Hill Has Fastest Practice Lap

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30952, 7 January 1966, Page 10

Hill Has Fastest Practice Lap

The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND.

The former world champion, Graham Hill, of England, finished the qualifying session yesterday for Saturday’s New Zealand grand prix at Pukekohe a faint favourite by fractionally beating the current world champion, Jim Clark, of Scotland, for the fastest lap. Official lap times and grid positions will not be announced until today, but Hill was credited with a lap of at least Imin 25.55ec, whereas Clark’s best time was said to be fractionally slower. Clark, winner of last year’s Tasman championship—the eight-race New Zealand and Australian series—was forced out of the Grand Prix in the second lap last year to let I Hill win as he liked.

I On his performance in a new Lotus yesterday he is out [to make amends. [ However, there is another [nigger in the woodpile in the ! form of Hill’s B.R.M. teammate. Jackie Stewart, a diminutive Scot like Clark.

Driving the spare car in the team—the car he will drive on Saturday has yet to be unloaded from the liner Ellinis Stewart strongly challenged Hill’s lap times. It soon became obvious that the B.R.M. men will each be out to win, something that is generally unheard of in international racing where drivers are supposed to drive as a team.

In any event, Hill, Clark and Stewart are almost certain to share the front row of the starting grid tomorrow. And on yesterday’s efforts any one of them could win. The Australian. Gardner, who is now driving a RepcoBrabham Climax instead of a Brabham-Maserati, also performed exceptionally well and it seems almost certain that he and a fellow Australian,

i Martin, in a similar ear, will share the second row. The best of the New Zealanders was the current national champion. Jim Palmer, also in a Brabham. However, he might find that the up-and-coming D. Marwood .in the Ecurie Rothmans Cooper, could be a thorn in his side. Periods of sunshine, overcast skies and heavy rain made conditions difficult for the large entry of sports, saloon and single-seater drivers on the circuit yesterday.

I In the saloon car category the Australian. I. Geoghegan. in a Ford Mustang, proved to be slightly quicker than the Aucklander, D. Simpson, in his Anglia-based special. The competition in this category should be extremely keen as there were a number of drivers, among them the current national saloon champion, Paul Fahey, who could easily have a major share in the prize money at the finish. Martin, the Australian, also drove a 250LM Ferrari for the sports car feature race and proved to be the fastest

(The only man likely to give him a run for his money is the current national sports car champion, J. Boyd (Lycoming Special). Among the motor-cycling fraternity the presence of the current 125 c.c. world champion. Hugh Anderson, with his Japanese Suzuki, was the focal point. Anderson very carefully (studied every corner of the circuit and took care not to | show his hand by putting in [any spectacular lap times. [The Dunedin rider, N. Landrebe, on a 500 c.c. Matchless, was credited with the fastest lap, but Anderson’s tactics left everyone wondering. It appears that the only notable non-starter in the Grand Prix on Saturday will be the former national champion, S. Jensen, who was to make a come-back in singleseater racing in a BrabhamClimax after a temporary retirement of about three or four years. Jensen's car has a broken crown wheel and although . new parts are being flown out .from Italy, it is unlikely that 'they will arrive in time.