"Instead, he drove the rest of the race, and we're talking 160 miles an hour..." Damn. "in the wet..." Damn! "with one hand on the steering wheel and one hand holding the gear lever in place." DAMN! "And he still won..." GOD DAMN!!! "by nearly 5 minutes." GOD FUCKING DAMN, WHAT A LEGEND!!!!
This story was one of the best pieces of actual journalism that the guys and their team ever made. Don't get me wrong, I love the fun goofy stuff but these stories are just spectacular. The script, the storytelling, the editing. Perfection, thank you.
Absolutely. I loved this, the Ford v Ferrari feature, the Saab tribute, the Senna tribute, Lancia v Audi, Porsche 917 etc. They are just so good. I think my favourite is Ford v Ferrari.
He isn't the greatest F1 driver ever but I would say he is undoubtedly the greatest track driver ever across all racing series. So in short (for me )he is the greatest racing driver ever.
When it comes to story telling in automotive sector, the trio will make you more curious and eager than a young adult about the birds and bees. Jeremy’s film on Lancia, the Alfa disco volante, etype jag, Senna’s documentary. James’s Ford vs Ferrari, Astronauts and Corvettes, the edge of space. Hammond’s Jim Clark’s documentary, Lancia stories, his films in Discovery. Just to remember from the top of my head. Sometimes it will make you dreamy and misty eyed.
Ahhh I forgot about James's astronauts and Corvettes. That was fantastic as well. This Tribute to James Clark by Hammond though is definitely my favorite.
These and James film on the Porsche 917. Jeremy's war story films and Richards engineering reviews. These are great journalists when given topics they will find interesting and want to share that interest
I did not know about Jim Clark before I had seen this feature in The Grand Tour. But once I did, I was convinced that he was the greatest and most talented driver ever. The fact that Fangio called him the best, Senna held him as a boyhood hero and so many other stories and statistics are more than enough evidence for the case of him being the greatest ever...
Fellow Scots Dario Franchitti and Jackie Stewart also are massive admirers of Jim Clark , as were many from this earlier era . He was a gentleman farmer .
Great sports people sometimes talk of being "in the zone", and how rarely that happens for them. With Jimmy you get the impression that it happened for him every time he sat in a racecar....To top it all, he sounds to be as good of a man as he was a top driver, legend!....
If anyone needed at proof, why Jim Clark is the greatest driver of all time. One number: 1965! To compete and WIN, every racingseries there is, in the same year is madness and something, that was never done again.
It's just feels like a disrespect that he isn't even mentioned when people talk about greatest driver of all time. His achievements speaks for themselves. No one can come close to his driving ability. He is the greatest of all time.
@@brucemcintosh5898 because it's literally not possible today. The number of races in a series have more than doubled since 1965 and they're scattered all over the world. There were only 10 races in the 1965 F1 championship, and the 2 other championships he won were both in New Zealand so he was able to fit them into his schedule quite comfortably. A driver doing it today would have to navigate going to Brazil to Las Vegas to the Middle East in the same week and what happens when a race from a different series clashes?
@@Fireglo What you're saying is certainly true. I think maybe the most significant modern factor is that the commercialization of F1 has changed the racing climate that much. It is now a huge financial beast and it seems like the drivers are little more than playing pieces on a Monopoly board. The days of Alberto Ascari, Phil Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Graham Hill, Dan Gurney, Ayrton Senna, Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart, to name just a few, have passed us by. That era is now only noted in the Racing History that we cherish.
@@MrGaryGG48 I forgot to mention when you race in F1 now you're contractually bound to only race in F1. You're not even allowed to go skiing as a hobby when you're contracted to an F1 team because there's a risk you can get injured and may be unable to race.
He is my mum’s cousin and I’m so proud to be family, his Aunt used to say “poor Jimmy he drove too fast “ that was my Grandma and I only found out how fabulous he was after she passed, I met his parents as a very small child but love that I see his handsome genes in us all god bless you Jimmy
This was one of the best pieces of journalism in the Grand Tour and a terrific tribute to someone I hadn't heard of before... and really should have. Great job.
When people call Lewis the GOAT, because he has won so many titles, they forget about Jim Clark, who won not just F1 titles, but rally and saloon car titles as well. This makes him the GOAT IMHO
@@BigBadLoneWolf Hamilton has the advantage of more reliable machines , only one racing series , greater number of races per season , superior tire technology , and a reduced chance of killing himself in a crash . Jimmy's winning percentage of races entered or completed is so very high .
Lewis Hamilton's machine and himself were very reliable rarely making mistakes. The greatness differs from era to era. But Lewis Hamilton is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever do it.
I too was a young lad at the time, but he was my favourite. Saw him drive multiple races and venues. Not to mention he drove for my favourite team! Great memories!
Pieces like this is what this show will be remembered for, the Story of Ford v Ferrari, the War between Audi & Lancia... so many examples of amazing stories, told in an amazing way.
@@jamesfeguson3445 paddle shifters helped alot. Remember when senna began his pro career, the cars still had manual transmissions. Look at some of his footage. Senna is definitely one of the greats. 6 Monaco wins, but he almost won 8.
Jim Clark is flat out amazing...the fact that he could still win at Spa while driving in the rain at 160 mph, one handed is pretty much the stuff of legend
@@reaperoflostsouls4323 He was a literal one of a kind. He was always so perfectly in tune with his car. He could tell you exactly what was wrong with it just by listening to the engine.
Statistics prove that Jim Clark was truly the greatest driver in motorsport history. He won in terms of a ratio, more races than any other driver. Give him any of Schumacher's Ferraris or Senna's McLarens, he wouldnt have dropped a single race in any season he competed. Whats more (going by the comments from his pit crew fellas at Lotus), he would've saved both Ferrari or McLaren a fortune in tyres/parts, because he nurtured a car through races.... No other drivers in history will be as good as him....... Hamilton idolised Senna but Senna idolised Jim Clark. An idol's idol....
Jim Clark was most definitely an all time great F1 driver, quite possibly the greatest. However in terms of F1 race wins to starts ratio Juan Manuel Fangio beats every F1 driver past and present hands down. He also has the best pole ratio to starts. Fangio had 24 wins out of 52 entries with 29 pole positions and 23 fastest laps. He achieved all this not by racing for one manufacturer, but by racing for four different ones (Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes and Ferrari). He also won his F1 five titles in his forties racing against the likes of Moss, Ascari, Farina Hawthorn and Brooks.
I agree! Most of the races that Clark didn't win was because of dropping out due to mechanical issues. If his F1 cars had the durability of modern F1 racers, along with the safety, too, Clark could have retired with 100+ wins.
@@karl3927didn't fangio say clark was the best? Didn't senna say clark was the best? Didn't Jackie Stewart say clark was the best? When three of the greatest racing drivers of all time agree, maybe they have a point. . .
@@tconbo4514 Jackie Stewart is on record saying Fangio was greatest F1 driver of all time. I recall reading that Fangio thought Clark was the best, but Fangio was renowned for being modest. Senna indeed said Clark was the best of the best. Both Clark and Fangio were absolutely brilliant in F1, but me for me Fangio edges it due to his statistical edge and the fact he beat Moss in equal machinery in 55. Clark though was definitely the more versatile driver.
If you watch the whole episode, you'll see how greatly regarded Jim Clark was by the trio and Grand Tour. Usually, at the end of every episode, Jermery would sign off by saying "on that terrible disappointment, Good night" but for the first time there was no jab just praise for what an amazing driver Jim Clark was and he just signs off by saying simply good night.
Jim Clark is undoubtedly one of the greatest racing drivers of all time, and the greatest of his era. The Grand Tour was right to pay tribute to one of motor racing’s all-time greats.
Brilliant to see this ! He was the best ! Finish Indy 2 laps ahead ! Nobody repeats this genius ....with a tractor ....cortina....lotus ....how we are blessed ....thank you for this tribute .
Jim Clark also raced in Nascar in 1967 at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina for Holmon and Moody. He enjoyed it so much that he planned on returning to run more races. Unfortunately he was killed before getting to do so.
It shook me deeply when Jimmy died, because I thought he was immortal and untouchable. But then there came too many more who paid the ultimate price in this early era of open wheeled racing. Thank you, Richard, for this analysis of Clark.
Watched Jim Clark for the first time at Goodwood in 1964. I didn't get to see a driver in the same league as JC until I saw Aryton Senna at Thruxton in 1983....RIP Jim, RIP Aryton.
His win was in '65 - his "rookie test" was in '63 (when he should have won if USAC officials had followed their own rules and black-flagged Parnelli Jones for dropping oil)
Morgan Rees, you're right as right can be! It's sloppy journalism to confuse 1963 with '65 and to skip '64 altogether. Although I was only 3 and a 1/2 years old I believe Clark won at Indy in '66 but a scoring error gave the victory to Graham Hill (who was a great driver, just not the one who really won that race!) He might've won 4 Indy 500 's in a row were it not for inferior for Indianapolis 500 tires from Dunlop, the favoritism shown to Parnelli Jones, the break in at BRM that necessitated an engine switch to a chassis it wasn't designed for, the scoring error, and his death before the '68 500. Oh what might've been...
Richard, this was the most moving piece of journalism I've ever seen, automotive or otherwise. Admittedly you had an inspiring subject, but they way you presented Jim Clark's life, achievements, and demise was riveting and has stayed with me from the moment I saw it. Well done Sir.
As a kid (9 years old) growing up in the Midwest (of the USA), I idolized Jim Clark. In those days, watching Formula 1 racing was only possible on ABC's Wide World of Sports, delayed broadcast. I watched a race with him winning easily and was blown away. Without social media, the Internet and cable TV in those days, following a sports celebrity, particularly a European sport like racing was only possible by going to the local news stand and looking for racing magazines. I collected everyone they had and adorned my bedroom wall with photos of him. His winning of the Indy 500 galvanized my hero worship of this humble, talented champion. I came home from bike riding to have my grandmother inform me that he had been tragically killed at Hockenheim, Germany. One of my darkest days.
Those 60's F1 cars were the most beautiful I think. I remember having a Scalextric with cars like those! The tiny roll bars look hugely undersized and worrying though! Thanks for posting Richard.
Agreed, most of the early roll over bars were not even braced, would probably trapped the drivers head in a roll over, we have come a long way since those days.
It was 1971 and I was 17 when I bought a right-hand drive Mini from the original owner. I remarked that it only had 30 HP. The owner said "That's all Jim Clark would need."
I’ve done some very amateur karting and a lot of sim racing and thing Jim Clark said stayed with me. “I don’t drive any faster, I just concentrate harder, which makes me go faster” Jim Clark
I love the joking, bantering and fun of TGT specials but its pieces like this, May's Ferrari vs Ford and JC's Audi vs Lancia that are absolute gems. Please, please never stop doing these.
As a kid Clark was my hero, I wanted nothing more in life than to be him. My best friend was a Gurney fan and though Dan was great even he acknowledged Clark's greatness. Racing back then was a blood sport though and we lost Jimmy far too early.
No words to describe this legend. Its a privilege to learn about him despite being born decades after he died on that fateful day in Hockenheimring. Would love to go to Goodwood next year to see a glimmer of his Lotus 49, I would give a charitable donation just to sit in it.
the wheel bearing story really gets me every time i remember it, because it takes a GOD of a human to feel something like a slightly worn wheel bearing with all of the other sensations of those cars, truly badass.
The Best of the Best. Watch how Jim Clark drives the car right to the edge of the curb-less apex grass, with the precision and control of a brain surgeon. Flawless. What a superbly gifted Champion. Revere him to this day.
This has made me well up - I loved Jim Clark as a nipper and I remember I was aged 6 playing football in the back garden when my Dad came out to tell me Jim had died in a crash - my Dad knew the effect it would have on me as I sat down and cried for ages
Jim Clark also won in several other diciplines even won at ploughing on a fordson major. When he died he had the most wins in f1, the most poles and the most grand slams, he never asked his team mate to pull over for him nor did he ever request no1 driver status. He won in a rally car, stock car touring car f1 car f2 car etc etc me was just a winning machine, best driver ever in my opinion. The greatest was senna but I dont think senna would have out paced Jim in any car.
I worked it out from every qualifying time. Clark was the second quickest, Senna was the third. The quickest, shouldn't surprise anyone who knows about F1, it was Ronnie Peterson. Peterson was the quickest out-and-out driver ever, but not the best driver. Whether that was due to fitness, focus or whatever, he wasn't the best overall driver, that was Clark. If Senna and Clark were the same age, driving cars from the same era, sure, Senna at times would have been quicker, it's the nature of things, but it wouldn't have been very often. Senna was focused, lightening quick and dedicated to winning. He gave it everything, in other words, he was at his limit each and every time he went out. Clark, however, just found it easy, that's why he was so great. He was that good, well within his limits. In other words, Clark could have been quicker, which is an incredible thought, when he was already the best of all time.
I cried like a child that fell off a bicycle...wonderful episode! Only this, Neil Armstrong's Corvette and the Senna bit from the other show made me do that
Imagine the reigning F1 champion nipping across to race in the Indy 500, and not just winning it but winning by two whole laps! OK, it was his third attempt, but he didn’t just beat the other racers there that day, he demolished them. He could (and did!) race anything; F1, F2, F3, touring cars, production cars (see him racing Lotus cortina’s and cornering so quick one of the front wheels paws in the air!), Indycar, rallies, anything! He is the best driver the world has ever seen. My hero. A fellow Scot, and a total gentleman!
That too at a time when they had only 8-10 races in a season and he only raced in 72 races. 8 Grandslams in 72 races. That is 1 grandslam in every 9 race. Schumi and lewis the closest who raced in almost 300 races weren't able to topple it. That itself is astonishing. One can only imagine how much he could have won and how many Grandslams he could have got had he lived more. Truly the greatest ever.
I really dont like racing, never have, but this feature gives me a lump in my throat. Clark was born 5 minutes from where I grew up, there's a small modest stature of him there, and that humble statue sums up everything this section says about him.
Jim Clark is why when arguing about the GOAT, the numbers alone do not represent the best. No doubt that Schumey and Sir Lewis are great, but Jim Clark can never be missing from the discussion.
I think the secret to his speed is how smooth he drives, look at the video again with the camera showing him steering , very little sawing at the wheel , other drivers you see at the wheel saw it left and right all the time , it doesn't make him look very fast but in reality he's ballistic , I've just watched a car video and the race driver turned the wheel without any kind of feeding at all , very violently then he complained about the under steering .
@@DownloadARevolt20 The drivers of the 50's and 60's were bog standard average Joe's in glorified go-karts. Yes you have Fangio, Hill, Clark, Surtees and such which were 'amazing'. but they were professional drivers racing against fucking John from next door and Kenny from accounting. Drivers of today, even the fking Mazespins, are bred and trained for racing from as young as 3yrs old. Drivers of today are so 'perfect', where they count literal 0.001s gains. Back in day it was normal to win by minutes. Now all the drivers are more or less, 'perfect'. You dont get those kinds of margains anymore.
@@DownloadARevolt20 What an ignorant comment. F1 cars haven't had driver aids since 2008. Pick up any decent simulator and drop the foot on the accelerator, or stomp on the brakes going 340km/h, and you'll see what happens.
Jim Clark was a brilliant saloon car driver.three wheeling the loutus cortina and the ford galaxie.most of his contemporaries acknowledged he was the best of them all
Once in a generation you get a person that is just so outstanding in their field that they don't make it look like a profession or sport. They make it look like art. A masterpiece. Like what Pele, or Maradona, or Messi, or Ronaldo is to Football. Or Michael Jordan, or Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James is to Basketball. However it's argued who is or was the best in their sport. With Jim Clark it's different. He truly was The Greatest Of All Time. And this tribute proves just that.
Very good video, Richard. I never knew about Jim Clark until today when i read about him, and your video came to me by youtube. By the way, how much I miss top gear with you, james may and jeremy clarkson.
Winning with more than 2 minutes against the country's best racing drivers is HUGE by the standards of All time! Jim Clark is by far the GOAT of Motorsports! FULL STOP!
@@manavjogia Statistics don't tell the whole story. If racing legends like Fangio and Senna thought he was the best, I'm not going to argue, though to be fair, they never saw Hamilton race, nor Schumacher at his prime. I think we can just accept that Clark was phenomenally good, not just in F1 cars but F2 and saloon cars, to mention but a few.
@@manavjogia by statistics, your dominance can be measured by Grand Slams. Jim Clark had 8 Grand Slams in Formula 1 alone. Who knew how much he had in other classes of Motorsports he raced?!
Jim Clark truly had a gift from god to drive a car so cleanly and to feel what parts of the car would give out and not putting stress on the fragile parts and winning no matter what if Jim Clark really did have a gift from god then that gift would be the most insanely amazingly awesome gift one could hope to have being a racing driver
His was also the first ever win of a rear engine car at Indy. A front engine car ever one again and by 1969 all front engine cars were gone from the field.
Jim Clark was my father's favourite driver. Well, him or Fangio but seeing as he was a Scotsman I'd say Clark probably edged it. My father was born on 7 April, 1936; just weeks after Clark. And of course Clark died on 7 April, 1968; my father's birthday and just weeks before he married my mother. 🫤🤷
Which racing legend from the past do you admire most?
The mighty Jimmy
Senna
Ken Miles
Colin McRae, no doubt.
How can this comment be 4 days old if The video is 2 minutes old?
"Instead, he drove the rest of the race, and we're talking 160 miles an hour..."
Damn.
"in the wet..."
Damn!
"with one hand on the steering wheel and one hand holding the gear lever in place."
DAMN!
"And he still won..."
GOD DAMN!!!
"by nearly 5 minutes."
GOD FUCKING DAMN, WHAT A LEGEND!!!!
Should be pinned ❤
This story was one of the best pieces of actual journalism that the guys and their team ever made. Don't get me wrong, I love the fun goofy stuff but these stories are just spectacular. The script, the storytelling, the editing. Perfection, thank you.
Yea. This one, ford vs ferrari, saab, senna. These are magnum opus of the trio
Also lancia vs audi
Rub the yanks face's in it😆😆😆
Americans just can't race cars, period
Absolutely. I loved this, the Ford v Ferrari feature, the Saab tribute, the Senna tribute, Lancia v Audi, Porsche 917 etc. They are just so good.
I think my favourite is Ford v Ferrari.
@@drevil2783 yeah, let's just ignore caroll shelby, mario andretti and dan gurney among many other drivers...
My mum played dominoes with him in a pub in Scotland. She won, he bought the drinks. What a great example of a human being.
He was a gent and a legendary F1 driver. Dominoes might be the only time he lost at something!
He lost the battle but probably won the war.
Are you sure you dont have some Jim Clark blood in you then lol
@@raresuta5895
Haha
@@raresuta5895 she 100% had some Jim Clark in her
“He was outstandingly the greatest Formula One driver of all time.” - Juan Manuel Fangio
Omg - a quote that someone actually said! Usually people fake the quotes on TH-cam, but Fangio really said that.
He isn't the greatest F1 driver ever but I would say he is undoubtedly the greatest track driver ever across all racing series. So in short (for me )he is the greatest racing driver ever.
He hsd sisu
The best I've seen. By a margin. And then some.
@@jereheiskanen1364 underrated comment
When it comes to story telling in automotive sector, the trio will make you more curious and eager than a young adult about the birds and bees.
Jeremy’s film on Lancia, the Alfa disco volante, etype jag, Senna’s documentary.
James’s Ford vs Ferrari, Astronauts and Corvettes, the edge of space.
Hammond’s Jim Clark’s documentary, Lancia stories, his films in Discovery.
Just to remember from the top of my head. Sometimes it will make you dreamy and misty eyed.
Don't forget Lancia vs Audi by clarkson. That was also a masterclass
Ahhh I forgot about James's astronauts and Corvettes. That was fantastic as well. This Tribute to James Clark by Hammond though is definitely my favorite.
CN you please tell me the episode names and where to watch them
If it's grand tour just tell me the episodes
These and James film on the Porsche 917. Jeremy's war story films and Richards engineering reviews. These are great journalists when given topics they will find interesting and want to share that interest
I did not know about Jim Clark before I had seen this feature in The Grand Tour. But once I did, I was convinced that he was the greatest and most talented driver ever.
The fact that Fangio called him the best, Senna held him as a boyhood hero and so many other stories and statistics are more than enough evidence for the case of him being the greatest ever...
Fellow Scots Dario Franchitti and Jackie Stewart also are massive admirers of Jim Clark , as were many from this earlier era . He was a gentleman farmer .
@@biketech60 And these two are legends themselves...
Great sports people sometimes talk of being "in the zone", and how rarely that happens for them. With Jimmy you get the impression that it happened for him every time he sat in a racecar....To top it all, he sounds to be as good of a man as he was a top driver, legend!....
Clark was probably the purest natural talent to ever grace a racetrack
@@biketech60 Dario is Italian biology with scotts accent tbf 😂
If anyone needed at proof, why Jim Clark is the greatest driver of all time. One number: 1965!
To compete and WIN, every racingseries there is, in the same year is madness and something, that was never done again.
It's just feels like a disrespect that he isn't even mentioned when people talk about greatest driver of all time. His achievements speaks for themselves. No one can come close to his driving ability. He is the greatest of all time.
Damn right. No other driver could even dream of that accomplishment
@@brucemcintosh5898 because it's literally not possible today. The number of races in a series have more than doubled since 1965 and they're scattered all over the world. There were only 10 races in the 1965 F1 championship, and the 2 other championships he won were both in New Zealand so he was able to fit them into his schedule quite comfortably. A driver doing it today would have to navigate going to Brazil to Las Vegas to the Middle East in the same week and what happens when a race from a different series clashes?
@@Fireglo What you're saying is certainly true. I think maybe the most significant modern factor is that the commercialization of F1 has changed the racing climate that much. It is now a huge financial beast and it seems like the drivers are little more than playing pieces on a Monopoly board. The days of Alberto Ascari, Phil Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Graham Hill, Dan Gurney, Ayrton Senna, Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart, to name just a few, have passed us by. That era is now only noted in the Racing History that we cherish.
@@MrGaryGG48 I forgot to mention when you race in F1 now you're contractually bound to only race in F1. You're not even allowed to go skiing as a hobby when you're contracted to an F1 team because there's a risk you can get injured and may be unable to race.
He is my mum’s cousin and I’m so proud to be family, his Aunt used to say “poor Jimmy he drove too fast “ that was my Grandma and I only found out how fabulous he was after she passed, I met his parents as a very small child but love that I see his handsome genes in us all god bless you Jimmy
"And he still won....
by nearly 5 minutes."
goosebumps.
and having lapped the everyone except Bruce McLaren who was running second.
"He was the best I ever knew"
-Bruce McLaren
RIP Jim Clark (March 4, 1936 - April 7, 1968), aged 32
You will be remembered as a legend.
This was one of the best pieces of journalism in the Grand Tour and a terrific tribute to someone I hadn't heard of before... and really should have. Great job.
When people call Lewis the GOAT, because he has won so many titles, they forget about Jim Clark, who won not just F1 titles, but rally and saloon car titles as well. This makes him the GOAT IMHO
@@BigBadLoneWolf Hamilton has the advantage of more reliable machines , only one racing series , greater number of races per season , superior tire technology , and a reduced chance of killing himself in a crash . Jimmy's winning percentage of races entered or completed is so very high .
You hadn't hear of him because he was Scottish, they can't stand Clark overshadowing Moss it drives them mental.
Lewis Hamilton's machine and himself were very reliable rarely making mistakes. The greatness differs from era to era. But Lewis Hamilton is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever do it.
I remember Jim when I was a little boy in the sixties. He was then and still is my all time king of all the racing drivers. Bless you Jim.
Same here!
I too was a young lad at the time, but he was my favourite. Saw him drive multiple races and venues. Not to mention he drove for my favourite team! Great memories!
@@joeaksame to “the man the machine the legend “ 🇦🇺
Pieces like this is what this show will be remembered for, the Story of Ford v Ferrari, the War between Audi & Lancia... so many examples of amazing stories, told in an amazing way.
Now I admire Jim Clark the most as a racing driver
@@DownloadARevolt20 Not really. This is just emotional romanticism of nostalgia with rose-tinted glasses.
@@DownloadARevolt20 what a bunch of nonsence, the cars have far less driver aids than they did in the senna and Schumacher days
A couple of stupid remarks...
@@jamesfeguson3445 paddle shifters helped alot. Remember when senna began his pro career, the cars still had manual transmissions. Look at some of his footage. Senna is definitely one of the greats. 6 Monaco wins, but he almost won 8.
Jim Clarke is the real goat.
Jim Clark is flat out amazing...the fact that he could still win at Spa while driving in the rain at 160 mph, one handed is pretty much the stuff of legend
And with a gearbox that was falling to pieces, no less.
@@Caddynars And beat everyone by 5 mins.
@@reaperoflostsouls4323 He was a literal one of a kind. He was always so perfectly in tune with his car. He could tell you exactly what was wrong with it just by listening to the engine.
@@Caddynars My dad knew him. Jim was a one of a kind. Great man and Greatest driver of all time.
Statistics prove that Jim Clark was truly the greatest driver in motorsport history.
He won in terms of a ratio, more races than any other driver.
Give him any of Schumacher's Ferraris or Senna's McLarens, he wouldnt have dropped a single race in any season he competed. Whats more (going by the comments from his pit crew fellas at Lotus), he would've saved both Ferrari or McLaren a fortune in tyres/parts, because he nurtured a car through races....
No other drivers in history will be as good as him.......
Hamilton idolised Senna but Senna idolised Jim Clark. An idol's idol....
Jim Clark was most definitely an all time great F1 driver, quite possibly the greatest. However in terms of F1 race wins to starts ratio Juan Manuel Fangio beats every F1 driver past and present hands down. He also has the best pole ratio to starts. Fangio had 24 wins out of 52 entries with 29 pole positions and 23 fastest laps. He achieved all this not by racing for one manufacturer, but by racing for four different ones (Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes and Ferrari). He also won his F1 five titles in his forties racing against the likes of Moss, Ascari, Farina Hawthorn and Brooks.
I agree! Most of the races that Clark didn't win was because of dropping out due to mechanical issues. If his F1 cars had the durability of modern F1 racers, along with the safety, too, Clark could have retired with 100+ wins.
@@karl3927didn't fangio say clark was the best? Didn't senna say clark was the best? Didn't Jackie Stewart say clark was the best? When three of the greatest racing drivers of all time agree, maybe they have a point. . .
@@tconbo4514 Jackie Stewart is on record saying Fangio was greatest F1 driver of all time. I recall reading that Fangio thought Clark was the best, but Fangio was renowned for being modest. Senna indeed said Clark was the best of the best. Both Clark and Fangio were absolutely brilliant in F1, but me for me Fangio edges it due to his statistical edge and the fact he beat Moss in equal machinery in 55. Clark though was definitely the more versatile driver.
If you watch the whole episode, you'll see how greatly regarded Jim Clark was by the trio and Grand Tour. Usually, at the end of every episode, Jermery would sign off by saying "on that terrible disappointment, Good night" but for the first time there was no jab just praise for what an amazing driver Jim Clark was and he just signs off by saying simply good night.
Jim Clark is undoubtedly one of the greatest racing drivers of all time, and the greatest of his era. The Grand Tour was right to pay tribute to one of motor racing’s all-time greats.
Brilliant to see this ! He was the best ! Finish Indy 2 laps ahead ! Nobody repeats this genius ....with a tractor ....cortina....lotus ....how we are blessed ....thank you for this tribute .
Jim Clark also raced in Nascar in 1967 at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina for Holmon and Moody. He enjoyed it so much that he planned on returning to run more races. Unfortunately he was killed before getting to do so.
At last something serious. My idol done proud.
These 3 guys can make us laugh till we shit ourselves and tear up during motor story time
The perfect way to sum it up
It shook me deeply when Jimmy died, because I thought he was immortal and untouchable. But then there came too many more who paid the ultimate price in this early era of open wheeled racing. Thank you, Richard, for this analysis of Clark.
Watched Jim Clark for the first time at Goodwood in 1964. I didn't get to see a driver in the same league as JC until I saw Aryton Senna at Thruxton in 1983....RIP Jim, RIP Aryton.
Thankyou Grand Tour for making the new generation recognized him. Truly deserves
His win was in '65 - his "rookie test" was in '63 (when he should have won if USAC officials had followed their own rules and black-flagged Parnelli Jones for dropping oil)
Morgan Rees, you're right as right can be! It's sloppy journalism to confuse 1963 with '65 and to skip '64 altogether. Although I was only 3 and a 1/2 years old I believe Clark won at Indy in '66 but a scoring error gave the victory to Graham Hill (who was a great driver, just not the one who really won that race!) He might've won 4 Indy 500 's in a row were it not for inferior for Indianapolis 500 tires from Dunlop, the favoritism shown to Parnelli Jones, the break in at BRM that necessitated an engine switch to a chassis it wasn't designed for, the scoring error, and his death before the '68 500. Oh what might've been...
Richard, this was the most moving piece of journalism I've ever seen, automotive or otherwise. Admittedly you had an inspiring subject, but they way you presented Jim Clark's life, achievements, and demise was riveting and has stayed with me from the moment I saw it. Well done Sir.
The greatest to ever do it. full. stop.
"And he still WON, by 5 MINUTES"
As a kid (9 years old) growing up in the Midwest (of the USA), I idolized Jim Clark. In those days, watching Formula 1 racing was only possible on ABC's Wide World of Sports, delayed broadcast. I watched a race with him winning easily and was blown away. Without social media, the Internet and cable TV in those days, following a sports celebrity, particularly a European sport like racing was only possible by going to the local news stand and looking for racing magazines. I collected everyone they had and adorned my bedroom wall with photos of him. His winning of the Indy 500 galvanized my hero worship of this humble, talented champion. I came home from bike riding to have my grandmother inform me that he had been tragically killed at Hockenheim, Germany. One of my darkest days.
Those 60's F1 cars were the most beautiful I think.
I remember having a Scalextric with cars like those!
The tiny roll bars look hugely undersized and worrying though!
Thanks for posting Richard.
Agreed, most of the early roll over bars were not even braced, would probably trapped the drivers head in a roll over, we have come a long way since those days.
It was 1971 and I was 17 when I bought a right-hand drive Mini from the original owner. I remarked that it only had 30 HP. The owner said "That's all Jim Clark would need."
My dad got a letter from him thanking him for his involvement in making a fire proof fuel tank at the company he worked for
I’ve done some very amateur karting and a lot of sim racing and thing Jim Clark said stayed with me.
“I don’t drive any faster, I just concentrate harder, which makes me go faster” Jim Clark
I love the joking, bantering and fun of TGT specials but its pieces like this, May's Ferrari vs Ford and JC's Audi vs Lancia that are absolute gems. Please, please never stop doing these.
As a kid Clark was my hero, I wanted nothing more in life than to be him. My best friend was a Gurney fan and though Dan was great even he acknowledged Clark's greatness. Racing back then was a blood sport though and we lost Jimmy far too early.
Another fantastic piece of automotive journalism. Sometimes, it's this show that brings me out of the blues
God loves you
No words to describe this legend. Its a privilege to learn about him despite being born decades after he died on that fateful day in Hockenheimring. Would love to go to Goodwood next year to see a glimmer of his Lotus 49, I would give a charitable donation just to sit in it.
Incredible man!.....Taken from us far too soon!
RIP Jim.
this car! this car is one of the most if not the most beautiful f1 cars ever. driven by an absolute legend
The Spa story had me !!! It's my favourite piece of tarmac in the world ! And he did that!
These were my favorite segments of GT. Mr. Hammond did a phenomenal job with this piece.
Jim Clark had a gift that has never been duplicated. A common man of uncommon talent.
My absolute racing hero as a young laddie in Scotland back in the 1960;s. Wonderful driver & a wonderful human being.
the wheel bearing story really gets me every time i remember it, because it takes a GOD of a human to feel something like a slightly worn wheel bearing with all of the other sensations of those cars, truly badass.
This Should be a MOVIE....Amazing story... Nice one🇯🇲🇬🇧💯
The Best of the Best. Watch how Jim Clark drives the car right to the edge of the curb-less apex grass, with the precision and control of a brain surgeon. Flawless. What a superbly gifted Champion. Revere him to this day.
This has made me well up - I loved Jim Clark as a nipper and I remember I was aged 6 playing football in the back garden when my Dad came out to tell me Jim had died in a crash - my Dad knew the effect it would have on me as I sat down and cried for ages
I love when Hammond talks about racing history. Much respect to Jim Clark. The King of Kings.
Jim Clark also won in several other diciplines even won at ploughing on a fordson major. When he died he had the most wins in f1, the most poles and the most grand slams, he never asked his team mate to pull over for him nor did he ever request no1 driver status. He won in a rally car, stock car touring car f1 car f2 car etc etc me was just a winning machine, best driver ever in my opinion. The greatest was senna but I dont think senna would have out paced Jim in any car.
Clark would have left Senna in his dust mate.
@@brucemcintosh5898 are you blind? I just made that clear!
I worked it out from every qualifying time. Clark was the second quickest, Senna was the third. The quickest, shouldn't surprise anyone who knows about F1, it was Ronnie Peterson. Peterson was the quickest out-and-out driver ever, but not the best driver. Whether that was due to fitness, focus or whatever, he wasn't the best overall driver, that was Clark. If Senna and Clark were the same age, driving cars from the same era, sure, Senna at times would have been quicker, it's the nature of things, but it wouldn't have been very often. Senna was focused, lightening quick and dedicated to winning. He gave it everything, in other words, he was at his limit each and every time he went out. Clark, however, just found it easy, that's why he was so great. He was that good, well within his limits. In other words, Clark could have been quicker, which is an incredible thought, when he was already the best of all time.
I wish this was the full video. When I watched this episode on Prime, it shook me up & still does.
I cried like a child that fell off a bicycle...wonderful episode! Only this, Neil Armstrong's Corvette and the Senna bit from the other show made me do that
GOAT Makes me cry to appreciate how good he was
I’ll never get over how anyone could drive these bathtub like cars at the speeds they do. Jim is truly the best.
This is beautiful. I had tears in my eye.
Imagine the reigning F1 champion nipping across to race in the Indy 500, and not just winning it but winning by two whole laps! OK, it was his third attempt, but he didn’t just beat the other racers there that day, he demolished them. He could (and did!) race anything; F1, F2, F3, touring cars, production cars (see him racing Lotus cortina’s and cornering so quick one of the front wheels paws in the air!), Indycar, rallies, anything! He is the best driver the world has ever seen. My hero. A fellow Scot, and a total gentleman!
One of the best pieces of film you guys ever made, loved every second of it
He still holds records in F1, that not even Schumacher came close to taking!
That too at a time when they had only 8-10 races in a season and he only raced in 72 races. 8 Grandslams in 72 races. That is 1 grandslam in every 9 race. Schumi and lewis the closest who raced in almost 300 races weren't able to topple it. That itself is astonishing. One can only imagine how much he could have won and how many Grandslams he could have got had he lived more. Truly the greatest ever.
Greatest driver of the pre-safety F1 era. What a staggering racing driver.
Of all of the racers of yesteryear, Jim Clark appears to have been one of the most modest of his amazing achievements.
He was just absolutely incredible. If only we were blessed enough to hear him speak about his racing days in his own voice 😥
This deserves more views. So well made and produced!
Clearly a man of character, respect, and peerless will.
I really dont like racing, never have, but this feature gives me a lump in my throat.
Clark was born 5 minutes from where I grew up, there's a small modest stature of him there, and that humble statue sums up everything this section says about him.
Clark felt he was first and foremost a farmer
Very much admire Jim Clark, and the cars he drove still look fantastic. Sleek and low.
What a fantastic tribute
Jim Clark is why when arguing about the GOAT, the numbers alone do not represent the best. No doubt that Schumey and Sir Lewis are great, but Jim Clark can never be missing from the discussion.
I think the secret to his speed is how smooth he drives, look at the video again with the camera showing him steering , very little sawing at the wheel , other drivers you see at the wheel saw it left and right all the time , it doesn't make him look very fast but in reality he's ballistic , I've just watched a car video and the race driver turned the wheel without any kind of feeding at all , very violently then he complained about the under steering .
The story of when he has to hold the gear in place while racing 160mph in rain always gives me goosebumps.
It’s a shame that Jim Clark died exactly 1 year before Richard Hammond was born and Richard didn’t even get the chance to see him alive
The reverence in their voices…help to quantify the caliber of the man. Jim seemed like the mans man on and off the field
The difference of the cars driven then, compared to today's one. 😱
@@DownloadARevolt20 The drivers of the 50's and 60's were bog standard average Joe's in glorified go-karts. Yes you have Fangio, Hill, Clark, Surtees and such which were 'amazing'. but they were professional drivers racing against fucking John from next door and Kenny from accounting. Drivers of today, even the fking Mazespins, are bred and trained for racing from as young as 3yrs old. Drivers of today are so 'perfect', where they count literal 0.001s gains. Back in day it was normal to win by minutes. Now all the drivers are more or less, 'perfect'. You dont get those kinds of margains anymore.
@@DownloadARevolt20 What an ignorant comment. F1 cars haven't had driver aids since 2008.
Pick up any decent simulator and drop the foot on the accelerator, or stomp on the brakes going 340km/h, and you'll see what happens.
@@coolL9457 are you saying those cars were easy to drive?
Power steering is a driver aid.@@OrdinaryLatvian
Excellent job Mr. Hammond.
A great report and a fitting tribute to a legend
What a legend, and by all accounts a Gent as well.
When, as a kid, I learned of his death at Hockenheim, I cried.
Hammonds way of telling this story still brings emotion to my eyes when he reveals what happened and how.
Jim Clark was a brilliant saloon car driver.three wheeling the loutus cortina and the ford galaxie.most of his contemporaries acknowledged he was the best of them all
Jim Clark was the Mr. Worldwide of racing back then
One of the best stories on the series. Rest in paradise Jim.
Once in a generation you get a person that is just so outstanding in their field that they don't make it look like a profession or sport. They make it look like art. A masterpiece. Like what Pele, or Maradona, or Messi, or Ronaldo is to Football. Or Michael Jordan, or Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James is to Basketball. However it's argued who is or was the best in their sport. With Jim Clark it's different. He truly was The Greatest Of All Time. And this tribute proves just that.
This is journalism at its very finest
Very good video, Richard. I never knew about Jim Clark until today when i read about him, and your video came to me by youtube. By the way, how much I miss top gear with you, james may and jeremy clarkson.
Jim Clark for me was the best ever!
🏁
I have always felt that a galaxy of superb drivers, his was the brightest star of all.
He would always be on my team...
My favourite racing driver
A completely natural driver. Competitive, while at the same time, mechanically sensitive. A very rare combination!
One of the best automotive history episode
Absolutely loved it
I would love an hour long documentary like this!
Winning with more than 2 minutes against the country's best racing drivers is HUGE by the standards of All time! Jim Clark is by far the GOAT of Motorsports! FULL STOP!
What about Michael schumacher and lewis hamilton who have better statistics
@@manavjogia Statistics don't tell the whole story. If racing legends like Fangio and Senna thought he was the best, I'm not going to argue, though to be fair, they never saw Hamilton race, nor Schumacher at his prime. I think we can just accept that Clark was phenomenally good, not just in F1 cars but F2 and saloon cars, to mention but a few.
@@Gynra didn't hamilton race schumacher and schumacher did race senna
@@manavjogia Yes
@@manavjogia by statistics, your dominance can be measured by Grand Slams. Jim Clark had 8 Grand Slams in Formula 1 alone. Who knew how much he had in other classes of Motorsports he raced?!
Jim Clark truly had a gift from god to drive a car so cleanly and to feel what parts of the car would give out and not putting stress on the fragile parts and winning no matter what if Jim Clark really did have a gift from god then that gift would be the most insanely amazingly awesome gift one could hope to have being a racing driver
I remember watching this the first time and feeling absolutely astonished that he was real
Jim Clark was a true legend.
That was the best tribute to a driver ever.
His was also the first ever win of a rear engine car at Indy. A front engine car ever one again and by 1969 all front engine cars were gone from the field.
One of the best all round racing driver of all time.
Richard Hammond’s masterpiece!
Jim Clark was my father's favourite driver. Well, him or Fangio but seeing as he was a Scotsman I'd say Clark probably edged it.
My father was born on 7 April, 1936; just weeks after Clark. And of course Clark died on 7 April, 1968; my father's birthday and just weeks before he married my mother.
🫤🤷
A wonderful film and a fitting tribute to a legend.