The 1963 FIA Formula One World Championship began on 26 May and concluded on 28 December, over 10 Grand Prix, alongside 14 non-championship races open to Formula One cars.
Season
The World Drivers’ Championship was won by Jim Clark, driving for Lotus, who secured the first title of his Formula One career. Clark delivered a dominant performance throughout the season, clinching the championship with three races still remaining. Over the course of the year, he achieved seven race victories, a total that stood as a record until Ayrton Senna surpassed it in 1988 with eight wins. Clark’s win rate during the season was also among the highest ever recorded, coming close to matching the benchmark set by Alberto Ascari in 1952.
Clark’s success was matched by his team, as Lotus secured the Manufacturers’ Championship for the first time in their history, establishing themselves as a leading force in Formula One during the early 1960s.
The 1963 season also produced a unique statistical achievement. Every pole position and every race victory during the championship was taken by British drivers, marking the first time that a single nation had completely dominated both qualifying and race results across an entire Formula One season. While Italy is sometimes considered to have achieved a similar feat in 1952, that interpretation typically excludes the Indianapolis 500, which was part of the championship at the time but operated under different regulations.
1963 Formula 1 Race Calendar
| Round | Grand Prix | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1963 Monaco Grand Prix | Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo | 26 May |
| 2 | 1963 Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot | 9 June |
| 3 | 1963 Dutch Grand Prix | Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort | 23 June |
| 4 | 1963 French Grand Prix | Reims-Gueux, Gueux | 30 June |
| 5 | 1963 British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone | 20 July |
| 6 | 1963 German Grand Prix | Nürburgring, Nürburg | 4 August |
| 7 | 1963 Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza | 8 September |
| 8 | 1963 United States Grand Prix | Watkins Glen International, New York | 6 October |
| 9 | 1963 Mexican Grand Prix | Magdalena Mixhuca, Mexico City | 27 October |
| 10 | 1963 South African Grand Prix | Prince George Circuit, East London | 28 December |
1963 Formula 1 Race Results
Grands Prix
| Round | Grand Prix | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Winning constructor | Tyre | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1963 Monaco Grand Prix | Jim Clark | John Surtees | Graham Hill | BRM | D | Report |
| 2 | 1963 Belgian Grand Prix | Graham Hill | Jim Clark | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax | D | Report |
| 3 | 1963 Dutch Grand Prix | Jim Clark | Jim Clark | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax | D | Report |
| 4 | 1963 French Grand Prix | Jim Clark | Jim Clark | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax | D | Report |
| 5 | 1963 British Grand Prix | Jim Clark | John Surtees | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax | D | Report |
| 6 | 1963 German Grand Prix | Jim Clark | John Surtees | John Surtees | Ferrari | D | Report |
| 7 | 1963 Italian Grand Prix | John Surtees | Jim Clark | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax | D | Report |
| 8 | 1963 United States Grand Prix | Graham Hill | Jim Clark | Graham Hill | BRM | D | Report |
| 9 | 1963 Mexican Grand Prix | Jim Clark | Jim Clark | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax | D | Report |
| 10 | 1963 South African Grand Prix | Jim Clark | Dan Gurney | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax | D | Report |
1963 Formula 1 Standings
Driver standings
Team standings
| Pos | Team | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lotus Climax | 54 |
| 2 | BRM | 36 |
| 3 | Brabham Climax | 28 |
| 4 | Ferrari | 26 |
| 5 | Cooper Climax | 25 |
| 6 | BRP BRM | 6 |
| 7 | Porsche | 5 |
| 8 | Lotus BRM | 4 |
