John Surtees Won the 1964 World Championship by One Point at the Mexican Grand Prix

Among the most dramatic season finales in Formula 1 history took place 62 years ago today, on 25 October 1964, at the Ciudad Deportiva Magdalena Mixhuca circuit in Mexico City. The 1964 Mexican Grand Prix was the last of the season's 10 races, and both the drivers' and constructors' championships were decided there.

Three British drivers went into the race with title hopes

Three drivers arrived at the race with a chance of the championship. Graham Hill of BRM led on 39 points, John Surtees of Ferrari was second on 34, and Jim Clark, driving a Lotus 33-Climax, was third on 30. At the time, only the top six finishers scored points, with 9, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 awarded respectively. According to the source, this remains the only instance in Formula 1 history in which three British drivers entered the final race with a chance of the title.

For Clark to win the championship, he needed to win the race while Surtees finished no higher than third and Hill no higher than fourth. Hill needed only second place. In the constructors' standings, three teams were still in contention: Ferrari arrived on 43 points, BRM on 42, and Lotus-Climax on 37.

What happened in the race

Clark took the lead from pole position. Dan Gurney, driving a Brabham-Climax, was second. Hill and Surtees's Ferrari teammate Lorenzo Bandini were battling for third, while Surtees was well back in fifth and appeared to have no realistic chance of the title.

Bandini rammed Hill's BRM from behind. Hill spun, brushed the barrier and damaged his exhaust. The car lost power and dropped several places. At that point Clark was close to the title. Had the order stayed the same, Clark would have been champion with four wins to Hill's two, but the two drivers were tied on 39 points.

On the penultimate lap, a oil line broke on Clark's car. His engine seized as the Lotus crossed the finish line with one lap remaining. The order became Gurney, Bandini, Surtees. If Surtees finished second, he would be champion. The Ferrari team manager signalled Bandini to slow down as he came into the pits. Bandini did so, Surtees took second place, and he won the championship by one point, 40 points to Hill's 39. Gurney won the race, a victory that was hardly noticed.

Ferrari's white and blue colours

Ferrari entered this race under the name of the American NART team, and the cars were painted white with blue longitudinal stripes. These were the national colours of licensed teams in America. The Ferraris run by NART in 1965 and 1969, and by the British Reg Parnell team at the 1966 Italian Grand Prix, stayed red. That made this the last Formula 1 race in which a Ferrari competed in a colour other than the traditional rosso corsa.