82-545: Joseph Siffert ( French pronunciation: [ʒo sifɛʁ] ; 7 July 1936 – 24 October 1971) was a Swiss racing driver , who competed in Formula One from 1962 to 1971 . Siffert won two Formula One Grands Prix across 10 seasons. Affectionately known as "Seppi" to his family and friends, Siffert was born in Fribourg, Switzerland , the son of a dairy owner. He initially made his name in racing on two wheels, winning
164-623: A Ferrari . He married Angelina ( née Damy), in Mexico in 1961, although he had a girlfriend in England, Glenda Foreman, with whom he lived in Bray on Thames in his later years, but left no children. Rodríguez always traveled with a Mexican flag and a record of the national anthem because when he won the 1967 South African GP the organizers did not have the Mexican anthem , and instead played
246-480: A Ferrari 330 TRI/LM , and shared a 250 GTO with his brother to win the Paris 1000 km, the second year in a row. After Ferrari refused to enter the 1962 Mexican Grand Prix , the first to be held in Mexico, Rodríguez and his younger brother both found rides of their own. After his brother was killed in a horrific accident in practice, Rodríguez withdrew. He considered retiring from racing. However, in 1963 he won
328-684: A Porsche 917 , contributing to Porsche winning in the World Sportscar Championship. Rodríguez developed into one of the sport's great all-rounders, racing CanAm , NASCAR , rallies and even becoming North American Ice Racing champion in 1970, invited by the Alaska Sports Car Club from Anchorage , the race was in Sand Lake . Rodríguez debuted in NASCAR at Trenton Speedway in 1959, finishing 6th. At
410-675: A Protos -Ford, at the Formula Two event at Enna, sidelined him for three Grand Prix. Rodríguez was only marginally slower than Rindt in the Dutch Grand Prix , also the only other race in the season where the Coopers were competitive. His performance at Zandvoort earned Rodríguez a better drive with BRM in 1968 . Rodríguez proved himself excellent in the wet at Zandvoort and Rouen where he got his only fastest lap in F1 during
492-406: A transformative shift, echoing past pivots. The industry, much like the cars it champions , has had to navigate through a global pandemic and a persistent chip shortage, each threatening to derail production schedules . At the same time, a new course is being charted towards an electric future, a dramatic change in direction that is challenging the old guard of gasoline engines. There is also
574-631: A "manufacturer's" logo and "vehicle name", yet use components produced by another automobile manufacturer. There are also other stock car governing bodies, most notably the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). In the UK, British Stock car racing is also referred to as "Short Circuit Racing". UK Stock car racing started in the 1950s and grew rapidly through the 1960s and 1970s. Events take place on shale or tarmac tracks – usually around 1/4 mile long. There are around 35 tracks in
656-643: A Ford, but achieved little. He returned to racing full-time in 1955, at 15, entering a Jaguar XK120 or Porsche 1600 S in local contests. At the end of 1957, Rodríguez (who had been driving a Chevrolet Corvette in Mexico) and his brother entered the Nassau Speed Week competition, where the wild-driving elder brother wrecked his Ferrari 500 TR . The 18-year-old Rodríguez shared a 500 TR at Le Mans , entered by U.S. importer Luigi Chinetti , with José Behra , brother of Jean Behra , as his co-driver;
738-889: A Gulf- Porsche 917 of Team John Wyer led the hearse and procession through the streets of Fribourg. In the final round of the 2007–08 A1GP season , at Brands Hatch , the A1 Team Switzerland car carried the message Jo 'Seppi' Siffert - 40th Anniversary - Brands Hatch . This commemorated his 1968 British Grand Prix victory at Brands Hatch. Graded drivers not eligible for European Formula Two Championship points ( key ) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) ( key ) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) ( key ) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Graded drivers not eligible for European Formula Two Championship points F1 Results include information from
820-399: A factory BRM P154 . The 1971 Formula One season could have seen him as a championship contender, with a BRM P160 being prepared by Tony Southgate , and for once BRM had consistently good engines. BRM, however, was overextended, trying to run three, and later four, cars. Rodríguez challenged Jacky Ickx in the rain during the Dutch Grand Prix , and only just failed to win. Rodríguez
902-734: A growing number of events for electric racing cars, such as the Formula E , the Eco Grand Prix or the Electric GT Championship . In single-seater ( open-wheel ) racing, the wheels are not covered, and the cars often have aerofoil wings front and rear to produce downforce and enhance adhesion to the track. The most popular varieties of open-wheel road racing are Formula One (F1), the IndyCar Series and Super Formula . In Europe and Asia, open-wheeled racing
SECTION 10
#1732801598571984-707: A lap at 388 km/h (241 mph). The series' biggest race is the Indianapolis 500 , which is commonly referred to as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" due to being the longest continuously run race in the series and having the largest crowd for a single-day sporting event (350,000+). The other major international single-seater racing series is Formula 2 (formerly known as Formula 3000 and GP2 Series ). Regional series include Super Formula and Formula V6 Asia (specifically in Asia), Formula Renault 3.5 (also known as
1066-423: A lengthy pit stop and local privateer John Love 's Tasman Cooper needed a late fuel stop. Rindt, by contrast, retired the other Cooper-Maserati after 38 laps. Rodríguez drove a controlled season in 1967 as No. 2 to Rindt. Though usually slower than his teammate, he built up experience in the older and heavier T81 , while Rindt was given the improved T81B and later the brand new T86 . A mid-season accident in
1148-482: A much easier time following and passing than in open-wheel racing . It often features full-contact racing with subtle bumping and nudging due to the small speed differentials and large grids. The major touring car championships conducted worldwide are the Supercars Championship (Australia), British Touring Car Championship , Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), World Touring Car Championship and
1230-528: A prescribed route occurred at 4:30 A.M. on August 30, 1867, between Ashton-under-Lyne and Old Trafford , England, a distance of 8 mi (13 km). It was won by the carriage of Isaac Watt Boulton . Internal combustion auto racing events began soon after the construction of the first successful gasoline -fueled automobiles. The first organized contest was on April 28, 1887, by the chief editor of Paris publication Le Vélocipède , Monsieur Fossier. It ran 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Neuilly Bridge to
1312-589: A race-long battle. This is regarded as the last GP victory by a genuine privateer. In 1971 as a BRM team driver he scored his second Formula One Championship race victory at the Austrian Grand Prix held at the Österreichring . While Siffert's status in F1 grew slowly, his fame came as a leading driver for the factory Porsche effort in its quest for the World Sportscar Championship . In 1968, Siffert and Hans Herrmann won
1394-485: A ride in 1970 after John Surtees decided to leave to set up his own team at the last minute. For most of 1970, Stanley clearly favoured Jackie Oliver as number one driver, perhaps partly in response to Stewart's opinion of Rodríguez and possibly because of his "old-boys' club" of Englishmen at the team. At Francorchamps , Rodríguez won with his BRM P153 over the new March of Chris Amon by just 1.1 seconds and with an average speed of 149.94 mph (241.31 km/h ), then
1476-426: A small, low-cost machine on small tracks. Many of the current top drivers began their careers in karts. Formula Ford represents the most popular first open-wheel category for up-and-coming drivers stepping up from karts. The series is still the preferred option, as it has introduced an aero package and slicks, allowing the junior drivers to gain experience in a race car with dynamics closer to F1. The Star Mazda Series
1558-602: A very narrow margin. He won two races in Formula One for the Rob Walker Racing Team and BRM . He died at the 1971 World Championship Victory Race , having his car roll over after a crash caused by a mechanical failure and being caught under the burning vehicle. Siffert was married twice and to his second wife Simone during the height of his career in the late 1960s and at the time of his death. They had two children together, Véronique and Philippe. Siffert
1640-519: A whisker in the race. The uncompetitive 312s ran midfield until Rodríguez's car broke and Amon's engine blew for the second race in a row. Given the hopelessness of the 312 V12, the frustration of his drivers, and the slow progress with getting the new flat-12 F1 car ready, Enzo Ferrari would rather have run two Italian drivers for the rest of the season, but the Brambilla brothers, Vittorio and Ernesto , proved too slow. So, Ferrari ran Rodríguez in
1722-823: Is NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). NASCAR's premier series is the NASCAR Cup Series , its most famous races being the Daytona 500 , the Southern 500 , the Coca-Cola 600 , and the Brickyard 400 . NASCAR also runs several feeder series, including the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series (a pickup truck racing series). The series conduct races across the entire continental United States . NASCAR also sanctions series outside of
SECTION 20
#17328015985711804-719: Is a worldwide series that runs only street circuit and race tracks . These cars are heavily based on technology and their aerodynamics. The speed record was set in 2005 by Juan Pablo Montoya hitting 373 km/h (232 mph). Some of the most prominent races are the Monaco Grand Prix, the Italian Grand Prix , and the British Grand Prix . The season ends with the crowning of the World Championship for drivers and constructors. In
1886-650: Is another entry-level series. Indy Lights represent the last step on the Road to Indy , being less powerful and lighter than an IndyCar racer. Students at colleges and universities can also take part in single-seater racing through the Formula SAE competition, which involves designing and building a single-seater car in a multidisciplinary team and racing it at the competition. This also develops other soft skills, such as teamwork, while promoting motorsport and engineering. The world's first all-female Formula racing team
1968-615: Is commonly referred to as 'Formula', with appropriate hierarchical suffixes. In North America, the 'Formula' terminology is not followed (with the exception of F1). The sport is usually arranged to follow an international format (such as F1), a regional format (such as the Formula 3 Euro Series), and/or a domestic, or country-specific, format (such as the German Formula 3 championship, or the British Formula Ford). F1
2050-646: Is named the Pedro Rodríguez curve. In 1973 the Mexico City race track Magdalena Mixuhca , where F1, Champ Car , NASCAR and other series race was renamed for him and Ricardo: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez (Rodríguez Brothers Autodrome). In July 2006, a bronze plaque was placed at the site of his crash in Nuremberg, a joint effort by Scuderia Rodríguez (the friends foundation) and the city authorities. Its Secretary General, Carlos Jalife, published
2132-923: Is the FIA World Endurance Championship . The main series for GT car racing is the GT World Challenge Europe , divided into two separate championships: the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup . This series has formed after the folding of the various FIA GT championships. The prevailing classes of GT cars are GT3 , GT4 and GT2 class cars. GT2 cars have powerful engines, often exceeding 600 horsepower. However, they have less downforce than GT3 cars and also have less driver aids. GT3 cars are far and away
2214-522: Is undergoing a period of transition, but is still the longest-running road racing series in the U.S. The National Auto Sport Association also provides a venue for amateurs to compete in home-built factory-derived vehicles on various local circuits. In sports car racing, production-derived versions of two-seat sports cars , also known as grand tourers (GTs), and purpose-built sports prototype cars compete within their respective classes on closed circuits. The premier championship series of sports car racing
2296-772: The Daily Express Silverstone Trophy, fifth at the U.S. Grand Prix and seventh in the Mexican Grand Prix in a Ferrari. He won the Reims 12-Hours in a Ferrari 365 P2 he shared with Jean Guichet , and scored a third at the Canadian Sports Car Grand Prix. He drove again for Lotus in four events in 1966, retiring on every occasion. He also deputised for Jim Clark in the Formula Two event at Rouen. At
2378-1198: The 1967 South African Grand Prix in a Cooper and the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix in a BRM . He won the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Ford GT40 and won eight races in the Porsche 917 across 1970 and 1971. In July 1971, Rodríguez was killed at the Norisring in West Germany , driving a Ferrari 512 M in an Interserie sportscar race. Rodríguez was born in Mexico City , Mexico , the second son of Pedro Natalio Rodríguez and Concepción De la Vega. He had an older sister, Conchita, and three younger brothers: Ricardo, Federico (died at two months of age) and Alejandro. At 15, his father sent him to Western Military Academy in Alton, Illinois , in order to learn English and to develop more discipline. The Rodríguez brothers raced bicycles and motorcycles, becoming Mexican national motorcycle champions in 1953 and 1954. Pedro made his international debut in cars at Nassau in 1957 in
2460-495: The 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in a Porsche 907 , marking the first major outright wins for the company, apart from a few earlier victories on twisty tracks. Later on, Siffert's driving displays in the Porsche 917 earned him several major wins in Europe. In addition, Siffert was chosen by Porsche to help launch its CanAm development programme, driving a Porsche 917 PA spyder in 1969 and finishing fourth in
2542-680: The 24 Hours of Le Mans , begun in 1923. It is run by the Automobile Club of the West (ACO). Team Ferrari won the race in 2023. With auto construction and racing dominated by France, the French automobile club ACF staged a number of major international races, usually from or to Paris, connecting with another major city, in France or elsewhere in Europe. Aspendale Racecourse , in Australia,
Jo Siffert - Misplaced Pages Continue
2624-634: The 24 Hours of Le Mans , the Rolex 24 at Daytona , 24 Hours of Spa -Franchorchamps, the 12 Hours of Sebring , the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen , and the 1,000-mile (1,600 km) Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta . There is also the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring on the famed Nordschleife track and the Dubai 24 Hour , which is aimed at GT3 and below cars with a mixture of professional and pro-am drivers. Production-car racing, otherwise known as "showroom stock" in
2706-547: The Daytona Continental in a 250GTO entered by North American Racing Team . He came third at Sebring, sharing a 330TR/LM with Graham Hill . He failed to qualify at Indianapolis , in an Aston Martin -powered Cooper T54 , but took part in his first Grand Prix in the works Lotus at Watkins Glen and Magdalena Mixhuca . Rodríguez failed to finish both times. Also in 1963, driving for Kjell Qvale Racing, he won his second USRRC ( FIA Group 7 cars) event in
2788-586: The French GP . Lack of power meant he had to settle for second behind Bruce McLaren during the Belgian GP at Francorchamps . The BRM P133 faded through the year from lack of testing time after the death of Mike Spence , whom the team's owners favoured. Nevertheless, Rodríguez led the Spanish Grand Prix from Chris Amon for 28 laps until he made a mistake and spun off. At the end of
2870-479: The Mexican hat dance . Jo Ramírez was a very close friend to both Rodríguez as well as his younger brother Ricardo. Rodríguez began racing with bicycles at eight years old. He was a class winner in the Mexican Championship by 1950. He started racing a 125 cc (7.6 cu in) Adler motorcycle , winning Mexico's national championship in 1952 and 1954. In 1952, he entered a rally in
2952-553: The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starting in 2014. These races are often conducted over long distances, at least 1,000 km (621 mi), and cars are driven by teams of two or more drivers, switching every few hours. Due to the performance difference between production-based sports cars and purpose-built sports prototypes, one race usually involves several racing classes, each fighting for its own championship. Famous sports car races include
3034-653: The World Touring Car Cup . The European Touring Car Cup is a one-day event open to Super 2000 specification touring cars from Europe's many national championships. While Super GT traces its lineage to the now-defunct JGTC , the cars are much more similar to GT3 race cars than proper touring cars, and also have much more aggressive aerodynamics. The Sports Car Club of America 's SPEED World Challenge Touring Car and GT championships are dominant in North America. America's historic Trans-Am Series
3116-444: The first Mexican driver to compete in Formula One in 1961. Both brothers started racing at an early age, first on motorbikes and then moving to cars. Following his brother's death in a racing accident in 1962, Pedro briefly considered retiring from racing, but decided to carry on. In sportscar racing his first major win was with his brother in the 1961 Paris 1000km, driving a Ferrari 250 GT . He began his Formula One career in 1963, won
3198-448: The 10th lap. On lap 12, the tyre came off completely, sending the car into a wall before rebounding across the track and catching fire. He died shortly after he was extracted from the wreck. Rodríguez was considered the best driver of his era in the wet. Along with Jo Siffert , he was considered the bravest driver in motorsport, an example of this being the two touching through the then-very narrow and very dangerous Eau Rouge corner in
3280-425: The 1960 Targa Florio , again in the 196 S, which spent time off the pavement as well as on. He retired from that year's Nürburgring 1000 km, and from Le Mans. In 1961, Rodríguez entered Formula Junior . He returned also to Sebring, sharing a 250TR with his brother which suffered electrical trouble and came third. The duo also failed to finish that year's Targa Florio or Nürburgring 1000 km, but did win
3362-518: The 1963 Firecracker 400 he qualified 9th but retired after an engine failure. The Mexican finished 5th in the 1965 World 600 , his best result. At the 1971 Daytona 500 he finished 13th. His last NASCAR race was Miller High Life 500 , where he retired early with electrical issues Rodríguez drove a Ferrari 312 P Coupé in the CanAm round of Bridgehampton in 1969, finishing 5th. In 1970 he finished 3rd at Riverside and 5th at Laguna Seca Raceway with
Jo Siffert - Misplaced Pages Continue
3444-472: The 1980s and 1990s all over the United States. In North America, stock car racing is the most popular form of auto racing. Primarily raced on oval tracks , stock cars vaguely resemble production cars, but are in fact purpose-built racing machines that are built to tight specifications and, together with touring cars, also called Silhouette racing cars . The largest stock car racing governing body
3526-462: The 24 hours of Le Mans (held annually since 1923) and in the (European) Le Mans series , Asian Le Mans Series and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship . These cars are referred to as LMP (Le Mans prototype) cars with LMH and LMDh cars being run mainly by manufacturers and the slightly less powerful LMP2 cars run by privateer teams. All three Le Mans Series run GT cars in addition to Le Mans Prototypes; these cars have different restrictions than
3608-612: The Bois de Boulogne. On July 22, 1894, the Parisian magazine Le Petit Journal organized what is considered to be the world's first motoring competition, from Paris to Rouen. One hundred and two competitors paid a 10- franc entrance fee. The first American automobile race is generally considered to be the Thanksgiving Day Chicago Times-Herald race of November 28, 1895. Press coverage of
3690-592: The FIA GT cars. Another prototype and GT racing championship exists in the United States; the Grand-Am , which began in 2000, sanctions its own endurance series, the Rolex Sports Car Series , which consists of slower and lower-cost Daytona Prototype race cars compared to LMP and FIA GT cars. The Rolex Sports Car Series and American Le Mans Series announced a merger between the two series forming
3772-664: The Huffaker chassis#2 Mk8 GENIE/Chevrolet, then went on to win again in their chassis#3 Mk8 GENIE/Ford For 1964, he again won the Daytona Continental, as well as the sports car Canadian Grand Prix, was second at the Paris 1000 km, and third in the Bahamas Tourist Trophy. In single-seater racing, he recorded a sixth in the Ferrari 156 at Mexico . In 1965, his Lotus 33 -Climax was fourth at
3854-484: The Paris 1000 km. An ongoing duel with the works Ferraris at Le Mans, which ultimately resulted in engine failure only two hours from the end, attracted the attention of Enzo Ferrari , who offered them Formula One rides with his team . Pedro declined, having "a motor business in Mexico City to run". Despite his refusal, Rodríguez kept racing, and in 1962 entered at Sebring, the Nürburgring, and Le Mans, but failed to finish each time. He won at Bridgehampton , in
3936-701: The Rodríguez brothers' biography in December 2006, with an English translation which won the Motor Press Guild Book of the Year award in 2009. Sergio Pérez wore a specially-designed crash helmet tributing Pedro Rodríguez for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix in which he went on to claim his third win in Formula One. The helmet featured Rodríguez's helmet colours and, on the top, Rodríguez's and Perez's combined wins and podiums before Perez's victory in
4018-543: The Swiss 350 cc motorcycle championship in 1959, before switching to four wheels with a Formula Junior Stanguellini. Siffert graduated to Formula One as a privateer in 1962, with a four-cylinder Lotus - Climax . He later moved to Swiss team Scuderia Filipinetti , and in 1964 joined Rob Walker 's private British Rob Walker Racing Team . Early successes included victories in the non-Championship 1964 and 1965 Mediterranean Grands Prix , both times beating Jim Clark by
4100-733: The UK and upwards of 7000 active drivers. The sport is split into three basic divisions – distinguished by the rules regarding car contact during racing. The most famous championship are the BriSCA F1 Stock Cars . Full-contact formulas include Bangers , Bombers, and Rookie Bangers – and racing features Demolition Derbies, Figure of Eight, and Oval Racing. Semi Contact Formulas include BriSCA F1, F2, and Superstox – where bumpers are used tactically. Non-contact formulas include National Hot Rods, Stock Rods, and Lightning Rods. Pedro Rodriguez (racing driver) Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega (18 January 1940 – 11 July 1971)
4182-532: The UK, the major club series are the Monoposto Racing Club , BRSCC F3 (formerly ClubF3, formerly ARP F3), Formula Vee and Club Formula Ford. Each series caters to a section of the market, with some primarily providing low-cost racing, while others aim for an authentic experience using the same regulations as the professional series (BRSCC F3). The SCCA is also responsible for sanctioning single-seater racing in much of North America. There are other categories of single-seater racing, including kart racing , which employs
SECTION 50
#17328015985714264-401: The US, is an economical and rules-restricted version of touring-car racing, mainly used to restrict costs. Numerous production racing categories are based on particular makes of cars. Most series, with a few exceptions, follow the Group N regulation. There are several different series that are run all over the world, most notably, Japan's Super Taikyu and IMSA 's Firehawk Series, which ran in
4346-409: The United States, including the NASCAR Canada Series , NASCAR Mexico Series , NASCAR Whelen Euro Series , and NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race . NASCAR also governs several smaller regional series, such as the Whelen Modified Tour . Modified cars are best described as open-wheel cars. Modified cars have no parts related to the stock vehicle for which they are named after. A number of modified cars display
4428-438: The United States, the most popular series is the IndyCar Series . The cars have traditionally been similar to, though less technologically sophisticated than, F1 cars , with more restrictions on technology aimed at controlling costs. While these cars are not as technologically advanced, they are faster, in part due to their lower downforce compared to F1 cars, and also because they compete on oval race tracks, being able to average
4510-490: The World Series by Renault, succession series of World Series by Nissan ), Formula Three , Formula Palmer Audi and Formula Atlantic . In 2009, the FIA Formula Two Championship brought about the revival of the F2 series. Domestic, or country-specific, series include Formula Three and Formula Renault, with the leading introductory series being Formula Ford . Single-seater racing is not limited merely to professional teams and drivers. There exist many amateur racing clubs. In
4592-405: The burning car. In the subsequent Royal Automobile Club (the UK organising and regulatory representative of the FIA at the time) investigation, it was discovered that Siffert had only suffered a leg fracture in the initial crash but because three fire extinguishers failed to work properly no rescuers could reach Siffert for five minutes and he died of smoke inhalation. A fire marshall stated that if
4674-417: The car did not finish, after a radiator hose puncture. Rodríguez came back every year to Le Mans, fourteen times in total, and won in 1968 , co-driving with Belgian Lucien Bianchi , sharing a Ford GT40 for the JW – Gulf team. At the Reims 12-hours in 1958, Rodríguez and Behra placed second in class (eighth overall) in their Porsche Carrera , while Rodríguez came second in a Ferrari 250 TR at Nassau at
4756-437: The championship despite few entries. In 1970 he teamed up with Brian Redman to drive a Porsche 908 /3 to victory at the Targa Florio . That same year, Porsche bankrolled Siffert's seat in a works March Engineering F1 since the German company did not wish to lose one of their prize drivers to rival Ferrari. His association with March in F1 was disastrous, so he was pleased to join rival Porsche racer Pedro Rodriguez at BRM
4838-511: The end of the season. Rodríguez went to Europe to race starting in 1959, sharing a Porsche 1600 S with Leo Levine at the Nurbürgring 1000 km , which came in second in class (thirteenth overall). He shared a 750 cc (46 cu in) O.S.C.A. with his brother for Le Mans, which broke. At Cuba's 1960 Liberty Grand Prix, Rodríguez's 250TR followed Stirling Moss 's winning Maserati Tipo 61 home, in second. At Sebring , his Dino 196 S failed to finish. Rodríguez claimed seventh at
4920-400: The event first aroused significant American interest in the automobile. The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily , Italy near the island's capital of Palermo . Founded in 1906 , it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973. The oldest surviving sports car racing event is
5002-407: The fire extinguishers worked correctly then they could have reached Siffert within 20 seconds. This accident led to a rapid overhaul of safety, both in-car and on circuit. On-board fire extinguishers (using BCF— bromochlorodifluoromethane , an aircraft product) became mandatory and also piped air for the drivers, direct into their helmets. His funeral in Switzerland was attended by 50,000 people and
SECTION 60
#17328015985715084-477: The first recorded as early as 1867. Many of the earliest events were effectively reliability trials , aimed at proving these new machines were a practical mode of transport, but soon became an important way for automobile makers to demonstrate their machines. By the 1930s, specialist racing cars had developed. There are now numerous different categories, each with different rules and regulations. The first prearranged match race of two self-powered road vehicles over
5166-463: The following season. Siffert was killed in the non-championship World Championship Victory Race at Brands Hatch , Kent, England, the scene of his first victory in 1968. The suspension of his BRM had been damaged in a lap one incident with Ronnie Peterson , and broke later. This was not admitted by BRM until much later when it was accidentally divulged by a BRM ex-mechanic. The BRM crashed and immediately caught fire. Siffert could not free himself from
5248-436: The following sources: Racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing , motor racing , or automobile racing ) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non-racing disciplines. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various types were organized, with
5330-445: The highest average speed in the history of F1, Jean-Pierre Beltoise got the third place in a Matra. The power of the V12 engines was particularly suited to the fast circuits with few really slow corners, such as Francorchamps, Monza , and to a degree Brands Hatch and the Nürburgring , and that was usually the case with the BRM, Matra , and Weslake engined cars. A strong drive at Circuit Mont-Tremblant saw him finish 4th. Only
5412-402: The last four races of the season, in NART American racing colours for the North American races, but still, effectively, as a Ferrari works team. All in all, Rodríguez managed a fourth place in 1968; sixth in 1964, 1967 and 1970; and seventh in 1965 and 1969; while retiring in 1963 and 1966; in his eight home races in Mexico, but Ferrari didn't offer him a ride for 1970. BRM only offered him
5494-632: The last step up to premier GT-class racing. Other major GT championships include the GT World Challenge America , GT World Challenge Asia , Super GT , and the International GT Open . There are minor regional and national GT series using mainly GT4 and GT3 cars featuring both amateur and professional drivers. Sports prototypes, unlike GT cars, do not rely on road-legal cars as a base. They are closed-wheel and often closed-cockpit purpose-built race cars intended mainly for endurance racing. They have much lower weight, more horsepower and more downforce compared to GT cars, making them much faster. They are raced in
5576-442: The most popular class of GT cars, with premier racing series such as the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA both using GT3 as their top class of GT car. GT3 cars have more significant aero than a GT2 car, but also have less horsepower, typically falling in between 500 and 550 horsepower. GT4 class cars have very little aerodynamics and less horsepower than GT3 machinery, typically around 450 horsepower. GT4 typically serves as
5658-401: The need to pit in the last laps for fuel robbed him of a victory at Watkins Glen , the highest paying event of the year at the time (US$ 50,000). The winner was Emerson Fittipaldi , who won his first race in F1. After many years racing for Ferrari in the World Championship of Makes for sports cars, he signed for JW-Gulf- Porsche in 1970 and over the next two years won eight races driving
5740-416: The oldest car racing series still active in the world. The first TC competition took place in 1931 with 12 races, each in a different province. Future Formula One star Juan Manuel Fangio (Chevrolet) won the 1940 and 1941 editions of the TC. It was during this time that the series' Chevrolet-Ford rivalry began, with Ford acquiring most of its historical victories. Over the last few years, auto racing has seen
5822-456: The oldest existing purpose-built and still in use automobile race course in the United States is the 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana . It is the largest capacity sports venue of any variety worldwide, with a top capacity of some 257,000+ seated spectators. NASCAR was founded by Bill France Sr. on February 21, 1948, with the help of several other drivers. The first NASCAR " Strictly Stock " race ever
5904-600: The rain in their 917s at the start of the 1970 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps . In 2016, in an academic paper that reported a mathematical modeling study that assessed the relative influence of driver and machine, Rodríguez was ranked the 24th-best Formula One driver of all time. After winning the LMP2 class at the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans , the first class victory for a Mexican driver since Rodríguez, Ricardo González recognized Rodríguez as his hero. The first hairpin at Daytona International Speedway (the right-hand hairpin )
5986-569: The reduction of the schedule from 56 to 34 races a year, established 1972 as the beginning of NASCAR's "modern era". The IMSA GT Series evolved into the American Le Mans Series , which ran its first season in 1998. The European races eventually became the closely related European Le Mans Series , both of which mix prototypes and GTs. Turismo Carretera (TC) is a popular touring car racing series in Argentina, and one of
6068-759: The sport, former Formula 2 champion Jonathan Palmer reopened the F2 category again; most drivers have graduated from the Formula Palmer Audi series. The category is officially registered as the FIA Formula Two championship. Most rounds have two races and are support races to the FIA World Touring Car Championship . Touring car racing is a style of road racing that is run with production-derived four-seat race cars. The lesser use of aerodynamics means following cars have
6150-479: The start of the 1967 season , Rodríguez won for the first time in only his ninth Grand Prix, at Kyalami . This was the first ever Grand Prix win for a Mexican driver. Cooper manager Roy Salvadori allowed Rodríguez to drive the practice car, over the objections of teammate Jochen Rindt , who had demanded Rodríguez's car, with strong support from Rindt's close friend Jackie Stewart . Rodríguez's smooth, consistent driving earned him victory after Denny Hulme had had
6232-501: The year, despite Rodríguez's good performances, BRM team manager Louis Stanley released Rodríguez to the Parnell BRM privateer team. The Reg Parnell Racing BRMs proved to have hopeless engines, and after Monaco , Rodríguez left and signed for Ferrari for the remainder of the 1969 Grand Prix and sports car series. Reentering F1 in the British Grand Prix , Rodríguez matched teammate Amon's pace in practice and led Amon by
6314-423: Was a Mexican racing driver , who competed in Formula One from 1963 to 1971 . Rodríguez won two Formula One Grands Prix across nine seasons. In endurance racing , Rodríguez won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968 with Ford , and was a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona with Porsche . Born and raised in Mexico City , Rodríguez was the older brother of racing driver Ricardo Rodríguez , who became
6396-558: Was born in 1936 in the town of Fribourg , Switzerland , 35 km (22 mi) from Bern to a poor family. Aged 12, Siffert and his father went to Bern to see the 1948 Swiss Grand Prix at the Bremgarten circuit , and it was at this event where Siffert wanted to be a racing driver. In 1968, Siffert drove into the F1 history books by winning the 1968 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch in Rob Walker Racing Team 's Lotus 49B, beating Chris Amon 's Ferrari into second place after
6478-463: Was created in 2006. The group was an assemblage of drivers from different racing disciplines and formed for an MTV reality pilot, which was shot at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca . In December 2005, the FIA gave approval to Superleague Formula racing, which debuted in 2008, whereby the racing teams are owned and run by prominent sports clubs such as A.C. Milan and Liverpool F.C. After 25 years away from
6560-744: Was held on June 19, 1949, at Daytona Beach, Florida , U.S.. From 1962, sports cars temporarily took a back seat to GT cars , with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) replacing the World Championship for Sports Cars with the International Championship for GT Manufacturers. From 1962 through 2003, NASCAR's premier series was called the Winston Cup Series, sponsored by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company cigarette brand Winston . The changes that resulted from RJR's involvement, as well as
6642-521: Was killed in an Interserie sports car race at Norisring in Nuremberg , West Germany, on 11 July 1971. Rodríguez was at the wheel of a Ferrari 512 M of Herbert Müller Racing, his friend and teammate at the Targa Florio in 1971. A contemporary source reported that trackside photographers noticed his right front tyre coming away from the rim under heavy braking for the sharp s-bend as early as
6724-578: Was the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit , opening in January 1906. The pear-shaped track was close to a mile in length, with slightly banked curves and a gravel surface of crushed cement. Brooklands , in Surrey, England, was the first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing venue, opening in June 1907. It featured a 4.43 km (2.75 mi) concrete track with high-speed banked corners. One of
#570429