23-1-61 Brabham Wins Wigra m Tro Lady phy Streaking away into the lead on the first lap, the reigning world racing drivers' champion, Jack Brabham, drove calmly and skilfully to his second successive win of the Lady Wigram intend tell to ys try on atest are lead from position Conditions were so atrocious for the race that it was shortened from 150 miles to 100 miles, and on the treacherously wet circuit which demanded extreme concentration and skill, Brabham provided a display of driving which thoroughly proved his right to the world title. Brabham soon settled down McLaren enfered a spectacu- Brabham received the to a race which he shrewdly lar slide, and by the time be chequered flag 52 seconds had recovered and rejoined estimated was the fastest posahead of Stirling Moss, who the conditions, the race, he was well down the had been nursing his damaged! while still leaving a good mar- LISt. He did very well Rob Walker Lotus for most of gin for safety. Over the eariy climb back to fourth place by the race after a shunt at the he was harried by the the end of the event. start. Swedish champion, Joachim After some brilliant driving Bonnier, who was driving the which earned him the gener- drivers, Roy Salvadori (Lotus) Yeoman Credit Lotus with and the Lotus team driver, ous applause of all the over- rare skill. seas competitors, the uncon- John Surtees, did not dispute sidered Hastings entrant, A. N. Bonnier is one of the world's the finish. Salvadori had been wet-weather drivers, racing for coly a few Hyslop, brought his Cooper having once been a champion Climax home in third place when he withdiew with trans in front of the other Cooper at driving cars on ice in mission failure; and the motor homeland.. But when Bonnier in Surtees car went rough team driver" Cooper Climax) Bruce McLaren. tried to display Brabham, Hulme found the speed too much for after about 25 laps and he was fifth and L. Gilbert (Mas- him to handle, and be had a erati 250F) sixth. lucky escape from injury when Under the trying conditions, Brabham's time for the race his car careered off the circuit the New Zealand entrants did was Timin 18.5sec, which rep- on to the grass. Bonnier re- amazingly well considering the resents an average speed of joined the race but was never strengtn of their opponents. about 80 miles an hour. He again a serious threat, for his A. N. Hyslop, of Hastings, who also set up the fastest lap in car had been slightly damaged. recent seasons has been the race of 1mir. 33sec (abour driving a big D-type Jaguar 81.9 miles an hour. Clark's Bid Ice-like Surface The quest for the lead was throughout country, Not since the first motor then taken by the young Scots showed he was also a most races were heid at Wigram in driver, Jim Clará, who was accomplished single-seater 1949 has the weather been so driving his Lotus particularly driver. Always close to the unkind to the Motor Racing well. Clark moved up until he front and at one stage a big was close behind Brabham, worry to Moss, who was strivthe organisers of the but once more event. Heavy showers tell dur- ing to get near Brabham in champion applied the pres- • spite of his sick engine, Hyslop ing the day, and pools of water sure. Clark met the same fate lying on the smooth • tarmac as Bonnier, sliding off the gave the best display of thei provided a surface for New Zealanders as he lapped cars little better than an ice track and ruining his chances, at consistently high speeds in while Brabham remained the picture of steadiness and un- his Cooper and managed took a clever driver to the mistakes control his car without a lapse concern. for the whole race, and it was Brabham was already in a! eliminated so many others. His strong position, but noi quite, worthy Brabham who piloted his car strong enough. His team-mate, i for a stout driving most successfully while other Bruce McLaren, began to re- effort in most difficult condicompetitors indulged in duce his lap times and was slides and spins. With Moss soon right on the tail of the. relegated to a position where leading Cooper. For several he could only circulate rela- laps these two circuiated oniy tively slowly and hope for a feet apart, and then McLaren minor placing, Brabham's greatest worry was rendered made his bid. Yet again, the almost harmless. higher speed required to. pass leader resulted it challenger having trouble. the The race eagerly Lady Wigram Trophy Race (99.45) Having chased the leaders awaited by the speciators, and OD ening le position, twentieth (Cooper Climax), Clark made an excellent start, ways th igh + of Australia, 77min established himself ahead of but in his enthusiasm to re- straight, and McLaren moved saloons showing their paces on he university student, W. M. GIl main in the front, he swung up to second position. ham shortened his lap times citing öne. I1 B. Wills, of Blenhad the misfortune to irt the wide at the first Den marker drums at the S-bend and lost ground to Brabham. once Gill. McLaren, Sur- threat in his rear vision stages of the race in a New Zeland. 46 apper. and break two spark plugs in and Moss followed in but McLaren fell later model Humber 80, but ne. The ae Moss and Mc- the same trap as Bonnier and was unable to the New Zealand, 46 laps, 5. in Gill's car is inverted, so that Laren had tangled in the start, On the back straight cornering skill of the Rangi- L. R. Gilbert (Maserati 250F), the spark plugs are hard to get and although ora champion. Further back in, Hamilton. The time spent in replac- spoilt sions were not obvious at this Bonnier withdrew of Gill (Lycoming Special) them in the pits had stage of the race, the damage race shortly after, Boyd! chanoes, but suffered by Moss's car was to the track at breakneck earned the respect of both the prevent him from being in his exhibitions speed in an endeavour to make Fastest lap: J. Brabham, Imin serious contender for the lead. was beginning up his handicap, McLaren's car appeared that Heasley and Mills were Motor Racing Club Championship It was also a day of success Hec harmed. his match. R. J. N. Archibald, Bonnier passed Clark on the who has driven Green, who won at Wigram first lap, with Gill third, Sur- Wigram in former years at the N. Hysiop (Jaguar D-type). Eas- Driving his own fourth, and Moss, wheel of a Jaguar sports, was home-built special, Green wor Hyslop, Hulme, Palm- given no opportunities in his Christchurch, 37min the special trophy for the first and Shuter next in order Citroen ID 19, and Ross Jen- Brabham clung tenaciously to It was a case of survival of sen, the former New Zealand the lead knowing that to lose it and who could re- driv ers' champion, found his Gardiner seventh in the might mean he would running until the finish. Jaguar 3.8 had too much power Christchurch, 19 laps. 5. It took Moss several laps to Class Winners.—Up to 1500 c.c.: over all placings. recover it, for with the spray pass Hyslop into second place, for top-speed motoring on the 1501-3000 c.c.: Ruthertyres blinding but after 26 laps he was suc- Slippery track Over 3000 c.c.:' Hysiop. Hurtling his little green and drivers close behind, passing Jensen gained the second ford. Sports Car Race (42 miles) yellow Locus through the pools; became extremely dangerous. and Surtees fourth, but Sur- tastest lap time, and Mills was only .5sec slower than the big Auckland. допь Jaguar. Jim Clark earned himself the four cars had drawn N. Hyslop (Jaguar D-type), Hastthe rest of retirements when his engine J. Mullins, of Leeston, drove ings. 36min 38.6sec. 2: D. fasiest time in practice and developed trouble. his Simca into first place in ence (Cooper). Young (Jaguar occupied the pole position at with Brabham opening up a Over the final laps, McLaren gap over Bonnier. class; 48.8sec. 3: D. the grid start. Settling down, Bonnier com-i worked hard to improve his leasley took the honours in C-tvpe) Timaru. 37min 26.9sec, 4 was heartened by this! placing. but found that Hulme Class Winners.-Under 1500 c.c.: effort, since the Coopers of menced all-out onslaught the 1300 c.c. to 2000 c.c. class, Lawrence. Over 1500 c.c.: Gill. on Brabham's lead. and Jensen easily captured the Brabham and Bonnier times by a startling McLaren could win in the over 2000 c.c. class. Under 1300 cemet Clark's, his lap the time this race had (Simca), best practice lap amount, he drew close behind was lying third A405. Paimerston Bonier had managed the leader and sought to pass. inished, the spectators were Bonnier soon appeared at the the race of his displaying more interest than North. scI, and face life. Hysloo's car is only a 1300 c.c.-2000 c.c.-H. J. Heasley they had in the main race, and Humber 2min: 41sec, and J. Boyd Imin 42sec. , covered with grass and mud. 1960 c.c. model compared with Mills (Humber Moss was in an unusual posi- to stop and| McLaren's 2300 c.c. machine, 20› Blenheim, 2min 2sec, 2. tion for him the second row, another pair of yet the difference in power Driving a Cooper Monaco, Di Jaguar having done a fastest practice He had left the track could hardly be distinguished. Lawrence, of Wanganui, had a 22sec. lap in 1min 46.5sec. Brabham crossed the finish fne win in the Motor Racing Zenhvr). Brabham on the back straight. line in the same relaxed atti- championship over speeds along the back straight as he had started Bonnier was the fastest, with After 15 laps, jand Hyslop's Cooper was the Hyslop, and the local driver 347sec. Moss inished second mid on are paged of eat umber t 128 miles an hour, then Moss only other car to inish Rutherford, had his Invitation Motor-evrle Race at 120.8 miles an hour, Bonnier out of the picture, whole race. McLaren was a lap home-built car running per- Gill was also reaching about Clark moved up to within behind in fourth place. Wentzel (A.J.S.) B. 120 miles an hour. four seconds of Brabham. Al-l The field for the race was ready retirements were occur- Saloon Car Race reduced quickly the running with transmission car race were affected by theleven mishaps of some of the com- Jaguar C-type, was unable tc Mansel (Glen Murray) and B catch the fleet Zephyr-engined Blackburn (Christchurch) all his V-12 Ferrari after break- petitors in the main race, then it was not refected in their special. W. Gardiner, who has slid off the track into a ditch, ing two pairs of goggles and driving. Last year's saloon car badly damaging their cars. champion, H. J. Heasley, of Jaguar, drove a sieady race for With the programme running one hour and a half late, the clutch trouble in his Formula 80 with such daring and skill In the sports car race, also Club officials Junior Lotus. ill called in over 42 miles, that he was lapping as fast as conferred with the stewards of for his plug change. the slowest cars in the other Lycoming the Association of New Zea- worked his way up to third races and he was able to draw Hyslop was again land Car Clubs and the drivers larger-capacity place, and Lawrence for support in their move place in front oi Surtees' and away signalling Dord Zephyrs and Jaguars. was third. The rain was at its reduce the main race from 150 th Moss neaviest at this stage, and the havin Not only did Heasley miles to 100 miles. to his pit that be was the fastest lap time for saloons drivers of the cars were almost! Bonnier was once! invisible from the pits as they was showing no sign of abat- in through th with a staggering round in the drivers were 1min 50sec, but he also had an sped along the back straight readily agreeable to the sug- feld in an endeavour to have easy win in his class. Heasley's towing huge plumes of spray. another duel with Brabham. Results were:accomplished seen in any of and the sight of his smallcapacity car out-cornering and out-accelerating saloons will long be