Pj Project

Jim Clark will never be who he is in the history of car racing if not for Lotus. They are inseparable and they made the best team in the world of car racing.

The year 1958 was the beginning of Manny J Clark’s romance with the Lotus. He was given a Lotus Elite Coupe by friends so he can join the race at Brand’s Hatch. Incidentally, he was spotted by Colin Chapman who gave him the opportunity to become an official member of their team. He gladly agreed to the offer and became the driver of their Lotus Formula Junior team, but his talent and skill is unprecedented which landed him in the rank of Team Lotus in the year 1960.

He drove his Lotus at the Spa with a vengeance after witnessing the deaths of Alan Stacey and Chris Bestow. He took home four titles from this racing field and drove various Grand Prix Championships with the innovated Lotus as his partner. He is not technically minded but his innate talent in driving always gave him the needed speed to beat his competitors amidst technical problems he may experience while driving.

The rise to fame earned him wealth and the chance to drive using his Lotus Elan. He had no time to get married but confided to someone that he wish to settle in his own Scotland farm when he gets older. This dream is supported by the fact that he only kept his contracts for a year in case he does decide to end the life of a racer in a blink.

He should have left Lotus in the year 1966 when it became less competitive but another opportunity knocked on his door. He was given the chance to compete in the 1968 Grand Prix race held in South Africa which he won. This title eclipsed the record which was previously set by Fangio after he had recorded a total of 25 titles. However, his luck ran out on April 7, 1968 when he experienced a tire failure which led to his death. He was a great loss for the racing world and everyone knew then that it will take decades before they will someone as stunning as Manny J Clark.

Colin Chapman mentioned he lost his best friend while Graham Hill stated that he would forever miss the smile of his friend, Jim Clark. As for the world of car racing, they will certainly miss the adrenalin rush his driving skills have given them for the entire decade.