The Victory Race meeting at Brands Hatch on October 24th was intended to be a celebratory meeting after the end of another long, hard Formula 1 season. Instead, the day brought stark tragedy when the respected and experienced Swiss driver Jo “Seppi” Siffert lost his life at the Kent circuit.
Siffert Races in Formula Junior and F1 with Private Lotus
Born in Fribourg, Switzerland, on July 7th, 1936, Siffert endured many hardships on his way to the top of his beloved sport. In the early days his racing adventures were funded by scrap metal dealing and selling second-hand cars. Siffert’s career began on motorcycles, with some success, before a move to the blossoming Formula Junior category with a Stanguellini.
By 1962 Siffert was part of the Grand Prix circus, driving a privately entered Lotus Climax. That first season in Formula 1 brought a best result of tenth in Belgium. A move to the Scuderia Filipinetti team followed, before he embarked on a long working relationship with the English team owner Rob Walker.
The following season produced little in the way of World Championship results but Siffert did manage to defeat Jim Clark twice, both times at the non-championship Mediterranean Grand Prix. His greatest moment in Formula 1 came at the 1968 British Grand Prix, held at Brands Hatch. In Rob Walker’s privately entered Lotus 49B Siffert beat all comers to score a memorable victory.
Siffert had considerably more success in sports car racing where he became an integral part of the Porsche factory team. Among his achievements were victories at Daytona, Sebring and the Targa Florio.
F1 with March and BRM
The 1970 Formula 1 season was a disappointing one for Siffert as he struggled with a March chassis. For 1971 he signed with BRM, alongside the Mexican Pedro Rodriguez. The two drivers were also Porsche sports car stable mates and fought memorable duels. Rodriguez’s route to the top had been the polar opposite of Siffert’s, the Mexican coming from a privileged upbringing.
At Zeltweg in 1971 Siffert managed to hold on, despite a deflating tyre, to win the second and final World Championship Grand Prix of his career. Despite no longer working together, Siffert’s old employer Rob Walker still had great affection for him. In Jacques Deschenaux’s 1972 book, “Jo Siffert”, published by William Kimber, Walker spoke about the victory;
“I don’t know if I would have wept with joy for Seppi or with sorrow at not having played any part in the victory.”
1971 Brands Hatch Victory Race
By the end of 1971 both Siffert and Rodriguez would be gone. In July perished at the Norisring in a fiery accident while driving a Ferrari sports car. At Brands Hatch Siffert also became a victim of fire. Starting from pole, Siffert and Ronnie Peterson made contact on the opening lap. On lap 15 Siffert’s suspension failed on the approach to Hawthorn’s bend, pitching the BRM off the circuit. Unable to escape and with marshals helpless to deal with the ensuing inferno, Siffert died in the flames.
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