Close call for Gurney!

Dan Gurney was rescued by several spectators, and appeared shaken but uninjured (photo above), after his BRM P48 rolled several times when he went off the track on lap 11 of the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix, following brake failure. Tragically, a spectator who was not authorized to be there, was struck and killed. 

The American had qualified one of the three BRMs entered in sixth position, the other two being driven by Jo Bonnier (retired) and Graham Hill, a good third in a Grand Prix won by Jack Brabham at the wheel of his rear-engined Cooper T53-Climax, which would revolutionise Formula 1.

This race at Zandvoort marked Jim Clark’s Formula 1 debut, in a Lotus-Climax. The young Scotsman would not finish the race, his transmission having broken, but he would soon go on to dominate F1, winning two world titles (1963-1965), and leaving an indelible mark on the sport.