Jim Clark in pictures: celebrating the F1 great

Jim Clark: 50 years on

Scotsman Jim Clark, who died 50 years ago today (7 April) is one of the greatest grand prix drivers of all-time.

A long-time Lotus driver, Clark claimed the Formula 1 World Championship title in 1963 and '65, and claimed 25 wins and 32 podium finishes from just 73 grand prix starts.

Clark was also known for his versatility: he won the British Touring Car Championship in 1964 and the Indianapolis 500 in 1965, finished third overall in the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hours and also competed in the RAC Rally and even a NASCAR stock car race.

You can read Autocar's 1968 tributes to Jim Clark here.

1958: Clark meets Colin Chapman

Clark began competing in 1956 in road rally and hill climb events in the Scottish Borders, but by 1958 was competing across the country. On Boxing Day that year he competed against Lotus founder Colin Chapman (seen trailling Clark in the picture above) in a GT race at Brands Hatch.

Clark's stunning pace impressed Chapman, and by 1959 the Scotsman was a Lotus driver.

1960: Grand Prix debut

With Chapman's backing, Clark quickly ascended the motorsport ladder, and in 1960 made his Formula 1 World Championship debut in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Driving a Lotus 18-Climax, Clark qualified 11th, retiring on the 42nd lap with a transmission failure.

1962: First championship win

Clark's first World Championship race win came at the fearsome Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. Driving a Lotus-Climax, Clark beat long-time friend and rival Graham Hill by 44.1 seconds. Clark would win two more races that year, finishing second behind Hill in the championship standings.

1963: Home success in title year

Clark and Lotus dominated in 1963, with the Scotsman winning seven of the 10 races to claim a maximum championship score (once dropped scores were accounted for). His fourth win of the season came in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

1964: Tin-top titles as well

As with many stars of the era, Clark didn't just race in Formula 1. He also won the 1964 British Touring Car Championship driving a Lotus-Cortina. He's pictured here (right) at Snetterton.

1965: Clark and Chapman

Clark with his long-time team boss and mentor, Lotus founder Colin Chapman

1965: Winning at Indianapolis

The Indianapolis 500 has long been the showpiece event of the American single-seater scene, and for decades was dominated by homegrown drivers and teams. Clark and Lotus changed all that, and sparked a revolution in the process.

American single-seaters were still largely front-engined machines, but when Clark drove a rear-engined Lotus-Ford in the 1963 Indianapolis 500 his pace demonstrated the potential of shifting the powerplant backwards. He returned in 1964 and finished second, before finally taking victory with a dominant showing in 1965.

Clark, who skipped the Monaco Grand Prix to race at the Brickyard, became the first non-American to win at Indy since Italian-Briton Dario Resta in 1916.

1966: Sideways in saloons

Clark's car control was legendary - demonstrated here by this wonderfully controlled drift in a Lotus-Cortina during a saloon car race at Snetterton.

1966: RAC Rally action

Clark didn't just compete on the circuits: in 1966 he drove a Ford-supported Lotus-Cortina on the RAC Rally. Co-driven by Brian Melia, and with training from rally great Roger Clark (no relation), Clark won several stages and showed strong pace, but was forced to retire after rolling late in the event.

1968: The final grand prix victory

Clark's 25th and final World Championship grand prix victory came in the 1962 South African Grand Prix, held at Kyalami on 1 January. 

The Scotsman started the race from pole position, with his Lotus-Ford team-mate Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart joining him on the three-car front row. Stewart briefly took the lead at the start, but Clark quickly hit the front and finished clear of Hill.

The race was also Clark's final world championship outing before his death at Hockenheim in April that year.