Christopher Arthur Amon MBE (born July 20, 1943 in Bulls, New Zealand) is a former Formula 1 (F1) racing driver active in the 1960s and 1970s. He is widely regarded to be one of the best drivers never to win a championship Grand Prix (GP). His reputation for bad luck was such that fellow driver Mario Andretti once joked that "if he became an undertaker, people would stop dying". Formula One - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Jack Brabhams 1961 Cooper-Climax, the car that began the rear-engine revolution at the Indianapolis 500 The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1947 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. ... Amon was a Formula One team that competed in 1974. ... The current Ferrari logo Ferrari is an Italian automotive manufacturer in the Formula One World Championship, also involved in high-end and high-performance race cars, supercars, and sports cars. ... March Engineering was a Formula One constructor from Britain. ... Mécanique Avion TRAction or Matra is a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to aeronautics and weaponry which today operates as the Lagardère Group. ... Tecno was a Formula One constructor from Italy. ... Tyrrell was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell. ... British Racing Motors (generally known as BRM) was a British Formula 1 motor racing team. ... Ensign was a Formula One constructor from Britain. ... Walter Wolf Racing was a Formula One constructor from 1976 to 1980. ... The Formula One World Drivers Championship (WDC) is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de lAutomobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One race car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on Grand Prix results. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Results from the 1963 Formula One Monaco Grand Prix held at Monaco on May 26, 1963 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: John Surtees 134. ... The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One race held annually, and since 1929, in the Principality of Monaco considered to be one of the most important and prestigious races around the world alongside the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and 24 Hours of Le Mans. ... Results from the 1976 Formula One Canadian Grand Prix held at Mosport Park on October 3, 1976 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Patrick Depailler 113. ... The Canadian Grand Prix (known in its native French as the Grand Prix du Canada) is a Formula One auto race held in Canada since 1967. ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... Bulls is a small town near the South Taranaki Bight of the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. ... Formula One, abbreviated to F1 and also known as Grand Prix racing, is the highest class of single-seat open-wheel auto racing. ... The outrageously crowded Woodstock festival epitomized the popular antiwar movement of the 60s. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... Georges Boillot winning the 1912 French Grand Prix in Dieppe, France Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organized automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. ... Mario Andretti portrayed on the cover of Esquire Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940 in Motovun) is an Italian-American racing driver, arguably the most successful U.S. citizen in auto racing. ...

Early life

Chris Amon was the only child of wealthy sheep-owner Ngaio Amon. On leaving school, he was able to persuade his father to buy him an Austin A40 Special, which he entered in some minor local races and hillclimbs. He progressed to a 1,500cc Cooper and then an old Maserati 250F, but only began to draw attention driving the Cooper Bruce McLaren had used to win his first Grand Prix. A number of different automobiles of the 1950s and 1960s were marketed under the A40 name by the Austin Motor Company. ... Hillclimbing (also known as hill climbing, speed hillclimbing or speed hill climbing) is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course. ... Jack Brabhams 1961 Cooper-Climax, the car that began the rear-engine revolution at the Indianapolis 500 The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1947 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. ... Maserati 250F (first raced January 1954 - last raced November 1960) were twentysix racing cars made by Maserati of Italy, used in Formula One racing (thus, the «F»). It used the Maserati A6 SSG straight-six 2. ... Bruce Leslie McLaren (30 August 1937–2 June 1970), born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor. ...

In 1962 Amon entered the Cooper for the New Zealand winter series, but was hampered by mechanical problems. However, Scuderia Veloce entered him in a similar car, and, in the rain at Lakeside, he performed well. One of the spectators there was the English racing driver Reg Parnell who persuaded Amon to come to England and race for his team. In a test at Goodwood Amon continued to impress and was on the pace in the Goodwood International Trophy and Aintree 200 pre-season races. 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... Reg Parnell was a Formula One driver from Britain. ... Goodwood Circuit is a name that is ingrained in motorsport, being one of the truly historic venues for both 2- and 4-wheeled motorsport in the UK. Goodwood is based in the lands around Goodwood House where there is both a short-circuit track and a hill track. ...

Racing career

1960s

The outrageously crowded Woodstock festival epitomized the popular antiwar movement of the 60s. ...

1963

For the 1963 F1 season the Parnell team were using year-old Lola cars powered by year-old Climax V8 engines. Amon was teamed with the very-experienced Maurice Trintignant for the first race of the season at Monaco and his Grand Prix career started with what was to become typical bad luck: Trintignant's Climax developed a misfire, so he took over Amon's car. 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Season Summary Season Review 1963 Constructors Championship final standings 1963 Drivers Championship final standings Categories: Formula One seasons ... Lola Racing Cars (also Lola Cars International) is a racing car engineering company founded in 1961 by Eric Broadley and based in Huntingdon, United Kingdom. ... Look up Climax in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration. ... Maurice Trintignant (October 30, 1917, Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, Vaucluse – February 13, 2005, Nimes) was a racing driver. ...

At the Belgian GP Amon was partnered by Lucien Bianchi and started ahead of him from fifteenth position. After nine laps, however, an oil fire ended his race. He continued to experience mechanical problems at the Dutch, Mexican and German GPs; and after an accident in practice for the Italian GP left him hanging out of his car's cockpit with three broken ribs, he missed both the Italian and United States GPs. Results from the 1963 Formula One Belgian Grand Prix held at Spa-Francorchamps on June 9, 1963 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jim Clark 358. ... Lucien Bianchi (Milano, Italy, November 10, 1934 - Le Mans Circuit, Le Mans, France, March 30, 1969) was a Formula One driver from Belgium. ... Results from the 1963 Formula One Italian Grand Prix held at Monza on September 8, 1963 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jim Clark 138. ...

Amon usually qualified in the midfield and generally outpaced his team-mates, who included his good friend Mike Hailwood. His best results of the year were seventh at the French and British GPs. During this time, however, Amon's social life was attracting as much attention as his driving. He was a member of the Ditton Road Flyers, the social set named after the road in London where Amon shared an apartment with American Peter Revson, Hailwood and Tony Maggs. Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood MBE (April 2, 1940 – March 23, 1981) was a British nine-time motorcycle world champion and regarded by many as possibly the greatest motorcycle racer of all time. ... Peter Jeffrey Revson (born in New York City, February 27, 1939 - died in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 22, 1974) was a racecar and Formula One driver from United States. ... Tony Maggs was a Formula One driver from South Africa. ...

Parnell was nonetheless impressed with Amon's results in what was regarded as less-than-competitive machinery and promoted him to team leader. Tragedy struck soon afterward, however, when Parnell died from peritonitis in January 1964. His son Tim took over the team.

1964

In a series of four pre-season races in Britain and Italy, Amon recorded three fifth places at Snetterton, Silverstone and Syracuse. He failed to qualify for the first F1 race of the season, the Monaco GP, but at the next race, the Dutch GP, he scored his first World Championship points. The rest of his season, however, was blighted by mechanical problems. 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Norfolk, England. ... Silverstone Circuit is a racing circuit at Silverstone, England. ... Results from the 1964 Formula One Monaco Grand Prix held at Monaco on May 10, 1964 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Graham Hill 133. ... Results from the 1964 Formula One Dutch Grand Prix held at Netherlands on May 24, 1964 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jim Clark 132. ...

1965

Parnell was offered BRM engines for 1965, but only if it ran Richard Attwood as its regular driver. Reluctantly, Parnell agreed and Attwood took Amon's place. Spotting an opportunity, Bruce McLaren quickly signed Amon for his new McLaren team, but when no second McLaren F1 car materialised, Amon could only drive in CanAm races. 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... British Racing Motors (generally known as BRM) was a British Formula 1 motor racing team. ... Richard Attwood was a Formula One driver from Britain. ... McLaren, founded in 1963 by Bruce McLaren (1937–1970), is a racing team based in Woking, England, which is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed in the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, Canadian-American Challenge Cup, and 24 Hours of Le Mans. ... Cover of Car and Driver magazine, showing transparent diagram of CanAm racer The Canadian-American Challenge Cup or CanAm, was an SCCA/CASC sports car racing series from 1966 to 1974. ...

At the French GP Amon rejoined Parnell to stand in for an injured Attwood and was also given the opportunity to drive a third Parnell car, a Brabham, at the British GP. The car, however, failed to arrive. For the German GP Amon was promoted to second Parnell driver, but mechanical failure again forced an early retirement. His last drive before Attwood's return, a non-championship race in Enna, Sicily, also ended in retirement. Results from the 1965 Formula One French Grand Prix held at Charade on June 27, 1965 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jim Clark 318. ... The Brabham Racing Organisation was a Formula One racing team founded by Jack Brabham and Ron Tauranac. ... Results from the 1965 Formula One British Grand Prix held at Silverstone on July 10, 1965 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Graham Hill 132. ... Results from the 1965 Formula One German Grand Prix held at Nürburgring on August 1, 1965 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jim Clark 824. ... Enna, the ancient Henna, is located in the center of Sicily, towering above the surrounding countryside. ... Sicilian redirects here. ...

1966

During 1966 Amon continued to race for McLaren in CanAm, but, with an unimpressive record of only two points from twenty Grand Prix starts, he failed to secure a full-time F1 drive. However, an opportunity arose to drive for the Cooper F1 team after Richie Ginther left them for Honda. Amon drove for Cooper at the French GP and was scheduled to drive for them for the rest of the season, until the more successful John Surtees left Ferrari to join Cooper and Amon found himself dropped. 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Richie Ginther was a Formula One driver from the United States. ... For other uses, see Honda (disambiguation). ... Results from the 1966 Formula One French Grand Prix held at Reims on July 3, 1966 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Lorenzo Bandini 211. ... John Surtees (Ferrari) at the British Grand Prix 1964 John Surtees MBE (born February 11, 1934) is an English World Champion motorcycle racer and race car driver. ... The current Ferrari logo Ferrari is an Italian automotive manufacturer in the Formula One World Championship, also involved in high-end and high-performance race cars, supercars, and sports cars. ...

Amon made one other F1 appearance during the year, driving a Brabham powered by an old 2-litre BRM engine at the Italian GP under the banner of "Chris Amon Racing". He failed to qualify. Results from the 1966 Formula One Italian Grand Prix held at Monza on September 4, 1966 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Ludovico Scarfiotti 132. ...

Amon did however score his biggest success to date when he partnered Bruce McLaren in a Gulf Ford GT40 Mark II at the 1966 Le Mans 24-hour race, spearheading a formation finish. He subsequently received an invitation to meet Enzo Ferrari at the Ferrari home in Maranello, where he signed to race for Ferrari in 1967 alongside Lorenzo Bandini, Mike Parkes and Ludovico Scarfiotti. A gulf or bay is a part of a lake or ocean that extends so that it is surrounded by land on three sides. ... GT40 redirects here. ... All time Le Mans winners (2005). ... Enzo Anselmo Ferrari (February 18, 1898 - August 14, 1988) was the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari car manufacturer. ... Maranello is a town in northern Italy near Modena, population about 15,000 and probably best-known as the home of Ferrari motorcars and Scuderia Ferrari, the legendary Formula One (F1) racing team. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Lorenzo Bandini (born 21 December 1935 in Cyrenaica, Libya; died 10 May 1967) was an Italian Formula One driver who raced for the Scuderia Centro Sud and Ferrari teams. ... Mike Parkes was a Formula One driver from Britain. ... Ludovico Scarfiotti (born in Turin, Italy, October 18, 1933 - dead in Rossfeld, Germany, June 8, 1968) was a Formula One driver from Italy. ...

1967

Amon's first year with Ferrari did not begin auspiciously. En route to Brands Hatch for the pre-season F1 Race of Champions, he crashed his road car and, following race practice, had to withdraw. Tragedy then struck the Ferrari team when Bandini died following a crash during the Monaco GP, Parkes broke both his legs at the Belgian GP and, in the aftermath, Scarfiotti went into temporary retirement. Amon therefore became Ferrari's only driver for the rest of the season, until joined by Jonathan Williams for the final race in Mexico. At the end of 1967, Amon had achieved three third places and finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship. 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Brands Hatch is a British motor racing circuit. ... Results from the 1967 Formula One Monaco Grand Prix held at Monaco on May 7, 1967 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jim Clark 129. ... Results from the 1967 Formula One Belgian Grand Prix held at Spa-Francorchamps on June 18, 1967 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Dan Gurney 331. ... Jonathan Williams (born October 26, 1942, Cairo, Egypt) was a Formula One driver from England. ...

Amon's Ferrari contract also included racing sportscars and he began 1967 by winning the Daytona 24 Hours and Monza 1000 events with Bandini in the 4-litre Ferrari 330P4. He finished the year partnering Jackie Stewart to a second place at Brands Hatch. GTP sports cars racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1991 Sportscar racing is a form of circuit racing, with cars that have two seats and enclosed wheel wells. ... The Rolex 24 at Daytona is an sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. ... Jackie Stewart talks with fans at the 2005 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Sir John Young Stewart, MBE (born 11 June 1939 in Milton, West Dunbartonshire), better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scot, is a Scottish three-time Formula One racing champion. ...

1968

Chris Amon in 1968

1968 was the year aerodynamics first played a significant role in F1 car design and early on Amon worked with engineer Mauro Forghieri to place aerofoils on the Ferrari 312. He then won the first two rounds of the Tasman Cup before narrowly losing the series to Jim Clark. 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Chris_amon. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Chris_amon. ... This article is about the branch of Physics. ... An airfoil (or aerofoil in British English) is a specially shaped cross-section of a wing or blade, used to provide lift or downforce, depending on its application. ... Ferrari 312 is the name of several different Ferrari race cars which have 3 litre 12-cylinder engines, both in V12 and 180° flat boxer shape. ... Jim (or Jimmy) Clark OBE (born March 4, 1936 – died April 7, 1968) was a Scottish Formula One (F1) racing driver considered one of the best drivers in motor sport history. ...

After the first race of the F1 season in South Africa, Amon achieved pole positions in three of the following four races (at the Spanish, Belgian and Dutch GPs) but ever-present mechanical problems meant he secured only a single Championship point from them. Throughout the rest of the season he never qualified in less than fifth place and nearly scored victories at the British and Canadian GPs. In Britain he duelled to the line with Jo Siffert's Lotus 49B and in Canada he dominated the race despite a dysfunctional clutch. Seventeen laps from the finish, however, his car's transmission failed and a distraught Amon had to be consoled by Jacky Ickx. From at least ten promising starts that season he was only able to finish five races and score ten Championship points. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Jo Siffert, born July 7, 1936 – died October 24, 1971, was a Swiss race car driver. ... The Lotus 49 was designed by Colin Chapman and Maurice Phillipe for the 1967 F1 season. ... Rear side of a Ford V6 engine, looking at the clutch housing on the flywheel Single, dry, clutch friction disc. ... In mechanics, a transmission or gearbox is the gear and/or hydraulic system that transmits mechanical power from a prime mover (which can be an engine or electric motor), to some form of useful output device. ... Jacques Bernard (Jacky) Ickx, (born January 1, 1945 in Brussels) is a Belgian racing driver known for his success in Formula One and his six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans. ...

Outside F1, Amon was runner-up in the Formula 2 race at Limbourg, Belgium, testing the Ferrari Dino F2. He also came third in that year's International Trophy. While Formula One has generally been regarded as the pinnacle of open-wheeled auto racing, the high performance nature of the cars and the expense involved in the series has always meant that there has needed to be a path to reach this peak. ... Limbourg is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. ...

1969

Amon began 1969 with success driving the Ferrari Dino F2 in the Tasman Cup, but in F1 his abysmal luck continued. Despite six starts from top-six positions, he was only able to achieve a third-place at the Dutch GP. Ferrari's F1 V12 engine was too unreliable and although its replacement had proven very fast in testing, Amon had no reason to believe it would be any more reliable. He therefore decided to leave Ferrari. Unfortunately for Amon, the new flat-12 engine would become one of the best F1 engines of the 1970s. 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... The Dino by Ferrari (also called the 206, 246, and 308GT4) was a mid-engined, rear-drive sports car produced from 1968 to 1973. ... Results from the 1969 Formula One Dutch Grand Prix held at Netherlands on June 21, 1969 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jackie Stewart 122. ... The following engines are built by Ferrari. ... A flat engine is an internal combustion engine in which the cylinders are arranged in two banks on either side of a single crankshaft so that the motion of all the pistons is in a single plane. ... A flat-12 is an internal combustion engine in flat configuration, having 12 cylinders. ...

During 1969 Amon continued to drive for Ferrari in World Sportscar Championship events outside F1, partnering Pedro Rodriguez to a fourth place in the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch and coming second at 1969 12 Hours of Sebring, but retiring from the 1000km Nürburgring and 1969 1000km Monza 1000 races, all in the Ferrari 312P sportscar. He also drove in a few CanAm races. His last race for Ferrari would be the 1970 1000km Monza, where he finished as runner-up. The World Sportscar Championship was a series run by the FIA from 1953 to 1992. ... The Grand Prix motor racing driver Pedro Rodriguez was born January 18, 1940, in Mexico City; his younger brother and racing partner Ricardo was born 2 years later. ... Brands Hatch is a British motor racing circuit. ... The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race held at Sebring Raceway, a former Air Force base in Sebring, Florida. ... The ADAC 1000km Nürburgring is a Endurance racing and Sports car racing events on the Nürburgring in Germany, organized by ADAC since 1953. ... The 1000km Monza is an Endurance racing and Sports car racing event at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy. ... Ferrari 312 is the name of several different Ferrari race cars which have 3 litre 12-cylinder engines, both in V12 and 180° flat boxer shape. ... Cover of Car and Driver magazine, showing transparent diagram of CanAm racer The Canadian-American Challenge Cup or CanAm, was an SCCA/CASC sports car racing series from 1966 to 1974. ...

1970s

The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ...

1970

For the 1970 F1 season, Amon made what was to be the first of several moves to smaller, newer teams. March Engineering had been formed the previous year to build custom chassis for Formulas 2 and 3, but quickly moved into F1, designing and building the March 701. Amon and Siffert were signed as drivers, with IndyCar driver Mario Andretti making an occasional appearance in a third car. March also sold their 701 chassis to Tyrrell, where Jackie Stewart drove it to its first victory in that year's Spanish GP. 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... This article recaps the 1970 Formula One season. ... March Engineering was a Formula One constructor from Britain. ... A chassis (plural: chassis) consists of a framework which supports an inanimate object, analogous to an animals skeleton; for example in the construction of an automobile or of a firearm. ... Formula Three is a class of auto racing. ... IndyCar Series Logo IndyCar is most often used as a generic term for American Championship Car Racing, a form of open-wheel auto racing. ... Mario Andretti portrayed on the cover of Esquire Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940 in Motovun) is an Italian-American racing driver, arguably the most successful U.S. citizen in auto racing. ... Tyrrell was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell. ... Results from the 1970 Formula One Spanish Grand Prix held at Jarama on April 19, 1970 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jack Brabham 124. ...

Amon won the pre-season Silverstone International Trophy, but once the F1 season began he found himself prevented from converting good qualifying positions into good results. He qualified second behind Stewart's Tyrrell March for the opening South African GP only for his own March to overheat within fourteen laps; then qualified sixth for the Spanish GP only for his March's Ford-Cosworth DFV engine to expire within ten laps; then qualified and ran second in the Monaco GP until his suspension failed twenty laps from the finish. This was the race where Amon refused to drive unless his entry number was changed from 18 – the number under which his then team-mate Lorenzo Bandini had crashed and died in Monaco – to 28. Results from the 1970 Formula One South African Grand Prix held at Kyalami on March 7, 1970 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jack Brabham 120. ... Results from the 1970 Formula One Spanish Grand Prix held at Jarama on April 19, 1970 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jack Brabham 124. ... A Ford Cosworth DFV on a Ligier JS11 Cosworth is an engine design and manufacture company founded in 1958, specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... Results from the 1970 Formula One Monaco Grand Prix held at Monaco on May 10, 1970 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jochen Rindt 123. ...

Amon's close second place from a third-place start at the Belgian GP, finally gave the March team their first Championship points, but after qualifying fourth for the next race, the Dutch GP, his car's clutch broke after just one lap. Amon duplicated his Belgian result at the French GP, but thereafter only achieved one further result of note in the year, a third place from sixth at the Canadian GP. Results from the 1970 Formula One Belgian Grand Prix held at Spa-Francorchamps on June 7, 1970 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Chris Amon 327. ... Results from the 1970 Formula One Dutch Grand Prix held at Netherlands on June 21, 1970 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jacky Ickx 119. ... Results from the 1970 Formula One French Grand Prix held at Charade on July 5, 1970 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jack Brabham 30. ... Results from the 1970 Formula One Canadian Grand Prix held at Mont-Tremblant on September 20, 1970 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Clay Regazzoni 132. ...

By the end of the year, disagreements with March co-founders Max Mosley and Robin Herd meant that Amon had decided to move to another relatively new team, Matra. Max Mosley has been president of the influential FIA since 1991. ... Mécanique Avion TRAction or Matra is a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to aeronautics and weaponry which today operates as the Lagardère Group. ...

1971

In 1971 Amon once again scored a pre-season victory, this time at the Argentine Grand Prix. Once the F1 season had begun, he managed to covert a third-place start at the Spanish GP into a third-place podium finish and scored a couple of fifth places in the South African and French GPs. Apart from these results, however, his run of poor F1 returns continued. At the Italian GP he qualified in pole position and despite a poor start to the race looked as if he would capitalise on it – until, that is, the visor on his helmet became detached. Amon had to slow to avoid risking a major accident, thereby allowing other drivers to catch and overtake him. He finished the race in sixth place, scoring just one Championship point. 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Results from the 1971 Formula One Spanish Grand Prix held at Montjuich on April 18, 1971 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jacky Ickx 125. ... Results from the 1971 Formula One Italian Grand Prix held at Monza on September 5, 1971 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Henri Pescarolo 123. ... In the Star Trek fictional universe, a VISOR is a device used to scan the electromagnetic spectrum, create visual input, and transmit it into the brain of the wearer via the optic nerves. ... Pickelhaube of a Swedish Royal Guard soldier For the band, see Helmet A helmet (a 15th century loan from Middle French, a diminutive of Frankish helm, from Proto-Germanic *khelmaz, PIE *kelmo- a cover) is a form of protective clothing worn on the head and usually made of metal or...

During the year Amon also competed in the non-championship Questor Grand Prix at the new Ontario Speedway, where he qualified second and, despite suffering a puncture during the race, managed to finish fourth.

1972

In the 1972 F1 season Amon achieved a handful of points-scoring finishes, but only one podium appearance, at the French GP. Here he achieved the fifth and final pole position of his career and was leading the race until a puncture forced him to pit, but he charged back through the field, annihilating the circuit's lap record to finish third. 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... This article recaps the 1972 Formula One season. ... Results from the 1972 Formula One French Grand Prix held at Charade on July 2, 1972 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Chris Amon 253. ... The BAR Formula One team executes a pitstop A typical pit lane and garages parallel to the start/finish straight at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway You may be looking for PIT maneuver. ... The Charade Circuit (also known as Circuit Louis Rosier) was a 8. ...

With the money he had made from motorsport, Amon decided to set up a racing engine firm with former BRM engineer Aubrey Woods. Amon Racing Engines supplied Formula 2 engines to a few drivers, but the company quickly became too expensive to run and was sold to March for a loss. Aubrey Woods was a British actor. ...

Matra decided to end their participation in F1 at the end of 1972, so Amon found himself looking to return to March as a driver. The place, however, was given to Jean-Pierre Jarier, purportedly for financial reasons. Amon therefore signed for another recently-formed F1 team, Tecno. Jean-Pierre Jarier (born July 10, 1946) is a French Grand Prix racing driver, now retired. ... Tecno was a Formula One constructor from Italy. ...

1973

Tecno had entered F1 the previous year, having been a successful chassis-builder for other Formulæ. Their first year in F1 proved to be dismal, however, so they had jumped at the chance to sign Amon in the hope he would help transform their performance. 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Tecno was a Formula One constructor from Italy. ...

Unfortunately, the team went from bad to worse and wasn't able to field a car until the fifth GP of the season, the Belgian GP. Amon managed to finish in sixth position, but was unhappy with the car. He commissioned Gordon Fowell to build a replacement and although Amon commented at the time that it was "the best chassis I've ever sat in", it too proved virtually undriveable. By the time of the Austrian GP, four races from the end of the season, Amon's patience had run out and he left the team. He would later claim that the months he spent with the team "felt like ten [seasons]". Results from the 1973 Formula One Belgian Grand Prix held at Zolder on May 20, 1973 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Francois Cevert 1m 25. ... Results from the 1973 Formula One Austrian Grand Prix held at Osterreichring on August 19, 1973 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Carlos Pace 137. ...

Tyrrell offered Amon a third car in which to drive the last two races of the season. After a mediocre first outing at the Canadian GP, he and Jackie Stewart withdrew from the final race of the year, the United States GP, following the death of their team-mate François Cevert during qualifying. Results from the 1973 Formula One Canadian Grand Prix held at Mosport Park on September 23, 1973 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Emerson Fittipaldi 113. ... Results from the 1973 Formula One United States Grand Prix held at Watkins Glen on October 7, 1973 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: James Hunt 141. ... François Cévert in 1973 Albert François Cévert (February 25, 1944 - October 6, 1973) was one of the most colorful racing drivers of the early 1970s. ...

1974

For the 1974 F1 season Amon revived Chris Amon Racing. Fowell designed the car, the F101, which featured a single central fuel tank, titanium torsion bars and a forward driving position. Structurally, however, it proved to be weak and was not ready for an F1 appearance until the fourth race of the season, the Spanish GP. Amon was only able to qualify twenty-third, thanks to brake-disc vibration that only became worse with the tyres for the wet race that followed. Despite cautious driving, a brake shaft finally broke and Amon was forced to retire after twenty-two laps. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... This article recaps the 1974 Formula One season. ... Amon was a Formula One team that competed in 1974. ... A torsion spring is a ribbon, bar, or coil that reacts against twisting motion. ... Results from the 1974 Formula One Spanish Grand Prix held at Jarama on April 28, 1974 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Niki Lauda 120. ... Close-up of a disc brake on a car On automobiles, disc brakes are often located within the wheel The disc brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel. ...

Following further work and testing, Amon returned for the Monaco GP and qualified twentieth, but, thanks to mechanical problems, he was unable to start the race. Further problems and illness meant Amon was not able to reappear with the F101 until the Italian GP, three races from the end of the season, but this time he was unable to qualify. That sealed the fate of both the car and Chris Amon Racing, leaving Amon to drive the season's last two races with the faltering BRM team. He would later reveal that he had turned down a chance to join the Brabham team earlier in the season. Results from the 1974 Formula One Monaco Grand Prix held at Monaco on May 26, 1974 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Ronnie Peterson 127. ... Results from the 1974 Formula One Italian Grand Prix held at Monza on September 8, 1974 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Carlos Pace 134. ...

1975

Apart from a Tasman Cup victory in January 1975, Amon's racing career seemed once again to have stalled. However, a chance meeting with Morris Nunn of Ensign led to two GP drives in the Ensign N175 at the Austrian and Italian GPs. Although the results were unremarkable, he and Nunn worked well together, so Amon joined Ensign for the 1976 F1 season. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Ensign was a Formula One constructor from Britain. ... The 1976 Formula One season was the 27th FIA Formula One World Championship season. ...

1976

Ensign's first race of the season was the South African GP where Amon qualified eighteenth and finished fourteenth. Thereafter results began to improve, with Amon qualifying seventeenth and finishing eighth in the USA West GP; qualifying tenth and finishing fifth in the Spanish GP; and then qualifying eighth for the Belgian GP. More points then seemed likely from the race until his car lost a wheel nineteen laps from the finish and Amon was lucky to escape unhurt from the ensuing accident. He then achieved a third-place start for the Swedish GP and in the race looked as if he would join Tyrrell drivers Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler on the podium, until suspension failure threw him from the track after thirty-eight laps. 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1976 calendar). ... Results from the 1976 Formula One South African Grand Prix held at Kyalami on March 6, 1976 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Niki Lauda 117. ... Results from the 1976 Formula One United States Grand Prix West held at Long Beach on March 28, 1976. ... Results from the 1976 Formula One Spanish Grand Prix held at Jarama on May 2, 1976 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jochen Mass 120. ... Results from the 1976 Formula One Belgian Grand Prix held at Zolder on May 16, 1976 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Niki Lauda 125. ... Tyrrell P34 6-wheeler The 1976 Formula One Swedish Grand Prix was held at the Scandinavian Raceway on June 13, 1976. ... Jody David Scheckter (born January 29, 1950) is a former auto racing driver, the 1979 Formula One World Drivers Champion. ... Patrick Depailler was a Formula One driver from France. ... The front suspension components of a Ford Model T. Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. ...

Amon had again been lucky to escape serious injury and decided to miss the next race, the French GP. He returned for the British GP, qualifying in sixth and running fourth in the race when his Ford-Cosworth DFV engine developed a water leak. Rather than risk losing an engine, his team called him in to retire. Results from the 1976 Formula One French Grand Prix held at Paul Ricard on July 4, 1976 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Niki Lauda 151. ... Results from the 1976 Formula One British Grand Prix held at Brands Hatch on July 18, 1976 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Niki Lauda 119. ...

At the German GP problems dogged his attempts to qualify well, but it was Niki Lauda's now infamous crash during the second lap of the race that had a far greater impact. He refused to restart the race and Nunn fired him from the team. Amon declared his retirement from the sport and returned to New Zealand. Results from the 1976 Formula One German Grand Prix held at Nürburgring on August 1, 1976 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jody Scheckter 710. ... Andreas Nikolaus Niki Lauda (born February 22, 1949) is an Austrian racing driver. ...

"I'd seen too many people fried in racing cars at that stage. When you've driven past Bandini, Schlesser, Courage and Williamson, another shunt like that was simply too much. It was a personal decision..."
Amon, on his retirement in 1976.

However, Walter Wolf contacted Amon and persuaded him to drive for his Wolf team in the North American races near the end of the season. After recording some promising times in preparation for the Canadian GP, however, Amon was involved in a heavy collision with another car during qualification and once again was lucky to walk away unharmed. He did not then take part in either the Canadian or United States GPs. Walter Wolf was [is?] an Austrian-born Canadian oil-drilling equipment supplier who in the early 1970s made a fortune from the North Sea oil business and decided to join the world of Formula 1 (F1) motor racing. ... Walter Wolf Racing was a Formula One constructor from 1976 to 1980. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Results from the 1976 Formula One Canadian Grand Prix held at Mosport Park on October 3, 1976 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Patrick Depailler 113. ...

1977, 1978

Amon turned down an offer of a full-time F1 drive for 1977, but did attempt a return to CanAm racing in 1978 with Wolf. After only a few races, however, he quit, saying "I'm just not enjoying this anymore." His place was taken by the young and then unknown Canadian Gilles Villeneuve, whom Amon would later that year recommend to Enzo Ferrari. For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

In the meantime, Amon returned once again to New Zealand, this time to retire from F1 motor racing for good.

Retirement

Since his retirement from F1, Amon has dedicated himself to running the family farm in New Zealand's Manawatu District. In the early 1980s he became more well-known in New Zealand from test-driving vehicles on the TV motoring series Motor Show and later consulted for Toyota New Zealand, tuning the 1984 Toyota Corolla and subsequent cars for sale there. He also appeared in TV commercials for the company, where much was made of the acclaim he won from Enzo Ferrari. Manawatu is a district in the Manawatu-Wanganui region in the North Island of New Zealand. ... MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... Toyota New Zealand is the importer and distributor of new Toyota and Daihatsu vehicles in New Zealand. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Toyota Corolla is a compact car produced by Toyota of Japan, known worldwide for its reliability, conventional engineering and low fuel consumption. ...

Legacy

Despite never winning a championship Formula 1 Grand Prix, Amon won eight non-championship GPs, the Silverstone International Trophy, the Monza 1000, the Daytona 24 Hours, the Tasman Cup and, perhaps most significant of all, the famous 24 Heures du Mans. Many of these races attracted some of Amon's otherwise more successful fellow F1 drivers, all of whom he was able to beat.

In Formula 1, Chris Amon took part in 102 Grands Prix, scoring a total of 83 Championship points and reaching the podium eleven times.

Formula 1 results

Grands Prix in bold italics denote points-scoring results.