If the Sixties had a single turning point, it was the 1967 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. While earlier technical innovations — like the monocoque chassis and use of the engine as a stressed member of the suspension — were perhaps more important, Zandvoort witnessed the debut of the Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 engine, the power plant that would go on to dominate Formula One for nearly two decades.

Born of a partnership between Team Lotus and Ford, the Cosworth DFV brought two-time F1 World Champion Jim Clark just his second Grand Prix victory since his dominant 1965 season, where Clark led every lap of every race he finished. With minor trouble with wheel bearings hampering his qualifying performance, Clark started well back in 9th on the grid — third row in those days — behind teammate Graham Hill’s pole position (4.2s faster than the lap record). After 11 laps Hill was out, handing the lead to Jack Brabham, followed by Jochen Rindt, but just five laps later Clark had passed both, taking a lead which he held to the end, eventually winning by 23.6s.

By the end of 1967 the Lotus 49s were so dominant that Hill and Clark would toss a coin to see who should win, with only unreliability denying Clark a third World Championship. Although Team Lotus’ exclusive use of the DFV ended in 1968’s season-opening South African GP — Clark’s final F1 win before his tragic death at Hockenheim in April 1968 — the Cosworth would go on to win more than 150 Grands Prix, competing successfully through 1983. Classifications.

Part of the Races | F1A&G collection.