The Surtees TS7 was the first Formula One car built by the team John Surtees founded after leaving BRM. It raced in the 1970 and 1971 seasons and was designed by Surtees together with Shahab Ahmed and Peter Connew.
Surtees TS7 at a glance
| Maker | Surtees (Team Surtees) |
|---|---|
| Designed by | John Surtees, Shahab Ahmed, Peter Connew |
| Seasons | 1970–1971 |
| Debut | 1970 British Grand Prix, John Surtees |
| First finish in the points | fifth, 1970 Canadian Grand Prix |
| 1970 points | 3, eighth in the Constructors’ Championship |
| 1971 points | 8, eighth in the Constructors’ Championship (all scored with the TS9) |
| Other drivers | Derek Bell, Brian Redman, Rolf Stommelen, Gijs van Lennep |
| Customer entrant | Stichting Autoraces Nederland, 1971 |
| Replaced by | Surtees TS9 |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the TS7.
History of the Surtees TS7
1970: the team’s first car
The Surtees team was formed by John Surtees after he left BRM to start his own operation. Until the TS7 was ready he bought a McLaren M7C to race. The new car made its debut at the 1970 British Grand Prix with Surtees himself driving: he qualified 19th and retired with an oil pressure failure. At the German Grand Prix he qualified 15th and was classified ninth, although his race ended with an engine failure, and in Austria he qualified 12th and retired when the engine blew. In Italy an electrical failure stalled the car at the start.
A first points finish
The 1970 Canadian Grand Prix brought the team’s first proper result: Surtees qualified and finished fifth. For the United States Grand Prix he was joined by Derek Bell; Surtees qualified eighth and Bell 13th, the team owner retired with a blown engine and Bell finished sixth. In Mexico only Surtees was entered, qualifying 15th and finishing eighth. The team scored three World Championship points that year and finished eighth in the Constructors’ Championship.
1971: two cars, then a customer
The TS7 was still used at the start of 1971. At the South African Grand Prix Team Surtees entered Surtees in the new TS9 while Brian Redman and Rolf Stommelen drove TS7s; Stommelen qualified 15th and finished 12th, Redman qualified 17th and finished seventh. After that race the team concentrated on the TS9. The TS7 also went to a private entrant: Stichting Autoraces Nederland bought a car and entered the 1971 Dutch Grand Prix with local driver Gijs van Lennep, who qualified 21st and finished eighth. The team’s eight points in 1971 were all scored with the TS9.
Design and features
- First in-house Surtees: the car that replaced the team’s stop-gap McLaren M7C.
- Designed by committee of three: John Surtees worked with Shahab Ahmed and Peter Connew.
- Points straight away: a fifth place in Canada in its debut season.
- Customer appeal: sold to a Dutch entrant for the 1971 Dutch Grand Prix.
Surtees TS7 versions
- Works car, 1970: driven by John Surtees and Derek Bell.
- Works cars, 1971: raced by Brian Redman and Rolf Stommelen in South Africa.
- Stichting Autoraces Nederland car: Gijs van Lennep, 1971 Dutch Grand Prix.
The TS7 was followed by the Surtees TS9B and later by the Surtees TS16. More cars are in the Surtees collection.
Sources
- Surtees TS7, English Wikipedia: design, races, results
