Race
The first six slots on the grid were filled by either previous or future world champions. However the reigning champion, Denny Hulme , only started in ninth. Clark broke many records during the weekend, such as leading the most Grands Prix (43), having the most laps led (1,943), having the most perfect weekends (11), achieving the most pole positions (33) and finally achieving 25 race wins, beating Juan Manuel Fangio 's 11-year-old record.
Race Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Jim Clark | Lotus-Ford | 1:21.6 | — |
| 2 | 5 | Graham Hill | Lotus-Ford | 1:22.6 | +1.0 |
| 3 | 16 | Jackie Stewart | Matra-Ford | 1:22.7 | +1.1 |
| 4 | 3 | Jochen Rindt | Brabham-Repco | 1:23.0 | +1.4 |
| 5 | 2 | Jack Brabham | Brabham-Repco | 1:23.2 | +1.6 |
| 6 | 7 | John Surtees | Honda | 1:23.5 | +1.9 |
| 7 | 10 | Andrea de Adamich | Ferrari | 1:23.6 | +2.0 |
| 8 | 8 | Chris Amon | Ferrari | 1:23.8 | +2.2 |
| 9 | 1 | Denny Hulme | McLaren-BRM | 1:24.0 | +2.4 |
| 10 | 11 | Pedro Rodríguez | BRM | 1:24.9 | +3.3 |
Championship Standings After This Race
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
The air hung thick with the scent of eucalyptus and burning rubber – a distinctly South African aroma, clinging to Kyalami's dusty track. Clark's Lotus 31, a machine sculpted from aluminum and powered by a Ford D-Series V8 producing a robust 328 horsepower, devoured the laps with an almost unsettling grace. Observe, the Repco engine, displacing 3,434 cubic centimeters, was running on a uniquely formulated tire compound, a heavy-duty 'S' compound, chosen specifically to combat the circuit's abrasive surface. This choice, a calculated risk given the inherent limitations of the time, ultimately dictated Clark's dominant performance, a testament to Ford's burgeoning engineering prowess.
It wasn't the deluge predicted, but a persistent, clinging mist that seemed to swallow the track itself, transforming the already challenging circuit into a slick, almost spectral expanse. Thirty-seven laps completed, a brutal baptism for the burgeoning BRM-Honda combination – a statistically curious outcome, considering Honda's nascent presence in the sport. Clark, with his Lotus-Ford, secured victory by a margin of 46. 7 seconds, a gulf of time that, considering the relative development of the teams, hinted at a strategic brilliance, a masterful reading of the deteriorating conditions, and a testament to Jim's sheer driving prowess.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
The air thickened, a palpable tension clinging to Kyalami's dust. Clark's Lotus, a silver arrow against the ochre landscape, wrestled with the track, a heartbeat of raw power and calculated risk. A brief flash of scarlet – Spence's BRM – threatened to disrupt the Lotus's dominance. Then, a shudder, a brief loss of traction, and Clark, with a surgeon's precision, wrestled the car back to the apex. The crowd roared, a primal wave of sound echoing the mechanical symphony. This, the last hurrah for a legend, a poignant dance on the precipice of oblivion.
The rain, a persistent, sullen grey, mirrored the mood hanging over the Lotus garage. Jim Clark, a silhouette against the flickering floodlights, meticulously adjusted his helmet, a small, almost imperceptible frown etching itself onto his brow. He wasn't merely preparing for a race; he was wrestling with a premonition, a ghost of Hockenheim clinging to the damp air. The mechanics, faces grim, tightened the last bolts on the Ford engine, a machine built for speed, yet tonight, burdened with a sorrow that transcended horsepower. This was more than a victory; it was a farewell, a poignant understanding of the fragility of brilliance. The South African sun, hidden behind the clouds, seemed to weep with him.