A lightweight rocket

The 1967 Belgian Formula One Grand Prix was held at Spa-Francorchamps. The 28-lap race was won by Eagle driver Dan Gurney after he started from second position. Excluding the Indianapolis 500, this is the only win for a USA-built car in Formula One.

Picture above: Dan Gurney exits La Source hairpin in his Eagle T1G Weslake. He set a new lap record at an average speed of 143 mph, to catch and pass Stewart’s BRM, on his way to victory at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian Grand Prix 1967.

The Eagle T1G was designed by Len Terry for Dan Gurney’s Anglo American Racers team. It was introduced in 1966 and appeared initially with a 2.7L Coventry Climax inline 4-cylinder engine although it was designed around a 3.0L Gurney-Weslake V12 which was introduced after its first four races.

The lightweight magnesium and titanium chassis and advanced aerodynamics of the Eagle made it very fast and perfectly suited to the Spa circuit. This very pretty and well-driven car was timed at 196 mph in the straight, an extraordinary speed for a car with an engine producing (at that time) something less than 400 hp (picture below).