First podium for Seppi

Jo Siffert (1936-1971) was born in Fribourg, Switzerland, the son of a dairy owner. He graduated to Formula One as a privateer in 1962, with a four-cylinder Lotus-Climax. He later moved to Swiss team Scuderia Filipinetti, and in 1964 joined the British Rob Walker Racing team.

Picture above: Jo Siffert, affectionately known as “Seppi” to his family and friends, scores with a third place, the first podium of his Formula 1 career, in his Brabham BT11-BRM, at the 1964 US Grand Prix held at Watkins Glen. The race was won by Graham Hill in a BRM, followed by John Surtees – the future 1964 World Champion – in a Ferrari.

Siffert won two (championship) races in F1: the 1968 British Grand Prix in a Rob Walker-entered Lotus (picture below), and the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix in a BRM. He also finished six times on the podium and took two pole positions, scoring 68 career points.

Jo Siffert, with his speed at the wheel and his charismatic looks, was always the kind of driver who attracted a huge following amongst the racing fans, and although his single-seater achievements were patchy, he was to win enormous acclaim as a sports car driver of skill and repute.