1966 Italian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Brabham leads with 39 points — more than double the total of his nearest rival.

Previous race

At the Nürburgring, Brabham won his fourth consecutive race in wet conditions, with Surtees second and Rindt third. Jim Clark, who had qualified on pole in the lighter 2-litre Lotus, spun into a ditch after using the wrong tyres. In a serious accident, the Brabham BT11 of privately entered John Taylor collided with Jacky Ickx’s F2 Matra near the bridge between Quiddelbacher and Flugplatz. Taylor was badly burned in the accident and remains in hospital.

Championship permutations

Only Surtees can prevent Brabham from taking the title, and only by winning all three remaining races.

Entrants

The teams that have been running with limited-displacement engines finally receive their 3-litre machinery. BRM introduces the H16 engine for the works team and for their customer Team Lotus. Eagle debuts the new Weslake V12. Honda returns to the championship grid for the first time this season with a new 3-litre V12 engine, with Richie Ginther returning to the Japanese team.