1968 Australian Grand Prix

The 1968 Australian Grand Prix was a motor race held at Sandown Park in Victoria, Australia on 25 February 1968. The race was open to Racing Cars complying with the Australian National Formula or the Australian 1½ Litre Formula.[2] It was the thirty third Australian Grand Prix and was also round seven of the 1968 Tasman Series. The race was staged by the Light Car Club of Australia[3] and was sponsored by the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria.[1]

1968 Australian Grand Prix
Race 7 of 8 in 1968 Tasman Series
Race details
Date	25 February [1] 1968
Location	Sandown Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	3.1 km (1.92 mi)
Distance	55 laps, 170.5 km (105.6 mi)
Weather	Sunny
Pole position
Driver	Jack Brabham	Repco Brabham
Time	1'06.7
Fastest lap
Driver	Chris Amon	Ferrari
Time	1'07.0 (166.7 km/h, 103.6 mph)
Podium
First	Jim Clark	Lotus-Ford Cosworth
Second	Chris Amon	Ferrari
Third	Graham Hill	Lotus-Ford Cosworth

Jim Clark won the race driving a Lotus 49T, similar to the Lotus 49B pictured above

Chris Amon placed second driving a Dino 246 Tasmania, similar to that pictured above

Jim Clark, driving a Lotus 49T, won by 0.1 seconds from Chris Amon (Dino 246), with whom he battled for the lead throughout the race. Clark's victory was rewarded with the Lex Davison Trophy and the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria Trophy.[1] It proved to be the last major victory for the Scotsman. Twice winner of the World Championship of Drivers, three-time Tasman Series champion and the winner of the 1965 Indianapolis 500, Clark was killed in a Formula 2 crash at the Hockenheim circuit in West Germany six weeks after the race.

In his last drive in an Australian Grand Prix, Jack Brabham started the race from pole position but retired with engine failure. Chris Amon set the fastest race lap.

Leo Geoghegan (Lotus 39 Repco V8) was the first Australian resident driver to finish,[4] an achievement which was rewarded with the Langridge Cup.[1]