Shakedown

The Suzuka race track in Japan was used for the shake down of the Honda RA302, a difficult and fragile machine, that will claim the life of the unfortunate Jo Schlesser (picture here-under), prisoner in the flames of the magnesium chassis during the 1968 French Grand Prix at Rouen.

The lead driver John Surtees had refused to drive the car judging it too dangerous, and he preferred the RA301 that was more reliable. The Japanese constructor entered a second single-seater at the end of the season for David Hobbs at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (retired) and for veteran Jo Bonnier, 5th at the Mexican Grand Prix at the season’s end.