
McLaren M18
The McLaren M18 is an open-wheel Formula 5000 racing car designed and made by McLaren in 1971.
Development
The car was conceived to participate in the 1971 Formula 5000 season to replace the M10.
Design
The car was powered by a 470-hp Chevrol ...
. A TS11 chassis with TS8 bodywork was prepared to run the
1972 Tasman Series after the TS8 intended for the series was wrecked beyond repair. Hailwood finished second in the series in this car.
* TS14 1972-1973 Formula One. This car marked the beginning of the end for Surtees.
Firestone was anticipating leaving Formula One and had little interest in working with Surtees to cure the TS14's habit of devouring tires. It was the first car in F1 to fully comply with crumple-zone legislation, incorporating these into its side pods within which the radiators were mounted, laying down the floorplan for the vast majority of subsequent F1 designs. It was a very quick car at its introduction but a series of accidents and lack of development support did not help it reach its potential. John Surtees drove his last F1 race in the TS14 at
Monza in 1972.
* TS15 1973 Formula two. With
BMW supplying engines exclusively to
March
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March ...
Surtees was forced to settle for second place in the F2 Championships. A good car, but no match for the BMW engine. A development of this car, the TS17, was intended to run a
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
V8 in F5000, but nothing came of the plan.
* TS16 1974-1975 Formula One. Based on the TS14, but overweight and with less than top notch DFV engines. The team also failed to engage a single major sponsor for 1974 so money was tight to say the least. Only a single car was run and to cap off a truly terrible year driver
Helmuth Koinigg
Helmuth Koinigg (3 November 1948 – 6 October 1974) was an Austrian racing driver who died in a crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix, in his second Grand Prix start.
Racing career
Koinigg was born in Vienna. Like several other Formula One ...
was killed during the
1974 United States Grand Prix
The 1974 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on October 6, 1974, at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York. It was race 15 of 15 in both the 1974 World Championship of Drivers and the 1974 Intern ...
at
Watkins Glen. The car was run again in 1975 and
John Watson scored in three non-Championship events, but no championship points were scored.
* TS19 1976-1978 Formula One. A fresh car designed by John Surtees and Ken Sears the TS19 managed to score points for Surtees in 1976 and 1977, and even ran the opening races of the 1978 season.
* TS20 1978 Formula One. A development of the TS19, the TS20 was a clean design that promised well, only to be completely overshadowed by the introduction of
ground effects.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
The first table below details the complete World Championship Grand Prix results for the Surtees "works" team. The second table includes results from privately owned Surtees cars in World Championship Grands Prix.
Works team entries
(
key)
Results of other Surtees cars
(
key)
Can-Am results
See also
*
Brabham Racing Organisation
Brabham () is the common name for Motor Racing Developments Ltd., a British racing car manufacturer and Formula One racing team. Founded in 1960 by Australian driver Jack Brabham and British-Australian designer Ron Tauranac, the team won four ...
,
Embassy Hill
Embassy Racing With Graham Hill, commonly abbreviated to Embassy Hill, was a short-lived Formula One team started by two-time Formula One World Champion Graham Hill. The team debuted in with a customer Shadow DN1 car, and began racing as a cons ...
,
Fittipaldi Automotive
Fittipaldi Automotive, sometimes called Copersucar after its first major sponsor, was a Formula One racing team and constructor that competed from to . It was the only Formula One team to have been based in Brazil. The team was formed during ...
,
Stewart Grand Prix, and
Prost Grand Prix
Prost Grand Prix was a Formula One racing team owned and managed by four-time Formula One world champion Alain Prost. The team participated in five seasons from 1997 to 2001.
History
Purchase of Ligier
As early as 1992, Alain Prost had ambitio ...
, five other Formula One teams established by champion drivers.
Notes
References
* Hodges, David. A-Z of Formula Racing Cars 1945-1990, MBI Publishing Company, 1990.
External links
Surtees Racing Organization in The Formula 1 Database*
ttp://www.grandprix.com/gpe/con-surte.html Constructors: Surtees Racing Organization
{{Surtees
1964 establishments in the United Kingdom
British auto racing teams
British racecar constructors
Can-Am entrants
Formula One constructors
Formula Two constructors
Formula One entrants
Formula Two entrants
24 Hours of Le Mans teams
1979 disestablishments in the United Kingdom