View source for 1971 World Championship Victory Race

{{Infobox Grand Prix race report
|Type           = NC
|Country        = UK
|Details ref    = <ref>{{cite web|title=1971 Victory Race|url=https://chicanef1.com/racetit.pl?year=1971&gp=Victory%20Race&r=1|work=ChicaneF1|access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref>
|Grand Prix     = World Championship Victory Race
|GP_Suffix      =
|Image          = File:Brands Hatch 1960-1975.svg
|Official name  = Rothmans World Championship Victory Race
|Location       = [[Brands Hatch]], [[Kent]]
|Date           = 24 October
|Year           = 1971
|Course         = Permanent racing facility
|Course_mi      = 2.65
|Course_km      = 4.265
|Distance_laps  = 40
|Distance_mi    = 106
|Distance_km    = 170.59
|Weather        =
|Pole_Driver    = [[Jo Siffert]]
|Pole_Country   = Switzerland
|Pole_Team      = [[BRM]]
|Pole_Time      = 1:22.8
|Fast_Driver    = [[Emerson Fittipaldi]]
|Fast_Team      = [[Team Lotus|Lotus]]
|Fast_Time      = 1:24.0
|Fast_Country   = Brazil
|First_Driver   = [[Peter Gethin]]
|First_Country  = UK
|First_Team     = [[BRM]]
|Second_Driver  = [[Emerson Fittipaldi]]
|Second_Country = Brazil
|Second_Team    = [[Team Lotus|Lotus]]
|Third_Driver   = [[Jackie Stewart]]
|Third_Country  = UK
|Third_Team     = [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]
}}
[[File:Jackie Stewart Tyrrell 003 Brands Hatch 1971.jpg|thumb|[[Jackie Stewart]] driving the [[Tyrrell 003]] on his way to third place]]
The '''Rothmans World Championship Victory Race'''<ref name=prog>{{cite web|title= Rothmans World Championship Victory Race |date= 24 October 1971 |publisher= [[British Automobile Racing Club]] |url= http://www.progcovers.com/motor/brands711024.jpg |access-date= 6 February 2018 }}</ref> was a [[auto racing|motor race]], run to [[Formula One]] rules, held on 24 October 1971 at [[Brands Hatch]], [[Kent]]. The race was to be run over 40 laps of the circuit, but was stopped on lap 15 following the fatal accident suffered by Swiss driver [[Jo Siffert]]. The result was taken from the race order after 14 laps, with [[Peter Gethin]] being declared the winner in his [[BRM]] [[BRM P160|P160]]. The entry included several [[Formula 5000]] cars which were contesting Round 12 of the [[1971 Rothmans European Formula 5000 Championship]].

Siffert's accident led to a rapid overhaul of safety, both in-car and on circuit. In the subsequent [[Royal Automobile Club]] (the UK organising and regulatory representative of the FIA at the time) investigation, it was discovered that the crash itself caused non-fatal injuries but Siffert had rather been killed by smoke inhalation. None of the trackside fire extinguishers worked, and it was found to be impossible to reach the car and extract Siffert because of the intense fire. On-board fire extinguishers (using BCF—[[Bromochlorodifluoromethane]], an aircraft product) became mandatory and also piped air directly into the drivers' helmets.{{cn|date=October 2019}}

==Qualifying==
''Note: a blue background indicates a Formula 5000 entrant.''
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%"
|-
! Pos !! No. !! Driver !! Constructor !! Lap !! Gap
|-
! 1
| 5
| {{flagicon|SUI}} [[Jo Siffert]]
| [[BRM]]
| 1:22.8
|align="center"| &mdash;
|-
! 2
| 6
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Peter Gethin]]
| [[BRM]]
| 1:22.8
| +0.0
|-
! 3
| 8
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Emerson Fittipaldi]]
| [[Team Lotus|Lotus]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:23.6
| +0.8
|-
! 4
| 4
| {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Ronnie Peterson]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:23.6
| +0.8
|-
! 5
| 17
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Mike Hailwood]]
| [[Surtees Racing Organisation|Surtees]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:23.8
| +1.0
|-
! 6
| 1
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Jackie Stewart]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:23.8
| +1.0
|-
! 7
| 12
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Tim Schenken]]
| [[Brabham]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:23.8
| +1.0
|-
! 8
| 7
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Howden Ganley]]
| [[BRM]]
| 1:24.2
| +1.4
|-
! 9
| 10
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Jackie Oliver]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:24.6
| +1.8
|-
! 10
| 16
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[John Surtees]]
| [[Surtees Racing Organisation|Surtees]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:24.6
| +1.8
|- 
! 11
| 14
| {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Carlos Reutemann]]
| [[Brabham]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:24.6
| +1.8
|- 
! 12
| 11
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Graham Hill]]
| [[Brabham]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:24.8
| +2.0
|- 
! 13
| 2
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[François Cevert]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:25.0
| +2.2
|- style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 14
| 23
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Frank Gardner (driver)|Frank Gardner]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:25.8
| +3.0
|- 
! 15
| 15
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Henri Pescarolo]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 1:26.2
| +3.4
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 16
| 77
| {{flagicon|UK}} Mike Walker
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:27.0
| +4.2
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 17
| 26
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Alan Rollinson]]
| [[Surtees Racing Organisation|Surtees]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:27.0
| +4.2
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 18
| 21
| {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Reine Wisell]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:27.0
| +4.2
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 19
| 25
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Keith Holland (racing driver)|Keith Holland]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:27.6
| +4.8
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 20
| 44
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Gordon Spice]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:28.2
| +5.4
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 21
| 28
| {{flagicon|UK}} Ray Allen
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:28.4
| +5.6
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 22
| 33
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Teddy Pilette]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:28.4
| +5.6
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 23
| 41
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Trevor Taylor (racing driver)|Trevor Taylor]]
| Leda-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:29.2
| +6.4
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 24
| 40
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Ian Ashley]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:29.6
| +6.8
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 25
| 27
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[David Prophet]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:29.6
| +6.8
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 26
| 24
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Guy Edwards]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 1:31.0
| +8.2
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 27
| 66
| {{flagicon|UK}} Fred Saunders
| [[Crosslé Car Company|Crosslé]]-[[Rover Company|Rover]]
| 1:32.2
| +9.4
|-
!colspan="6"|{{center|Sources:<ref>{{cite web|title=1971 Victory Race – Qualification
|url=https://chicanef1.com/race.pl?year=1971&gp=Victory%20Race&r=1&type=qual|work=ChicaneF1|access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref><ref name=Pritchard/>}}
|}

==Race==
Although the race only lasted for less than half of its intended distance, there were several incidents. On lap 2, [[Henri Pescarolo]] and [[Reine Wisell]] collided at the Druids hairpin, with both cars retiring. Then [[Mike Hailwood]] and [[Ronnie Peterson]] also collided and had to pit for repairs. Hailwood's car was deemed unfit to continue, but Peterson rejoined the race, albeit nearly a lap down. [[Jo Siffert]] had fallen several places at the start, but had made his way back to 4th by lap 14. Approaching Hawthorn Bend at high speed on lap 15, Siffert's [[British Racing Motors|BRM]] suffered a mechanical failure which pitched it across the track into an earth bank. The car rolled over and caught fire, trapping Siffert underneath, and he died of smoke inhalation in the flames. The race was stopped with the track blocked, and all the cars were stranded out on the circuit except for [[John Surtees]], who was able to drive around to the pits, his car damaged by debris.<ref name=Pritchard>{{cite book|last=Pritchard|first=Anthony|title=The Motor Racing Year No. 3|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_0393085023/|year=1972|pages=144–147|publisher=W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.|location=New York City, United States|isbn=0-393-08502-3|url-access=registration|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

==Results==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Pos !! No. !! Driver !! Entrant !! Constructor !! Time/Retired !! Grid
|-
! 1
| 6
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Peter Gethin]]
| [[BRM|Yardley-BRM]]
| [[BRM]]
| 19:54.4
|style="text-align:center"| 2
|-
! 2
| 8
| {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Emerson Fittipaldi]]
| [[Team Lotus|Gold Leaf Team Lotus]]
| [[Team Lotus|Lotus]]-[[Cosworth]]
| + 0.2 s
|style="text-align:center"| 3
|-
! 3
| 1
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Jackie Stewart]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Elf Team Tyrrell]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]-[[Cosworth]]
| + 5.4 s
|style="text-align:center"| 6
|-
! 4
| 5
| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} [[Jo Siffert]]
| [[BRM|Yardley-BRM]]
| [[BRM]]
| + 12.8 s
|style="text-align:center"| 1
|-
! 5
| 12
| {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Tim Schenken]]
| [[Brabham|Motor Racing Developments]]
| [[Brabham]]-[[Cosworth]]
| + 15.6 s
|style="text-align:center"| 7
|-
! 6
| 16
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[John Surtees]]
| [[Surtees Racing Organisation|Team Surtees]]
| [[Surtees Racing Organisation|Surtees]]-[[Cosworth]]
| + 16.0 s
|style="text-align:center"| 10
|-
! 7
| 2
| {{flagicon|France}} [[François Cevert]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Elf Team Tyrrell]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]-[[Cosworth]]
| + 24.8 s
|style="text-align:center"| 13
|-
! 8
| 11
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Graham Hill]]
| [[Brabham|Motor Racing Developments]]
| [[Brabham]]-[[Cosworth]]
| + 31.6 s
|style="text-align:center"| 12
|-
! 9
| 14
| {{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Carlos Reutemann]]
| [[Brabham|Motor Racing Developments]]
| [[Brabham]]-[[Cosworth]]
| + 33.4 s
|style="text-align:center"| 11
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 10
| 26
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Alan Rollinson]]
| Alan Rollinson
| [[Surtees Racing Organisation|Surtees]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| + 56.4 s
|style="text-align:center"| 17
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 11
| 23
| {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Frank Gardner (driver)|Frank Gardner]]
| [[Lola Cars|Motor Racing Research]]
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| + 56.6 s
|style="text-align:center"| 14
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 12
| 77
| {{flagicon|UK}} Mike Walker
| Doug Hardwick
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| + 58.0 s
|style="text-align:center"| 16
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 13
| 44
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Gordon Spice]]
| Gordon Spice
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| + 1:10.2 s
|style="text-align:center"| 20
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 14
| 33
| {{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Teddy Pilette]]
| Racing Team VDS
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| + 1:11.4 s
|style="text-align:center"| 22
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 15
| 25
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Keith Holland (racing driver)|Keith Holland]]
| Keith Holland
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| + 1:12.2 s
|style="text-align:center"| 19
|-
! 16
| 4
| {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Ronnie Peterson]]
| [[March Engineering|STP March]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Cosworth]]
| + 1:15.8 s
|style="text-align:center"| 4
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 17
| 28
| {{flagicon|UK}} Ray Allen
| [[Trojan (Racing team)|Team Trojan]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 13 laps
|style="text-align:center"| 21
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 18
| 40
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Ian Ashley]]
| Kaye Griffiths
| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 13 laps
|style="text-align:center"| 24
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 19
| 27
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[David Prophet]]
| David Prophet Racing
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 13 laps
|style="text-align:center"| 25
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! 20
| 24
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Guy Edwards]]
| J.T. Butterworth
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| 12 laps
|style="text-align:center"| 26
|-
! Ret
| 10
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Jackie Oliver]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|Bruce McLaren Motor Racing]]
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Cosworth]]
| Brakes
|style="text-align:center"| 9
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! Ret
| 41
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Trevor Taylor (racing driver)|Trevor Taylor]]
| Malaya Garages
| Leda-[[Chevrolet]]
| Overheating
|style="text-align:center"| 23
|-
! Ret
| 7
| {{flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Howden Ganley]]
| [[BRM|Yardley-BRM]]
| [[BRM]]
| Engine
|style="text-align:center"| 8
|-
! Ret
| 17
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Mike Hailwood]]
| [[Surtees Racing Organisation|Team Surtees]]
| [[Surtees Racing Organisation|Surtees]]-[[Cosworth]]
| Suspension (collision)
|style="text-align:center"| 5
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! Ret
| 66
| {{flagicon|UK}} Fred Saunders
| Fred Saunders
| [[Crosslé Car Company|Crosslé]]-[[Rover Company|Rover]]
| Engine fire
|style="text-align:center"| 27
|-
! Ret
| 15
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Henri Pescarolo]]
| [[Frank Williams Racing Cars]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Cosworth]]
| Collision
|style="text-align:center"| 15
|-  style="background-color: #CFCFFF"
! Ret
| 21
| {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Reine Wisell]]
| Sid Taylor
| [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Chevrolet]]
| Collision
|style="text-align:center"| 18
|-
!colspan="7"|{{center|Sources:<ref name=Pritchard/><ref>{{cite web|title=1971 Victory Race – Classification|url=https://chicanef1.com/race.pl?year=1971&gp=Victory%20Race&r=1&type=res|work=ChicaneF1|access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1971 World Championship Victory Race|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/races/1971-world-championship-victory-race/|work=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport]]|access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref>}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{F1 NC race report
| Name_of_race            = World Championship Victory Race 
| Year_of_race            = 1971
| Previous_race_in_season = [[1971 International Gold Cup]]
| Next_race_in_season     = [[1972 Race of Champions]]
| Previous_year's_race    = -
| Next_year's_race        = [[1972 World Championship Victory Race]] 
}}
{{F1 Non Championship Races (1970-1979)}}

[[Category:1971 Formula One races|World Championship Victory Race]]
[[Category:Formula 5000 race reports]]
[[Category:1971 in British motorsport|World Championship Victory Race]]