BOB BONDURANT
1965 UNITED STATES GPStarted 14th | Result 9th
Bondurant is better known for his eponymous driving school and his sportscar successes, which included ending Ferrari’s reign in the GT class at Le Mans in 1964 sharing a Shelby Daytona Coupe with Dan Gurney. But it was with the Prancing Horse that the then 32-year-old got his F1 chance.
Ferrari’s team leader, John Surtees, was out of action following a serious sportscar crash at Mosport Park. That meant team regular Lorenzo Bandini was joined at the 1965 United States GP by Pedro Rodriguez and Bondurant, both racing under the North American Racing Team banner. Bandini and Rodriguez drove the flat-12-engined 1512, with Bondurant in the less powerful but arguably more nimble V8 158.
Bondurant got faster and faster in practice at Watkins Glen and, although he was only 14th, outqualified Rodriguez. He was 1.65s off Graham Hill’s pole mark and just 0.12s slower than the best lap by Surtees in the V8 car the year before.
Both Bondurant and Rodriguez moved forward early in the GP and were part of a scrap that involved Jo Bonnier, Bruce Mclaren, Jochen Rindt and Jo Siffert – all past or future GP winners.
As others hit trouble, notably Jim Clark’s Lotus and the Cooper of Mclaren, the Mexican and the American moved up. Rodriguez made the most progress, breaking away from the battle and eventually finishing fifth, a spot behind Bandini.
A rain shower made things harder and Rindt took advantage of the “wretched” conditions, as Autosport described them, to make ground as Bondurant dropped down the order. But he kept the 158 out of trouble to finish ninth, which was then outside the points. “Bob Bondurant put up an excellent show in his first F1 race,” reckoned Autosport.
Bondurant would go on to start eight more world championship GPS, in Lotus, BRM and Eagle machinery, taking a best finish of fourth in the 1966 Monaco GP.