South African Formula One Championship
| Category | Single-seaters |
|---|---|
| Country | South Africa |
| Inaugural season | 1960 |
| Folded | 1975 |
| Drivers | 14 (1975) |
| Teams | 10 (1975) |
| Constructors | 7 (1975) |
| Engine suppliers | 2 (1975) |
| Last Drivers' champion |  Ian Scheckter |
The South African Formula One Championship, was a Formula One motor racing championship held in South Africa between 1960 and 1975.
The frontrunning cars in the series were recently retired from the world championship although there was also a healthy selection of locally built or modified machines. Frontrunning drivers from the series usually contested their local World Championship Grand Prix, as well as occasional European events, although they had little success at that level.
1967 also saw a remarkable result by Rhodesian driver John Love with a 2.7 litre four-cylinder Cooper-Climax; Love, who was in his forties and, although seen as one of the finest drivers in Southern Africa, was not a major star, led and finished second in that year's South African Grand Prix. Love's Cooper was originally designed for the short races of the Tasman Series; to run a full Grand Prix Love added two auxiliary gas tanks. Unfortunately the auxiliary tanks fuel pump failure forced him to refuel after having led most of the race.[1]
Love was the king of the South African championship, winning the drivers championship six times in the 1960s.
Former Champions
| Season | Driver | Car | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Syd van der Vyver
|
Cooper-Alfa Romeo | ||||
| 1961 | Syd van der Vyver
|
Lotus 18-Alfa Romeo | ||||
| 1962 | Ernest Pieterse
|
Heron-Alfa Romeo Lotus 20-Climax | ||||
| 1963 | Neville Lederle
|
Lotus 20-Climax | ||||
| 1964 |  John Love
|
Cooper T55-Climax | ||||
| 1965 | John Love
|
Cooper T55-Climax | ||||
| Season | Driver | Car | Wins | Podiums | Points | Margin (pnts) |
| 1966 | John Love
|
Cooper T79-Climax | 7 | 8 | 69 | 13 |
| 1967 | John Love
|
Cooper T79-Climax Brabham BT20-Repco |
8 | 10 | 82 | 30 |
| 1968 | John Love
|
Brabham BT20-Repco Lotus 49-Cosworth |
6 | 6 | 54 | 14 |
| 1969 | John Love
|
Lotus 49-Cosworth | 4 | 5 | 43 | 1 |
| 1970 | Dave Charlton
|
Lotus 49-Cosworth | 7 | 8 | 69 | 32 |
| 1971 | Dave Charlton
|
Lotus 49-Cosworth Lotus 72-Cosworth |
7 | 8 | 72 | 24 |
| 1972 | Dave Charlton
|
Lotus 72-Cosworth | 9 | 9 | 81 | 39 |
| 1973 | Dave Charlton
|
Lotus 72-Cosworth | 10 | 10 | 93 | 40 |
| 1974 | Dave Charlton
|
Tyrrell 007-Cosworth | 6 | 10 | 76 | 11 |
| 1975 | Ian Scheckter
|
McLaren M23-Cosworth | 6 | 7 | 56 | 2 |
References
- ^ John Love, L'homme de Kyalami. Automobile historique (To be completed)
- GEL Motorsport Information Page: The Formula One Archives
- Quintin Cloud's Formula One Records
- Project 009900 (German)
  | This article about sports in South Africa is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This motorsport-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |