[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”7″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_pro_slideshow” image_crop=”0″ image_pan=”1″ show_playback_controls=”1″ show_captions=”0″ caption_class=”caption_overlay_bottom” caption_height=”70″ aspect_ratio=”1.5″ width=”100″ width_unit=”%” transition=”fade” transition_speed=”1″ slideshow_speed=”5″ border_size=”0″ border_color=”#ffffff” ngg_triggers_display=”always” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]Ferrari paid tribute to John Surtees – Formula 1 World Champion in 1964 for Ferrari and seven times MotoGP world champion with MV Augusta – calling him one of their best.
The Italian team released the following statement:
“Ferrari has lost one of its greatest drivers. John Surtees has passed away in his native England at the age of 83.”
“Born in Tatsfield on February 11 1934, Big John, as he was fondly known, won the Formula 1 World Championship in 1964 with Ferrari, becoming the only driver in history to claim both the F1 and motorcycle grand prix world titles.”
“Surtees raced in 111 Formula 1 Grand Prix, 30 with the Scuderia Ferrari, delivering six victories, four of which were with the Maranello team between 1963 and 1966. Aside from his outstanding Formula 1 performance, Surtees contributed several victories to Ferrari’s success in the 1963 and 1965 World Sportscar Championship.”
“All at Ferrari send their heartfelt condolences to his family at this sad time.”
Having learned the news of the death of Surtees during the final day of testing in Barcelona, Kimi raikkonen said: “I met him a few times, he was very easy-going and it was very easy to get on with him.”
“And you could tell that he had passion for racing in his blood. So this is sad news and my thoughts are with his family.”