Surtees TS5 Chevy V8
The team was formed by John Surtees, a four-time 500cc motorcycle champion and the 1964 Formula One champion. Surtees formed the team in 1966 for the newly formed CanAm series (an unlimited sports car series), winning the championship as an owner/driver in its first year. He fielded an entry in another newly formed series in 1969, becoming part of Formula 5000 after taking over the failed Leda F5000 project, and his team constructed its own cars for the first time. His team was successful, winning five races, consecutively, during a twelve race season.
The TS5 was John Surtees’ first major foray into race car construction. Twelve cars are believed to have been produced in 1969/70, and their early successes predated the marque’s involvement as a F1 constructor. It has a full monocoque chassis, conventional suspension and Hewland DG300 gearbox. Prominent TS5 drivers included David Hobbs, Andrea de Adamich and Trevor Taylor, who was runner up in the 1969 Guards F5000 Championship.
The team was formed by John Surtees, a four-time 500cc motorcycle champion and the 1964 Formula One champion. Surtees formed the team in 1966 for the newly formed CanAm series (an unlimited sports car series), winning the championship as an owner/driver in its first year. He fielded an entry in another newly formed series in 1969, becoming part of Formula 5000 after taking over the failed Leda F5000 project, and his team constructed its own cars for the first time. His team was successful, winning five races, consecutively, during a twelve race season.
The TS5 was John Surtees’ first major foray into race car construction. Twelve cars are believed to have been produced in 1969/70, and their early successes predated the marque’s involvement as a F1 constructor. It has a full monocoque chassis, conventional suspension and Hewland DG300 gearbox. Prominent TS5 drivers included David Hobbs, Andrea de Adamich and Trevor Taylor, who was runner up in the 1969 Guards F5000 Championship.
