51st, Clark's Misfortune, Hill's Triumph: Gurney Takes Victory at South African GP
During 1962 Jim Clark and Graham Hill had emerged as Britain’s premier racing talents and their teams – Lotus and BRM respectively – were without doubt the ones to beat.
By the last round at East London each had won three Grands Prix apiece and Hill was ahead on points due to the BRM’s greater finishing record – but only just, due to the system of dropped scores. Whoever won the race would win the title.
Clark started from pole with Hill alongside him and it was the Scot who took the lead on the first lap. From there he built up an unassailable lead of the type F1 would become accustomed to over the next few years. Under the circumstances the unflappable Hill did well to build up a huge lead of his own over the chasing pack – the Coopers of McLaren and Maggs were fighting closely with Jack Brabham – but there was nothing he could do about Clark way up ahead.