1971 World Championship Victory Race

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.

1971 World Championship Victory Race
Non-championship race in the 1971 Formula One season
Race details
Date	24 October 1971
Official name	Rothmans World Championship Victory Race
Location	Brands Hatch, Kent
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	4.265 km (2.65 miles)
Distance	40 laps, 170.59 km (106 miles)
Pole position
Driver	Jo Siffert	BRM
Time	1:22.8
Fastest lap
Driver	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus
Time	1:24.0
Podium
First	Peter Gethin	BRM
Second	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus
Third	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell

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

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	Jo Siffert	BRM	1:22.8	—
2	6	Peter Gethin	BRM	1:22.8	+0.0
3	8	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Cosworth	1:23.6	+0.8
4	4	Ronnie Peterson	March-Cosworth	1:23.6	+0.8
5	17	Mike Hailwood	Surtees-Cosworth	1:23.8	+1.0
6	1	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Cosworth	1:23.8	+1.0
7	12	Tim Schenken	Brabham-Cosworth	1:23.8	+1.0
8	7	Howden Ganley	BRM	1:24.2	+1.4
9	10	Jackie Oliver	McLaren-Cosworth	1:24.6	+1.8
10	16	John Surtees	Surtees-Cosworth	1:24.6	+1.8
11	14	Carlos Reutemann	Brabham-Cosworth	1:24.6	+1.8
12	11	Graham Hill	Brabham-Cosworth	1:24.8	+2.0
13	2	François Cevert	Tyrrell-Cosworth	1:25.0	+2.2
14	23	Frank Gardner	Lola-Chevrolet	1:25.8	+3.0
15	15	Henri Pescarolo	March-Cosworth	1:26.2	+3.4
16	77	Mike Walker	Lola-Chevrolet	1:27.0	+4.2
17	26	Alan Rollinson	Surtees-Chevrolet	1:27.0	+4.2
18	21	Reine Wisell	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:27.0	+4.2
19	25	Keith Holland	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:27.6	+4.8
20	44	Gordon Spice	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:28.2	+5.4
21	28	Ray Allen	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:28.4	+5.6
22	33	Teddy Pilette	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:28.4	+5.6
23	41	Trevor Taylor	Leda-Chevrolet	1:29.2	+6.4
24	40	Ian Ashley	Lola-Chevrolet	1:29.6	+6.8
25	27	David Prophet	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:29.6	+6.8
26	24	Guy Edwards	McLaren-Chevrolet	1:31.0	+8.2
27	66	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	Peter Gethin	Yardley-BRM	BRM	19:54.4	2
2	8	Emerson Fittipaldi	Gold Leaf Team Lotus	Lotus-Cosworth	+ 0.2 s	3
3	1	Jackie Stewart	Elf Team Tyrrell	Tyrrell-Cosworth	+ 5.4 s	6
4	5	Jo Siffert	Yardley-BRM	BRM	+ 12.8 s	1
5	12	Tim Schenken	Motor Racing Developments	Brabham-Cosworth	+ 15.6 s	7
6	16	John Surtees	Team Surtees	Surtees-Cosworth	+ 16.0 s	10
7	2	François Cevert	Elf Team Tyrrell	Tyrrell-Cosworth	+ 24.8 s	13
8	11	Graham Hill	Motor Racing Developments	Brabham-Cosworth	+ 31.6 s	12
9	14	Carlos Reutemann	Motor Racing Developments	Brabham-Cosworth	+ 33.4 s	11
10	26	Alan Rollinson	Alan Rollinson	Surtees-Chevrolet	+ 56.4 s	17
11	23	Frank Gardner	Motor Racing Research	Lola-Chevrolet	+ 56.6 s	14
12	77	Mike Walker	Doug Hardwick	Lola-Chevrolet	+ 58.0 s	16
13	44	Gordon Spice	Gordon Spice	McLaren-Chevrolet	+ 1:10.2 s	20
14	33	Teddy Pilette	Racing Team VDS	McLaren-Chevrolet	+ 1:11.4 s	22
15	25	Keith Holland	Keith Holland	McLaren-Chevrolet	+ 1:12.2 s	19
16	4	Ronnie Peterson	STP March	March-Cosworth	+ 1:15.8 s	4
17	28	Ray Allen	Team Trojan	McLaren-Chevrolet	13 laps	21
18	40	Ian Ashley	Kaye Griffiths	Lola-Chevrolet	13 laps	24
19	27	David Prophet	David Prophet Racing	McLaren-Chevrolet	13 laps	25
20	24	Guy Edwards	J.T. Butterworth	McLaren-Chevrolet	12 laps	26
Ret	10	Jackie Oliver	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing	McLaren-Cosworth	Brakes	9
Ret	41	Trevor Taylor	Malaya Garages	Leda-Chevrolet	Overheating	23
Ret	7	Howden Ganley	Yardley-BRM	BRM	Engine	8
Ret	17	Mike Hailwood	Team Surtees	Surtees-Cosworth	Suspension (collision)	5
Ret	66	Fred Saunders	Fred Saunders	Crosslé-Rover	Engine fire	27
Ret	15	Henri Pescarolo	Frank Williams Racing Cars	March-Cosworth	Collision	15
Ret	21	Reine Wisell	Sid Taylor	McLaren-Chevrolet	Collision	18
Sources: