1967 Italian Grand Prix

Lore & Background

The race was won by British driver John Surtees driving a Honda. It was the sixth and final career victory for Surtees, as well as the first ever race for the Honda RA300 which he drove to victory. This was the first Formula One race where start lights were used. This race is considered one of Jim Clark's greatest performances in Formula One. He led the race until lap 12 when he picked up a puncture and lost an entire lap. He then spent the next 48 laps recovering through the field, taking the lead on lap 60, and pulled away. But on the final lap, a lack of fuel in Clark's Lotus 49 allowed Jack Brabham and Surtees to pass the Scotsman and finish first and second, with Surtees ahead by less than a car length at the line. This was the second victory for the Honda F1 team, and the last for the factory team until Jenson Button won the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix.

In Their Own Story

The air at Monza was thick with the scent of high-octane fuel and dry grass. He was leading, the crowd's chant of 'Forza Bandini' echoing off the grandstands, a physical force pushing him forward. But as he approached the chicane near the pits, the car twitched. A patch of oil, perhaps from a previous lap, or simply the unforgiving nature of the track surface betrayed him. The Ferrari spun, sliding sideways into the straw bales with a sickening crunch of metal and wood. The impact ruptured the fuel tank, igniting a blaze that trapped Bandini beneath the overturned cockpit. Marshals struggled to reach him through the flames due to inadequate equipment, delaying rescue efforts by nearly an hour. Though extricated alive, the burns sustained were too severe; he lingered in critical condition before passing away three days later, leaving Monza silent as the cheers faded into mourning.

Reader's Guide

Classification: Qualifying and Race results are not detailed in the source. Championship standings after the race: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

Did You Know?

• This was the first Formula One race where start lights were used.
• John Surtees' victory was the sixth and final career win for the British driver.
• The Honda RA300 made its race debut at this Grand Prix.
• Jim Clark led most of the race but ran out of fuel on the final lap, allowing Surtees and Brabham to pass.