Clark wins again!
We asked you – and you answered, emphatically. Jimmy Clark is by far the most popular British Formula 1 World Champion, according to the readers of Motor Sport.
An online poll was launched in last month’s issue to ask which of Britain’s 10 World Champions – plus our honorary ‘11th man’ Sir Stirling Moss – is held in greatest affection by racing enthusiasts.
More than 5500 took part in the poll, which was run in association with The Daily Telegraph. And from its launch just ahead of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the result was never in doubt.
Much like most of his Formula 1 races during the 1960s, Clark quickly established an early lead and ran away from the field. When the poll closed just over three weeks later, the Scot who won a pair of titles for Team Lotus in 1963 and ’65 had claimed 31.5 per cent of the vote.
Nigel Mansell, World Champion for Williams in 1992, was best of the rest with a 13.1 per cent haul, while our extra entry Moss – who inished championship runner-up four times in succession during his illustrious career – was third, netting 10.9 per cent of the vote.
The poll was launched to coincide with National Motorsport Week, a joint initiative run by the Motor Sports Association and the Motorsport Industry Association to promote racing in Britain. The UK has produced more F1 champions than any other nation, the 10 eclipsing the totals of three each from Brazil and Finland.