Surtees reunited with World Title Ferrari

John Surtees will mark the 40th anniversary of his Formula One world title at the Goodwood Festival of Speed by driving one of the Ferrari 158s he raced in 1964.

The car, which Surtees believes is the only complete 158 still in existence, is owned by American George Barber and has been restored by Sport Auto in Italy.

“It is the one I largely drove in ’64 and occasionally the following year,” Surtees said. “At the end of ’65 it was fitted with a 2.4-litre V6 for the Tasman series, but then I had my accident in Canada and so I never raced it like that

“The last time I drove it was in early 1966 as my ‘convalescence’ car. I pounded round Modena in it and was 2.5sec faster than the new 3-litre. That’s why I wanted to race it at Monaco that year because at that stage it was faster and more nimble, but I was overruled.”

Surtees drove the car, now fitted with a V8 again, for the first time in 38 years at the Festival preview day in March. “The pedals were all wrong and the brakes weren’t working, but it was nice to see it all together,” he said.