Jim Clark, with a splash

Which is the greatest of Jim Clark’s 25 Grand Prix wins? Here’s a candidate. 60 years ago, on the old Spa in 1963, in heavy rain, he won by 4 min 54 sec over the 2nd placed man, despite gearbox issues that often caused him to have to hold the gear lever in place and drive one-handed.

The 1963 Belgian Grand Prix was held at Spa-Francorchamps on 9 June 1963. It was race 2 of 10 in the Formula One World Championship. Jim Clark, after starting eighth on the grid in his Lotus 25, swiftly passed all of the cars in front of him, including early leader Graham Hill in a BRM.

At the end of the race, Clark had not only lapped the entire field except for Bruce McLaren, but the margin to the second-placed Cooper driver, was almost 5 minutes! Given the rainy conditions, Clark, who had gear selection trouble, eventually chose not to engage fifth gear at all, leaving him with only four gears.

This would be the first of seven victories for Clark and Team Lotus that year; they logically won the 1963 Drivers’ Championship and the 1963 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers.