1961 United States Grand Prix

Fact File

Date:	Sunday, 8 October 1961
Winner:	Innes Ireland Lotus-Climax
Pole position:	Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax
Fastest lap:	Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax
Circuit:	Watkins Glen, 100 laps
Round:	8 of 8

Race Result

• (P): privateer entry

Pos		Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time	Points
1	+7	Innes Ireland	Lotus-Climax	100	2hr 13m 45.800s	9
2	+5	Dan Gurney	Porsche	100	+4.300s	6
3	+3	Tony Brooks	BRM-Climax	100	+49.000s	4
4		Bruce McLaren	Cooper-Climax	100	+58.000s	3
5	-3	Graham Hill	BRM-Climax	99	+1 lap	2
6	+4	Jo Bonnier	Porsche	98	+2 laps	1
R		Roy Salvadori	Cooper-Climax (P)	96	DNF
7	-2	Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax	96	+4 laps
8	+8	Roger Penske	Cooper-Climax (P)	96	+4 laps
9	+4	Peter Ryan	Lotus-Climax (P)	96	+4 laps
10	+7	Hap Sharp	Cooper-Climax (P)	93	+7 laps
11	+4	Olivier Gendebien & Masten Gregory	Lotus-Climax (P)	92	+8 laps
R		Lloyd Ruby	Lotus-Climax (P)	76	DNF
R		Jim Hall	Lotus-Climax (P)	76	DNF
R		Stirling Moss	Lotus-Climax (P)	58	DNF
R		Jack Brabham	Cooper-Climax	57	DNF
R		Masten Gregory	Lotus-Climax (P)	23	DNF
R		Walt Hansgen	Cooper-Climax	14	DNF
R		John Surtees	Cooper-Climax (P)	0	DNF

Starting Grid

• Highlight: race winner
• Highlight: second place
• Highlight: third place
• (P): privateer entry

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Time
1	Jack Brabham	Cooper-Climax	1:17.000
2	Graham Hill	BRM-Climax	1:18.100
3	Stirling Moss	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:18.200
4	Bruce McLaren	Cooper-Climax	1:18.200
5	Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax	1:18.300
6	Tony Brooks	BRM-Climax	1:18.300
7	Dan Gurney	Porsche	1:18.600
8	Innes Ireland	Lotus-Climax	1:18.800
9	John Surtees	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:18.900
10	Jo Bonnier	Porsche	1:18.900
11	Masten Gregory	Lotus-Climax	1:19.100
12	Roy Salvadori	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:19.200
13	Peter Ryan	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:20.000
14	Walt Hansgen	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:20.400
15	Olivier Gendebien	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:20.500
16	Roger Penske	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:20.600
17	Hap Sharp	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:21.000
18	Jim Hall	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:21.800
19	Lloyd Ruby	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:21.800

Qualifying Result

• (P): privateer entry

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Time	Gap
1	Jack Brabham	Cooper-Climax	1:17.000
2	Graham Hill	BRM-Climax	1:18.100	1.100
3	Stirling Moss	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:18.200	1.200
4	Bruce McLaren	Cooper-Climax	1:18.200	1.200
5	Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax	1:18.300	1.300
6	Tony Brooks	BRM-Climax	1:18.300	1.300
7	Dan Gurney	Porsche	1:18.600	1.600
8	Innes Ireland	Lotus-Climax	1:18.800	1.800
9	John Surtees	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:18.900	1.900
10	Jo Bonnier	Porsche	1:18.900	1.900
11	Masten Gregory	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:19.100	2.100
12	Roy Salvadori	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:19.200	2.200
13	Peter Ryan	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:20.000	3.000
14	Walt Hansgen	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:20.400	3.400
15	Olivier Gendebien	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:20.500	3.500
16	Roger Penske	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:20.600	3.600
17	Hap Sharp	Cooper-Climax (P)	1:21.000	4.000
18	Jim Hall	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:21.800	4.800
19	Lloyd Ruby	Lotus-Climax (P)	1:21.800	4.800

Championship Standings

How the championship standings stood post-race.

• Highlight: driver/constructor confirmed as world champion for 1961

Driver

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Phil Hill	34
2	Wolfgang von Trips	33
3	Stirling Moss	21
4	Dan Gurney	21
5	Richie Ginther	16
6	Innes Ireland	12
7	Jim Clark	11
8	Bruce McLaren	11
9	Giancarlo Baghetti	9
10	Tony Brooks	6
11	Jack Brabham	4
12	John Surtees	4
13	Olivier Gendebien	3
=	Jackie Lewis	3
15	Jo Bonnier	3
=	Graham Hill	3
17	Roy Salvadori	2

Constructor

Pos	Constructor	Points
1	Ferrari	40
2	Lotus-Climax	32
3	Porsche	22
4	Cooper-Climax	14
5	BRM-Climax	7

Statistics & Milestones

Race debut

Driver: Walt Hansgen, Roger Penske, Peter Ryan (only start), Hap Sharp

Last start

Driver: Tony Brooks, Olivier Gendebien, Stirling Moss, Lloyd Ruby

Wins

Driver: 1st and only for Innes Ireland (29th different winner, 5th British driver)

Constructor: 5th for Lotus

Podiums

Driver: 10th and last for Tony Brooks, 5th for Dan Gurney, 4th and last for Innes Ireland

Constructor: 12th for Lotus, 6th for BRM, 3rd for Porsche

Poles

Driver: 5th for Jack Brabham

Constructor: 10th for Cooper

Fastest laps

Driver: 5th for Jack Brabham

Constructor: 11th for Cooper

Front row starts

Driver: 18th for Jack Brabham, 4th for Graham Hill

Points finishes

Driver: 15th and last for Tony Brooks

See also

• United States Grand Prix
• Watkins Glen Circuit
• 1961 World Championship season