John Surtees

[Amon]

I just read that John Surtees has passed away at age 83!

May he rest in peace!

Mark

[John Nesbitt]

Unique in that he won World Championships on 2 wheels and on 4 wheels.

And also lived to tell the tale, unlike many F1 drivers of the era.

[Chris Robson]

Saw him race at Bridgehampton in a Lola, trying to keep the McLaren's honest.

A true racer thru and thru...

Godspeed

[marshall9]

RIP Sir,

Thank you for your contributions to our sport.

May God welcome you home and comfort your loved ones.

[EYERACE]

Make that St. John Surtees

[Rick Iverson]

RIP John.

[mmi16]

Champion on 2 wheels and 4 wheels. Won't be duplicated today.

Race on John!

[Offcamber1]

A motorsports journalist remarked to Surtees that Jackie Stewart had just gotten Ford to commit to 115 million dollars to build an F1 car. Surtees replied, "Well that should be enough for Jackie, what is he going to build the cars with?"

Anyway, at least Moss is still alive.

RIP, Champ!

[Paddy O'Brien]

After doing several motorcycle track days and now planning on my WERA club racing debut later this year, I have come to the conclusion that motorcycle and open wheel car racing have nothing in common. But Big John, after dominating bike GP, switches to 4 wheels and finishes second to Jim Clark in his first ever car race and then finishes second in his first F1 Grand Prix, then wins the WC for Ferrari! In the last few years he was still promoting a karting series for young British talent even after the freak/tragic racing death of his son Henry. He was a one off. RIP Sir John.

[Frank C]

John Surtees' accomplishments were amazing and probably underappreciated. I saw him race in the CanAm at Road America and this was my favorite photo from the Barber Museum. RIP.
Frank Chambers

[rickb99]

Yes, a true to the bone racer. Let us not forget he won at Isle of Man several times too.

[veeten]

What a Life
He has visited the Porshe school several times over the years due to his connection
with the Barber Museum.
Funny story. we were talking about scary tracks and he could not remember
the worst one It was a U.S track that overlooked the ocean with a very fast downhill curve.
Turns out it was Bridgehampton,
He will be missed in Alabama.
Sherman

[Peter Olivola]

It was a view of Peconic Bay, and yes, the world ended in the sand at the bottom of the downhill (with credit to Bruce MacInnes.)

What a Life
He has visited the Porshe school several times over the years due to his connection
with the Barber Museum.
Funny story. we were talking about scary tracks and he could not remember
the worst one It was a U.S track that overlooked the ocean with a very fast downhill curve.
Turns out it was Bridgehampton,
He will be missed in Alabama.
Sherman

[John Nesbitt]

A nice obit in today's NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/12/sp...ies-at-83.html

[Paddy O'Brien]

Of course, typical of NYT knowlege of motorsport, the picture of Surtees in a F1 car is actually Mike Spence.

[Offcamber1]

At least we didn't get a picture of Yves Montand.

[John Nesbitt]

Of course, typical of NYT knowlege of motorsport, the picture of Surtees in a F1 car is actually Mike Spence.

And, also typical NYT, when I sent them a message pointing out the error, they corrected it.

[Rondo]

I went to the archives - automobile year - and is looks like Spence never drove a Honda. Hobbs did in 1968 - but that was the "flat" front car. This pic looks like 1967 and no other drivers were listed at any race in a Honda

My god were they unreliable. race after race of retirements...the good old days

And, also typical NYT, when I sent them a message pointing out the error, they corrected it.

[John Nesbitt]

I went to the archives - automobile year - and is looks like Spence never drove a Honda. Hobbs did in 1968 - but that was the "flat" front car. This pic looks like 1967 and no other drivers were listed at any race in a Honda

My god were they unreliable. race after race of retirements...the good old days

What you see today is the corrected image - i.e. Surtees in a Honda.

The former picture did look like Spence.

Scroll to the bottom of the obit for the correction text.

[Paddy O'Brien]

Good job for fixing that, it was definitely Spence, who was a great driver just about ready to be a star when killed at Indy testing the STP turbine in 1968. I think he drove for BRM in F1 in 1967 but memory could be wrong about that. It would have been obvious that the original photo was of Spence if it had been in color because he had the wildest metalflake orange and yellow design of any GP driver of the time, my favorite. It is shown several times in the 1966 movie Grand Prix, including the famous opening sequence.

[DanW]

"He was known to Italians as Figlio del Vento — Son of the Wind."