Team History

After two 500cc motorcyle world championships and the 1964 Formula One Drivers Championship, John Surtees set up his own racing team in 1966 to contest the newly formed Can-Am series and won the title at the first attempt. His team became a constructor in 1969 when it built a successful car for the Formula 5000 championships and Surtees moved into F1 in 1970 as an owner/driver. The team entered a McLaren for the first few races of the season before the TS7 made its debut at the British GP. The new chassis suffered from various technical problems but towards the end of the season the team managed to score points.

Surtees expanded his efforts in 1971 with German Rolf Strommelen driving a second car, while a third car was entered for various drivers at some races with fellow motorcycle champion Mike Hailwood scoring the teams best finish - fourth place in Italy. John Surtees stepped away from the cockpit in 1972, leaving the driving to Hailwood, Tim Schenken and Andea de Adamich who combined to have the teams most successful season. The high point being Hailwood's second place finish at the Italian GP. De Adamich left the team after the first race of 1973 and the season continued with two cars, driven by Hailwood and Carlos Pace, the young Brazilian scoring all of the teams points as well as two fastest laps.

1974 saw major changes within the team as the Brooke Bond / OXO sponsorship was lost and Hailwood moved to McLaren, being replaced by German Jochen Mass. More turmoil erupted when the teams star, Carlos Pace fed up with the uncompetitive car, left the team at mid-season for Brabham. The following season proved even worse as the cash strapped team ran only one car for young driver John Watson, who scored no points in the two year old car and when he moved to the American Penske team, to replace Mark Donohue, the team did not race again that season.

The need for money saw Surtees take on the highly controversial sponsorship of condom manufacturer Durex in 1976, with young Australian Alan Jones scoring points on several occasions before he too moved to a more promising team. Things looked a little more promising for 1977 as Vittorio Brambilla joined the team bringing sponsorship from Beta Tools which, together with the continued backing of Durex, allowed the team to construct a new chassis for 1978, the TS20. However, multiple calamities put paid to the teams plans; First, John Surtees was hospitalized for treatment of a serious condition affecting his legs, then Englishman Rupert Keegan crashed at the Dutch GP and broke his wrist, finally Brambilla was involved the multi-car accident at the Italian GP that claimed the life of Ronnie Peterson and left the Italian with serious head injuries. The team finished the season with replacement drivers but withdrew from Grand Prix racing at the end of the year.

Team Record

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