The ‘big fish’ mentality that kept an Australian legend winning

Strictly, I’m aware that Frank Gardner doesn’t belong in a series called ‘Formula 1 Heroes’, as he would have been the first to acknowledge. As far as Formula 1 is concerned, his resume runs to only eight grands prix starts, plus a handful of non-championship races, all of them – save the 1967 Oulton Park Gold Cup, when he drove a factory Brabham – in uncompetitive cars.

Undoubtedly, he had the talent for an F1 career, but perhaps more than any other racing driver I have known, Gardner was a down-to-earth realist. “I liked the idea of F1 as much as anyone – but not at any price,” he said. “In something competitive, yes please, but I never could see the sense in driving a third-rate car, starting near the back, just so you could tell the world you were an F1 driver – and nowadays half these blokes seem to be paying for the privilege! I mean, what’s the point?”