A FATAL MISTAKE

 

This story is a bit different from my previous histories. This story will deal with a single event, that would have a major impact on Honda for nearly twenty years.

 

Early Honda in the late 1940’s

 

Like many Japanese companies in the early 1960’s, Honda saw their key to success in exporting their products to Europe and North America.

In 1962 Honda decided that the path to follow was to enter F1.

By 1964 the RA271 was built and would contest three races. The car was driven in Germany, Italy and the US by American driver Ronnie Buckhum who failed to score any points.

Ronnie Buckhum with his RA271

 1965 was a bit of a breakthrough for Honda with new driver Dan Gurney finishing 4^th in the driver’s championship, and Ginther winning the Mexican GP.

Ginther winning the 1965 Mexican GP

For Honda 1966 was a lost season. They only competed in 5 of the 9 races, deciding to focus on 1967.

In 1967 there were big changes at Honda. Ginther and Bucknum were released and former Ferrari world champion, John Surtees, brought in.

Surtees in the Honda RA273 at 1968 South Africa

1968 was to be a momentous year for Honda. They had just introduced their first road car in the US, and the new RA300 F1 car was released.

The 1968 Honda N600

 In F1 Honda would contest the entire season for the first time.

1968 RA300

 

The 1968 F1 session would consist of 12 races, starting in South Africa and ending in Mexico.

 

1	South African Grand Prix	Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Midrand	1 January
2	Spanish Grand Prix	Circuito Permanente Del Jarama, Madrid	12 May
3	Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo	26 May
4	Belgian Grand Prix	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot	9 June
5	Dutch Grand Prix	Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort	23 June
6	French Grand Prix	Rouen-Les-Essarts, Orival	7 July
7	British Grand Prix	Brands Hatch, West Kingsdown	20 July
8	German Grand Prix	Nürburgring, Nürburg	4 August
9	Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza	8 September
10	Canadian Grand Prix	Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Tremblant	22 September
11	United States Grand Prix	Watkins Glen International, New York	6 October
12	Mexican Grand Prix	Magdalena Mixhuca, Mexico City	3 November

I am going to write about the sixth race in France as that is the focus of this story.

1968 French GP ad.

As F1 moved to France for the sixth race, things were getting desperate for Honda. So far Honda hadn’t scored a point and Honda were begging to question the F1 program. Honda did have what they believed was their ace, a radical new car that was designated the RA302.

The new Honda RA302 used a magnesium chassis. It was supposed to be light and nimble. When Surtees tested the car, he found it slow and cumbersome. An engineering friend advised him not to drive the car, and that is what Surtees did, he told Honda he wouldn’t drive the car. In a panic Honda signed a veteran French driver named Jo Schlesser.

At 40 Schlesser had been in various categories of racing for more than ten years. This would likely be his last chance at F1.

The Honda 302

Jo Schlesser

 

The Race

The support races had all been run on a dry track, but now rain began to fall as the F1 cars lined up for the start, everyone on dry tyres to start with as there was no time to change to wet tyres.

Stewart got the jump to lead down to Nouveau Monde for the first time, Rindt and Ickx keeping him honest. Most expected Stewart to take up where he left off at Zandvoort but Ickx was already showing his Ferrari to be much better in the wet conditions and he had a lead of a number of lengths at the end of lap 1, ahead of Stewart and Rindt. Surtees was 4th, ahead of Rodriguez doing well in 5th, Hill 6th, McLaren 7th, and Beltoise 8th. Amon’s Ferrari was sounding rough as he dropped to 9th, ahead of Hulme, Attwood, Brabham, Elford, Courage, Schlesser and Servoz-Gavin. Siffert was already a minute behind at the back, his car had struck clutch problems at the start and his mechanics got him going albeit belatedly. After two laps Ickx was pulling away, Rindt had grabbed second from Stewart, while Surtees, Rodriguez and Hill were closing on the Scot.

On lap 3, tragedy struck. Jo Schlesser, who had struggled all weekend with the new Honda, spun at Six Frères. Witnesses stated that they thought his engine had cut out, and the Frenchman was a passenger as his car slithered up the embankment, overturned, and burst into flames. Spectators near the incident suffered minor burns as the magnesium-built car burned fiercely, Schlesser stuck underneath. Efforts were made to retrieve him, but the combination of the intense heat and the lack of chemical fire extinguishers made that task almost impossible. Water extinguishers were used but they made no impression on the flames, instead merely making matters worse allowing rivers of flame to flow down the circuit. Before long, it became clear that nothing could be done, and poor Schlesser perished in the flames. It would be almost 20 minutes after the initial crash before he could be pulled from the charred wreckage. This tragedy cast a black cloud over the whole race, and would have far-reaching consequences for both Rouen and the Honda team.

Schlesser’s fatal crash.

His car rides up the bank (1) and then erupts into flames (2)

Postscript

Schlesser’s death would have a prefund impact on F1. It would push Jackie Stewart to demand more safety and tracks and better medical services.

The negative publicity would cause Honda to pull out of F1 until 1983 when they suppled engines to Spirit and later Williams. From 1975 until 1996 every Ligier car was named JS in memory of French driver Jo Schlesser.

 

By I. Caldwell

aka @CavallinoRampa2