The Surtees Racing Organisation (in short: Team Surtees) was founded in 1966 by John Surtees.

The team was founded in 1966 by John Surtees, who was already a four-time world champion in the 500cc road race, three-time world champion in the 350cc road race and world champion in Formula 1. Surtees had started racing in 1960 and had driven for Lotus, Cooper, Lola and Ferrari.  With Ferrari he had become world champion in the 1964 season.

It inspired John Surtees to participate in Formula 1 with his own team and his own car. The TS9 from 1970  scored its only points in the Canadian Grand Prix. Surtees-Ford finished 8th in the constructors' championship.

Surtees' financial problems were getting worse. In the meantime, they drove the Surtees TS20, which was overshadowed by the ground effect cars. A new version of that car had even been developed for the 1979 season. It was used once in the British Formula One Championship (the former Formula 5000), but then the Surtees Racing Organisation ceased to exist.

 

Headquarters, Edenbridge, Kent, UK

ts16 1974

The Surtees TS16 was a Formula 1 race car that was built and used by the Surtees Racing Organisation in 1974 and 1975. The car was designed by team owner John Surtees. The car was not very successful. Only three World Championship points were scored in two seasons.

After the 1972 season with the Surtees TS9B with a fifth place in the constructors' championship had been the most successful of the Team Surtees, the TS14(B) had been very disappointing. The car had many different technical problems and the team only finished seventh in the championship. John Surtees designed the new Surtees TS16 for the 1974 season.

The car was fitted with a Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 engine and had a Hewland F.G.400 five-speed gearbox.

In the 1976 season, the TS16 had already been succeeded by the TS19, but the British Divina Galica tried in vain to qualify for the British Grand Prix. However, she was quite successful in the Shellsport International Series, a series of thirteen races that was held on five different circuits. Of the 67 participants (not all of whom participated in all races), she finished fourth with the Surtees TS16.

Surtees TS16 1974 (youtube.com)

1966-1978