African connection

There has been 25 Formula One drivers from South Africa, with 17 of them starting at least one Grand Prix, and only four having started more than four races. Jody Scheckter is by far the most prolific and successful of them, being the only one to have won a race. Even better, he has won 10 times and took the 1979 Drivers’ World Championship with Ferrari. There were six Formula One drivers from Rhodesia, with three of them having started in races.

Picture-above: South African Peter de Klerk and Rhodesian John Love, two very capable racing drivers, stroll down the pitlane, ahead of the 1970 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.

Peter de Klerk (1935-2015), a South African, participated in four World Championship Grand Prix in an Alfa-Special and in a non-works Brabham in 1963, 1965, 1969 and 1970, but failed to score a point.

John Love (1924-2005), a Rhodesian, participated in 10 Formula One Grand Prix for Cooper, Brabham, Lotus, March and Surtees (private entries) between 1962 and 1972, achieved one podium with an incredible second place at the 1967 South African Grand Prix in a Cooper T79-Climax (picture-below) and scored a total of six championship points.