1971 World Championship Victory Race

File:Jackie Stewart Tyrrell 003 Brands Hatch 1971.jpg

Jackie Stewart driving the Tyrrell 003 on his way to third place

The Rothmans World Championship Victory Race was a 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 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.

Qualifying

Note: a blue background indicates a Formula 5000 entrant.

Pos	No.	Driver	Constructor	Lap	Gap
1	5	Template:Flagicon Jo Siffert	BRM	1:22.8	—
2	6	Template:Flagicon Peter Gethin	BRM	1:22.8	+0.0
3	8	Template:Flagicon Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Cosworth	1:23.6	+0.8
4	4	Template:Flagicon Ronnie Peterson	March-Cosworth	1:23.6	+0.8
5	17	Template:Flagicon Mike Hailwood	Surtees-Cosworth	1:23.8	+1.0
6	1	Template:Flagicon Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Cosworth	1:23.8	+1.0
7	12	Template:Flagicon Tim Schenken	Brabham-Cosworth	1:23.8	+1.0
8	7	Template:Flagicon Howden Ganley	BRM	1:24.2	+1.4
9	10	Template:Flagicon Jackie Oliver	McLaren-Cosworth	1:24.6	+1.8
10	16	Template:Flagicon John Surtees	Surtees-Cosworth	1:24.6	+1.8
11	14	Template:Flagicon Carlos Reutemann	Brabham-Cosworth	1:24.6	+1.8
12	11	Template:Flagicon Graham Hill	Brabham-Cosworth	1:24.8	+2.0
13	2	Template:Flagicon François Cevert	Tyrrell-Cosworth	1:25.0	+2.2
14	23	Template:Flagicon Frank Gardner	Lola-Chevrolet	1:25.8	+3.0
15	15	Template:Flagicon Henri Pescarolo	March-Cosworth	1:26.2	+3.4
16	77	Template:Flagicon Mike Walker	Lola-Chevrolet	1:27.0	+4.2
17	26	Template:Flagicon Alan Rollinson	Surtees-Chevrolet	1:27.0	+4.2
18	21	Template:Flagicon Reine Wisell	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:27.0	+4.2
19	25	Template:Flagicon Keith Holland	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:27.6	+4.8
20	44	Template:Flagicon Gordon Spice	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:28.2	+5.4
21	28	Template:Flagicon Ray Allen	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:28.4	+5.6
22	33	Template:Flagicon Teddy Pilette	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:28.4	+5.6
23	41	Template:Flagicon Trevor Taylor	Leda-Chevrolet	1:29.2	+6.4
24	40	Template:Flagicon Ian Ashley	Lola-Chevrolet	1:29.6	+6.8
25	27	Template:Flagicon David Prophet	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:29.6	+6.8
26	24	Template:Flagicon Guy Edwards	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:31.0	+8.2
27	66	Template:Flagicon Fred Saunders	Crosslé-Rover	1:32.2	+9.4
Sources:

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 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.

Results

Pos	No.	Driver	Entrant	Constructor	Time/Retired	Grid
1	6	Template:Flagicon Peter Gethin	Yardley-BRM	BRM	19:54.4	2
2	8	Template:Flagicon Emerson Fittipaldi	Gold Leaf Team Lotus	Lotus-Cosworth	+ 0.2 s	3
3	1	Template:Flagicon Jackie Stewart	Elf Team Tyrrell	Tyrrell-Cosworth	+ 5.4 s	6
4	5	Template:Flagicon Jo Siffert	Yardley-BRM	BRM	+ 12.8 s	1
5	12	Template:Flagicon Tim Schenken	Motor Racing Developments	Brabham-Cosworth	+ 15.6 s	7
6	16	Template:Flagicon John Surtees	Team Surtees	Surtees-Cosworth	+ 16.0 s	10
7	2	Template:Flagicon François Cevert	Elf Team Tyrrell	Tyrrell-Cosworth	+ 24.8 s	13
8	11	Template:Flagicon Graham Hill	Motor Racing Developments	Brabham-Cosworth	+ 31.6 s	12
9	14	Template:Flagicon Carlos Reutemann	Motor Racing Developments	Brabham-Cosworth	+ 33.4 s	11
10	26	Template:Flagicon Alan Rollinson	Alan Rollinson	Surtees-Chevrolet	+ 56.4 s	17
11	23	Template:Flagicon Frank Gardner	Motor Racing Research	Lola-Chevrolet	+ 56.6 s	14
12	77	Template:Flagicon Mike Walker	Doug Hardwick	Lola-Chevrolet	+ 58.0 s	16
13	44	Template:Flagicon Gordon Spice	Gordon Spice	McLaren-Chevrolet	+ 1:10.2 s	20
14	33	Template:Flagicon Teddy Pilette	Racing Team VDS	McLaren-Chevrolet	+ 1:11.4 s	22
15	25	Template:Flagicon Keith Holland	Keith Holland	McLaren-Chevrolet	+ 1:12.2 s	19
16	4	Template:Flagicon Ronnie Peterson	STP March	March-Cosworth	+ 1:15.8 s	4
17	28	Template:Flagicon Ray Allen	Team Trojan	McLaren-Chevrolet	13 laps	21
18	40	Template:Flagicon Ian Ashley	Kaye Griffiths	Lola-Chevrolet	13 laps	24
19	27	Template:Flagicon David Prophet	David Prophet Racing	McLaren-Chevrolet	13 laps	25
20	24	Template:Flagicon Guy Edwards	J.T. Butterworth	McLaren-Chevrolet	12 laps	26
Ret	10	Template:Flagicon Jackie Oliver	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing	McLaren-Cosworth	Brakes	9
Ret	41	Template:Flagicon Trevor Taylor	Malaya Garages	Leda-Chevrolet	Overheating	23
Ret	7	Template:Flagicon Howden Ganley	Yardley-BRM	BRM	Engine	8
Ret	17	Template:Flagicon Mike Hailwood	Team Surtees	Surtees-Cosworth	Suspension (collision)	5
Ret	66	Template:Flagicon Fred Saunders	Fred Saunders	Crosslé-Rover	Engine fire	27
Ret	15	Template:Flagicon Henri Pescarolo	Frank Williams Racing Cars	March-Cosworth	Collision	15
Ret	21	Template:Flagicon Reine Wisell	Sid Taylor	McLaren-Chevrolet	Collision	18
Sources: