☰
conceptcarz.com
✕

1974 Surtees TS16

Monoposto
Chassis number: 16/05-3

John Surtees is the only man to win four world racing titles: F1, Can-Am, Le Mans, and GP Motorcycles. Eventually, Surtees also became a Constructor, building F1, F2, and F5000 cars. Finances proved difficult; the TS16 remains one of their most striking and purposeful designs.

This Cosworth DFV-powered TS16 was entered in the French, Austrian, and Italian Grand Prix during the 1974 season, however, it failed to qualify at the French and Italian GPs. Jose Dolhem was unable to qualify the car at both of those events. Dieter Quester drove the car to a 9th-place finish at the Austrian Grand Prix in 1974.

The following year, John Watson drove the car for much of the season, starting with the Belgian Grand Prix, where it finished 10th. It finished in 16th place at the Swedish Grand Prix, followed by a DNF at the Dutch Grand Prix. In July, it finished 13th at the French Grand Prix, followed by an 11th-place finish at the British Grand Prix. The car's last championship race of the season was at the Austrian Grand Prix, where it finished 10th.

John Surtees was the Formula One champion in 1964. After success in the Formula 5000 and CanAm series, the team expanded into Formula One. Surtees ran during the 1970 season, but John raced the first four races in a McLaren due to the delay of their in-house F1 car, the TS7. This new car was an evolution of the TS5 F5000/Formula A car.

For the 1974 season, Surtees raced their TS16. The TS16 was based on the TS14 Formula 2 car, which in turn was a development of the TS17 F5000 car. The Surtees TS16 raced during the 1974 through 1975 Formula One season. Unable to secure major sponsorship, only a single car was run during the 1974 season. In 1975, John Watson scored in three non-Championship events, but no championship points were scored.

For the 1976 season, a new car - the TS19 - was introduced. It was designed by John Surtees and Ken Sears.

by Dan Vaughan