1966 French Grand Prix

Championship standings

Bandini leads the championship by a single point over Stewart and Surtees after two rounds.

Previous race

Belgium was defined by a sudden rainstorm at the far end of the circuit as the flag dropped. More than half the field crashed out on the first lap. Jackie Stewart’s BRM hit a telephone pole and landed in a ditch at Masta Kink, leaving him trapped upside down and submerged to his waist in leaking fuel for twenty-five minutes. Graham Hill and Bob Bondurant, who had also gone off, borrowed a spectator’s toolkit to free him. Only seven cars were still running at the start of the second lap. Surtees won from Rindt and Bandini.

Between-race developments

John Surtees has left Ferrari. When Ferrari operations manager Eugenio Dragoni denied him a drive at the 24 Hours of Le Mans — Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli had favoured his nephew Ludovico Scarfiotti — Surtees sought the support of team founder Enzo Ferrari, who also did not back him. Surtees departed, giving up his F1 seat in the process. He has joined Cooper, where Richie Ginther had already left to return to Honda. Mike Parkes and Scarfiotti, both of whom drove at Le Mans, are promoted to the Ferrari F1 team.

Milestones

Reims-Gueux hosts its 16th French Grand Prix, and the race has been designated the 60th anniversary of Grand Prix racing, which began with the first French Grand Prix in 1906.

Practice

Jim Clark was struck in the eye by a bird during practice and is a non-starter.