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Home , 1968 Formula One season, Domenico Agusta, Formula Two, Geoff Duke, Giovanni Agusta, John Surtees

HUGGIN' THE CORNER The legendary John is all concentration as he practic~.$;_~P!the 1957 Nations Grand Prix at M~/ .

Keystone/Gefly Images STORY BY: Mark Dill

Only one competitor in the long history of rear wheel on right corners. Jack won the race has claimed the Grand Prix but officials disqualified them because John World Championship for both cars and was underage for competition. . ,seven-time world champion motorcyclist, also won John first competed as a rider at age 16 on the World Championship Easter Sunday in 1950 at on a with in 1964. Through a career of Triumph Tiger 70. He fell on a wet track late in triumph and challenge, the 74-year-old the feature - the first of several that year - as legend remains a force in motorsports. he learned his craft.

Born in the English village of Tatsfield With father Jack guiding him, John'S next bike on Feb. 11, 1934, John Surtees posed for was a 499cc Vincent Grey Flash. June 3, 1951 ph~tos on his father's B14 Excelsior-JAP proved a terrific day as young Surtees won three by age two. It's not out of events at Brands Hatch. He picked up two more order to compare his relationship with his victories that year, as well as five second-place athe"r,Jack Surtees, to the well-publicized finishes. d~Ftwe~n Tiger Woods and his dad. Most impressive was his inspired run in rain at the in August 1951, when the 17-year­ old prodigy finished second to World Champion on the factory Norton. His old-school father kept him grounded. A needless risk might be met with a "hearty wallop" or stern warning. "Motorbikes are not made to fall off,"Jack said, "and that is that."

Red Bulll~dianapolis GP 183 ON THE EDGE Jack Surtees leadi~g a sidecar rac~t Brands Hatch in 1952 with C. Rousiilthe sidecar. John's father Jack introduced the younger Surtees to motorcycle racing at an early age. By 14, John was riding sidecar in races with his father. It was Duke who Surtees measured himself against Suttee or 19- a private entrant, echanical failures plagued in his early career. Between the 350cc and 500cc rno th- on onon _ ith 54 win in 66 gusta in 1957 and Surtees classes, Duke won six world championships from race he earned a factory ride with orton could not repeat his 1951 to 1955. for the 195- eason but the ride was limited championship. He did collect 22 to race on the British Isles. wins, mostly on private Norton Surtees once said, "We thought Geoff was so far and NSU entries. ahead of all of us that a race ofwhich he took part The re ult were fantastic. He picked was only ofinterest to see who finished second.' up hi first world championship win in What followed were three years Ireland' lster GP in August. In October, of dominance. Surtees earned In 1952, Surtees established himself with 16 he finally defeated Duke in head-to-head world championships in both the wins in 28 races on Vincent and orton bike competition at Silverstone. By the end 500cc and 350cc classes from 1958 in British "short course" meets. He ran hi fir t of the season he racked up 70 wins in through 1960. In 1958 and 1959 he world championship race in the 500cc cia at the 84 races. won 38 of 41 races, including five Ulster GP in August, finishing sixth. Isle ofMan TTs. Despite retiring with engine problems, his Surtees suffered his first significant injury in one-off performance on a factory BMW The accolades flowed. In 1959 he 1953. It came in his first attempt at the historic bike at the German GP in June captured was named a Member of the Order Tourist Trophy (TT). He had the the attention of Count Domenico , of the British Empire (MBE), opportunity to run for the Norton factory head ofMVAgustamotorcycles. A meeting and that following season he was team in the 350cc and 500cc classes, but with the Italian manufacturer produced voted Sportsman of the Year by the also accepted a private entry 125cc EMC­ Surtees' first full-season factory ride for London Daily Express and the Puch ride. 1956. Despite breaking his arm in the English Sports Writer's Association. German GP 350cc race in July, 1956 was He was also named BBC Television's During practice with the small bike, the his breakthrough year. In 16 races, he won Sportsview Personality of the Year. forks collapsed and he broke his wrist, which 13. His performance was so dominating required a month to heal. Still, Surtees he won the 500cc championship despite Despite success there was friction. finished the season with 23 victories in missing three ofsix races due to injury. He Count had forbidden 36 races. also scored his first Isle of Man TT win Surtees from racing private bikes, with his 500cc MVAgusta. reducing his schedule. Unhappy,

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Red Bull Indianapolis GP 185 A RACER'S PORTRAIT Surtees sits in prep-oration for the start of a race.

Surtees considered other options. The effects of spinal fractures were with This blossomed into a Team Surtees Formula Among them were calls from Formula him for years. One effort in 1970. Surtees continued to drive One teams. for two years, retiring in 1972. He left Ferrari after only two races in 1966 With nothing in his MV Agusta despite a victory in Belgium. He finished While highly respected for its engineering, contract prohibiting him from racing the season with Cooper- scoring Team Surtees struggled with sponsorship in cars, Surtees competed in four another win in Mexico. the increasingly expensive sport. The stress of Formula One GPs for holding it together compromised his health in in 1960, finishing second in Britain. Unfortunately, much of the rest of John the 1970s. There were victories in He retired from motorcycles at Surtees' Formula One careerwas an uphill and , but Team Surtees was closed the end of 1960. He also moved battle. There were moments ofglory, such in 1978. from Lotus to 's team as his triumph in the 1967 Italian GP for for two years, finishing fourth in , but mostly he struggled. Surtees resurged in the 1980s, restoring driver's points in 1962. motorcycles and autos. Currently, he owns a He had enjoyed success elsewhere, property management business and a A move to Ferrari produced three winning the 1966 Can-Am sports car consultancy. turbulent years of infighting in championship and victories for Ferrari the face of some outstanding in the 1963 and the Surtees nowworks with China's Haojue Company success. Surtees won the German 1000 Kilometers of Niirburgring. An to produce a GP motorcycle team. Among other GP in 1963 followed by his accomplished engineer, Surtees began a activities he helps groom young talent, including World Championship season in cooperativeeffortwithLola's EricBroadley his 17-year-old son, Formula 's Henry 1964. He nearly lost his life in in 1965 starting with Formula Two cars, Surtees. On June 14, 2008, John Surtees earned 1965 in a sports car accident at sports cars and later Formula 5000. the title of OBE - Officer of the Order of the the Mosport Circuit in Canada. British Empire.•

186 THE Surtees once again behind the wheel of the V8 in 1965. The previous year, he captured the World Championship for the prancing horse. ,

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people as well as technology. These people succeed, they have to stop one sport when will make many different contributions in their they are getting better, not when they have careers. The racetrack has much to do with passed their prime. But the opportunities research and development. Keep in mind, exist. (Valentino) Rossi tested with Ferrari. though, that the objective of racing is to Leaving your sport at the right time is a big be quick. decision.

Q: How is your project to launch a Q: Two of your Formula One Chinese motorcycle race team going? contemporaries, and , won the . Did Q: You must be pleased with Surtees: It is in its very early stages. We are you consider racing at Indianapolis? MotoGP's high profile. What are developing a 125cc machine and have tested their opportunities for growth? in the UK and Italy. For now, the Chinese want Surtees: I was supposed to drive Graham Hill's to use motorsport to develop their technical winning car in 1966. I helped develop it with Surtees: I'm a ~ery interested spectator, and knowledge and their people. I can imagine Lola and did much of the testing. I had a very it is a great sport. To grow, the authorities they will expand in the future. serious accident in Canada at the end of 1965, need to strike a balance between and while I recovered, I suggested to owner John technology and entertainment. We can't Q: How does motorcycle racing Mecom that he hire Graham. Later, with Honda in allow the electronics to overshadow the today compare with the 1950s? 1968, we considered coming to Indianapolis, but rider. The coming together of the rider and Honda decided to withdraw from racing. machine is what makes the sport. Making Surtees: Basically, the same type of person that that connection stronger could bring raced then races today. The biggest difference Q: Motorcycles last raced at the Speedway 99 closer racing at the front. is the amount of rubber on the track. We were years ago. With narrow tires and light frames, running with less rubber, so there was a need what do you think were their challenges? The balance is that tJn-grade racing for the rider to have more sensitivity to the should always be thl test bed of machine. But I can't take anything away from Surtees: Whenever you start something new, it technology. What we can't have is riders today. (Casey) Stoner was magnificent comes from ignorance. They built on what they knew, technology all down the category. in the wet in Germany. and at the time it was bicycles. Any tire needs pushing Young riders need to learn how to through the air, and it simply is not a good aerodynamic come together with their machines. Today we have the electronics, which is shape. The engines were low power, and the wheels different. And we used to push our bikes to had to be narrow. The same applies today; the tires are Q: Are motorsports series start. But racing with more rubber is the big smaller on the 250cc machines. They learned as they doing enough to develop difference. Today, the car and the motorcycle went along, but they had the same challenge, to take technologies for efficiency have come closer. the machine to the limit. and alternative energy? Q: Do you think it is still possible for Q: Any closing thoughts? Surtees: I believe they always a racer to win world championships have. If you look back just a few with both bikes and cars? Surtees: I'm glad to see MotoGP at Indianapolis years, you see great improvements and would like to come see them. I like to see in the efficiency of machines. Surtees: It is more possible now. We live in an European-style in America, and I wish Racing is so competitive, and age of data. The data helps so much in getting Formula One was still at Indianapolis. I'm hopeful that much of it is about developing acquainted with a different machine. To will change.•

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