1965 Round 3
Wigram

Round Three: WIGRAM  14th Lady Wigram Trophy

Jim Clark made it two in a row when he won the International Lady Wigram Trophy in the green and yellow Lotus-Climax in the record time of 64 min 19.3 sec, well inside Bruce McLaren’s 1964 race-winning time of 65 min 0.8 sec in a Cooper-Climax. Moreover, Clark, in his 25-mile preliminary heat before the 100-mile feature race, set a lap record of 1 min 25.9 sec, a time that was equaled by McLaren in the trophy race itself. McLaren made his best showing of the season to come second, but at no stage looked a winner, although Clark, after half-way, reduced his pace to nurse home a car sadly lacking oil pressure. Leading resident driver Jim Palmer finally got the better of his Australian adversary Frank Gardner and brought his 2.5 Brabham-Climax home third ahead of the similarly mounted Gardner. These were the only ones in the sixteen-car field to go the full distance. Next in line were Kerry Grant (2.5 Brabham-Climax) and Roly Levis (1.5 Brabham-Ford). McLaren's American team-mate Phil Hill, who ran out the greater part of his race in fifth position, kept going until the 25th lap when his 2.5 Cooper-Climax was forced to abandon with a broken half-shaft.

Clark again in fine winning form at Wigram.

Ken Sager finally had his Brabham ready for the event and was looking for a good debut. Peter Gillum had purchased David Young's FJ Cooper T65 and entered it here for his first major race.

McLaren lifting a wheel at the bumpy approach to the Loop.

It was Clark all the way in the second heat. Hill stripped first gear at the start and took no part. Palmer held second spot until overheating troubles forced him to ease off in the ninth lap and Grant and Bill Thomasen (2.5 Brabham-Climax) moved up to second and third places. To Clark went the honour of setting the first lap record for the Wigram circuit which had been revised in 1964.

Practice day was wet as seen by the spray from Abernethy's Cooper.

Mechanic Bill Hannah was still working on Abernethy's Cooper as the flag fell. Clark shot to the front, with McLaren, Gardner, Palmer and Grant in close attendance. Hill was rather badly left, as his gearbox was still not right. At the end of the first lap Clark was well clear of McLaren who had Gardner and Palmer on his heels. Grant was next, well clear of Hill, who was followed by Levis and Buchanan.

Bruce McLaren on the grid awaiting the start of the race.

Lap 4 saw Flowers enter the pits with a smoking car, the result of a burst oil pipe. It was later found to have a collapsed piston as well. As Clark completed his sixth lap he began to lap the tail-enders, something that was to become normal procedure for him as the race progressed. Dawson went out at this point with another crown wheel failure. With twelve laps gone Clark was 11 sec ahead of McLaren, who was well clear of Gardner and Palmer. Hill then took Grant, who began to lose ground. Abernethy, who had started half a lap down, caught Buchanan and moved up to eighth place. Two laps later, Thomasen got by Lawrence for tenth spot.

Interest now centred on the Gardner-Palmer tussle. Palmer moved in, seemingly inch by inch, and finally he made it in the course of the 34th lap. Although he did not know it at the time, Gardner had split the casing of his gearbox. Only McLaren, Gardner and Palmer remained unlapped by Clark on lap 26. Hill stopped that lap with a broken half-shaft and Abernethy made the first of three pitstops on successive laps with over-heating, finally quitting on lap 30. With Clark, McLaren and Palmer securely placed, Alec Mildren, owner and manager of the Gardner Brabham, gave his driver the 'hold position' signal. On lap 38, Riley's race came to an abrupt end with a broken universal and then Lawrence ran out of fuel on the next lap.

Race winner Clark.