PITS, SURTEES IN FERRARI, START OF RACE AND RACE IN PROGRESS.




Initials GS/V/CR/JG


SPORT: MOTOR RACING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: JOHN SURTEES MADE A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO BIG--TIME MOTOR RACING TONIGHT (MONDAY) AS HE AND MIKE PARKES DROVE A FERRARI TO VICTORY IN THE RAIN DRENCHED 1,000 MONZA RACE.

SURTEES, WHO WAS HAVING HIS FIRST RACE SINCE HIS ACCIDENT IN CANADA LAST SEPTEMBER WENT INTO THE LEAD FROM THE FIRST LAP TOGETHER WITH MIKE PARKES. AFTER THE 50TH LAP, SURTEES AND PARKES WERE THREE MINUTES, FOURTEEN POINT SIX SECONDS AHEAD OF THEIR CLOSEST RIVALS, MASTERN GREGORY AND JOHN WHITMORE IN A FORD GT40.

IN THE DRIVING RAIN MANY OF THE DRIVERS HAD DIFFICULTY IN SEEING AS THEIR CARS WERE NOT FITTED WITH WINDSCREEN WIPERS BUT DESPITE THE BAD WEATHER ABOUT 3,000 PEOPLE WATCHED THE RACE.

SURTEES AND PARKES COVERED THE 1,000 KILOMETRES IN SIX HOURS, FIVE MINUTES, ELEVEN POINT SIX SECONDS AT AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 103.1 MILES AN HOUR (165.9 KPH). SECOND WERE MASTERN GREGORY (UNITED STATES) AND JOHN WHITMORE (BRITAIN) IN THEIR FORD GT40, ONE LAP BEHIND THE LEADERS. HERBERT MULLER OF WEST GERMANY AND WILLY MAIRESSE OF BELGIUM WERE THIRD TWO LAPS BEHIND THE LEADERS.