Racing event Goodwood Revival and the domineering Scottish sheep farmer who conquered the global motor racing scene in 1965
Jim Clark, a Scottish racing legend, won his second Formula 1 (F1) World Drivers' Championship in 1965, marking a year of unprecedented success for the motor sports industry. This year is now being celebrated at the Goodwood Revival 2025, a motor racing event taking place from September 12-14, 2025, at Goodwood house.
The Goodwood Revival 2025 was organized by the Goodwood Estate, which hosts the event as part of its renowned motorsport and social gatherings in West Sussex, England. The event pays tribute to the 60th anniversary of Clark's most successful year in 1965.
Clark's dominance during the 1960s was due to his control of Lotus's fragile car. In 1965, he won six out of the 10 Formula 1 races, a feat unmatched by any driver before or since. His victory at the Indianapolis 500 was the first time a non-American driver had won since 49 years and the first time a foreign car had finished first since 25 years.
Clark's victory at the Indianapolis 500 demonstrated that ballyhoo is not an essential part of actually winning a motor race. His win was reported in the June 17, 1965, edition of the platform, and his smooth and clean driving style was praised by rivals and close friends alike. Jackie Stewart, a fellow racing legend, described Clark as 'the best driver of my era. Smooth and clean, he never over drove.'
However, Clark's victories were not without their challenges. With 10 laps to go in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1965, his engine misfired, and he consumed unexpectedly high oil, causing him to switch off his engine on the approach to certain corners. Despite these issues, he managed to win the race, showcasing his remarkable courage and cold-blooded calculation.
Clark's victory in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone was not his only remarkable achievement in 1965. He started from pole position and recorded the fastest lap six times that year. Half of the fatalities in practice sessions and Grands Prix between 1960 and 1965 were drivers behind the wheel of a Lotus, highlighting the risks Clark took to achieve his success.
Prior to his death, Clark appeared on Roy Plomley's Desert Island Discs. Melanie Bryan, the former Archive Manager at our platform magazine, is a freelance picture editor and writer who has worked for national and international publications and publishers. She currently lives and works in rural Ryedale, North Yorkshire.
Tragically, Clark's life was cut short. In April 1968, he was competing in a minor race at the Hockenheimring, Germany, when his car careered off the track and collided with a tree, resulting in his untimely death at the age of 32.
As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Clark's most successful year, we remember not just his victories, but also his courage, skill, and the indelible mark he left on the world of motor racing.
