Jo Siffert
A fearless Swiss driver whose aggressive style and two Grand Prix wins made him a hero of 1960s Formula One.
1936–1971 (age 35)·Swiss racing driver·Birthday: July 7·The Silent Generation
Biography
Jo Siffert emerged from a family of hoteliers in Fribourg, Switzerland, but his heart was on the track. He began racing motorcycles before switching to four wheels, funding his early career by selling his own racing engines. His break into Formula One came in 1962, but it was with the privateer Rob Walker Racing Team that he truly shone, famously winning the 1968 British Grand Prix in a Lotus. Siffert was known for his sheer bravery and car control, a driver who could wrestle competitive performances out of underfunded machinery. His partnership with Porsche in sports cars yielded major victories, including the 1970 24 Hours of Daytona. His life, marked by a charismatic, chain-smoking persona, was tragically cut short in a crash at the 1971 BRDC International Trophy race, leaving a void in the sport.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Jo was born in 1936, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1936
#1 Movie
San Francisco
Best Picture
The Great Ziegfeld
Jo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1936Born
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1941Started school
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1949Became a teenager
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Could drive
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1954Could vote
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Turned 21
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1966Turned 30
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Died at 35
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
Key Achievements
- Won the 1968 British Grand Prix driving for the privateer Rob Walker Racing Team.
- Secured victory at the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix in a BRM.
- Co-drove a Porsche 917K to win the prestigious 1970 24 Hours of Daytona.
- Achieved multiple World Sportscar Championship wins with the Porsche factory team.
Did You Know?
He owned a successful Volkswagen and Porsche dealership, which helped fund his racing.
Siffert was known for smoking cigarettes even while in his racing overalls.
The Jo Siffert Collection, featuring his cars and memorabilia, is housed in a museum in his hometown.
He posthumously won the 1971 International Cup for Formula One Constructors with BRM, as his points contributed to their title.
“I race for the pure speed, the machine and me against the clock.”
