52 replies to this topic

[FEV]

Hi all !

Back in the days when a professional driver was not yet a sixteen-races-a-year-only-overpaid-superstar, every decent driver competed almost every weekend in various categories. To prevent the well established stars to score points in championships supposed to reveal the new talents of the sport, the CSI introduced "notoriety lists" (as they were called in French) to make a distinction between the stars and the young up-and-coming drivers. IIRC there was not only a "Grand Prix" list, but also an "Endurance" (or Sportscars) list and maybe even a "Formula 3" list. I have a vague souvenir of a 1973 article in the French Sport-Auto explaining how the Grand Prix list was made (something like the F1 World Champion being eligible for the five next years, a F1 WDC race winner for three, drivers who scored twice for the next year only, etc... all this from the top of my head for my Sport-Autos are some 500 miles away, so sorry for eventual errors !).

I would like to make the complete list of these lists, but I lack A LOT of info on it ! When did this start (in 1967 for the first European Trophy for Formula 2 Drivers ?). When did it stop (when Super Licence arrived ?). Did the system remained the same all the years lists were made ? How many lists were there each year ?

Thanks a lot in advance
Cheers
Frank

[Ray Bell]

I don't think it was so much taking points as simply taking up track space in classes which were essentially 'nursery' classes.

Formula Junior was definitely off-limits to anyone who was a graded driver...

[Vitesse2]

Frank: if you can lay your hands on copies of the FIA Yellow Books, the graded drivers were listed each year. I have copies of 1972 and 1975 - I wish I had an earlier one, because the system changed on 1/1/72! Somewhere I have details of the earlier system!

From 1/1/72:

1 Grand Prix Graded Drivers

World Champion drivers of the previous five years.

Drivers who, in one and the same year, have been classified at least twice among the first six in a race of the World Championship for Drivers, while taking into account the Championship of the two previous years.

The winner of the Indianapolis 500 Miles of the previous year.

The winner of the Can-Am Series of the previous year.

The winner of the European Championship for Formula 2 drivers of the previous year on condition, however, that he has won at least three first places in the Class B drivers' classification (ie non-graded) of an event qualifying for the said Championship.

Drivers who, in the same year, won at the same time one classification among the first six in an event counting for the World Championship of Drivers, and one classification among the first three in the general results of an event counting for the Makes' Championship. Only the Championships of the two previous years shall be taken into consideration.

2 Long Distance Graded drivers

Drivers who, in one and the same year, havew been classified at least twice among the first three in an event of the Makes' World Championship, while taking into account the two previous years. However, only those teams of not more than two drivers, and that for the whole duration of the event, will be retained for inclusion on the list of graded drivers.

The text for 1975 is identical, except that it omits the winner of the Can-Am title.

[FEV]

Thanks Richard ! Yep I'd love to have one of these 60s/70s FIA Yellow Books ! Thanks for the post-1971 system ! About CanAm in 1975 : I think the reason was that the 1974 CanAm series was not recognised by the FIA. An FIA sanctionned/recognised international championship had (as ?) to have at least six races in its season. Because of the energy crisis, doubtful rules banning t/c cars, lack of sponsorship and poor fields, many races were cancelled and the last season of the once great SCCA Canadian-American Challenge Cup only had five races. And so Jackie Oliver is not a FIA-recognised champion !

[Hans Etzrodt]

Originally posted by FEV
....my Sport-Autos are some 500 miles away....

So, where exactly are you, Frank? Did you go to warmer climes?

[FEV]

Alas no Hans ! Still "stuck" in the far east of France next to your dear Deutschland, while most of my mags and books lay peacefully under the warm weather of my beloved Côte d'Azur !

Ray,
I forgot to ask you in my previous post : sorry, but my english being as average as it is I am not sure of having fully understanding your point. Could you please enlight a slow minded French guy ? Thanks !

[Vitesse2]

I think what Ray meant was that there were certain events and categories in which graded drivers were not allowed to compete.

As far as single-seaters were concerned, they could not race in Formula Junior (later Formula 3) or below.

This was touched on in a recent thread about a mysterious German driver who might have been (but turned out not to have been) von Trips - don't remember the thread name though: it was started by Udo, so you should be able to trace it that way. IIRC Fines said something about graded drivers there ....

And you're excused for not understanding Ray's English - he is Australian after all ....

[Udo K.]

I can help with the pre 72 system as I'm lucky enough to own the FIA yellow books of 1970 and 1971.
Original Text:

Quote:

FIA Graded Drivers
Drivers listed hereunder may participate in all full international events entered on the FIA INternational Sporting Calendar, regardless of the country where the event is run and subject to the right reserved to the promoters by Art.74 of the International Sporting Code.
They may not compete in events for racing cars of International Formula 3 and, outside the country in which they have been granted their licence, in International events.

Since 1968, the list of FIA graded drivers includes:

1. World Champions drivers of the five previous years.

2. Drivers who, in one and the same year, have been classified at least twice among the first six in a race of the World Championship for Drivers, while takin into account the Championship of the two previous years.

3. Drivers who, in one and the same year, have been classified at least twice among the first three in an event of the Makes' Championship, while taking into account the two previous years. However, only those teams of not more than 2 drivers, and that for the whole duration of the event, will be retained for inclusion on the list of graded drivers.

4. The winner of the European Trophy for Formula 2 Drivers of the previous year on condition, however, that he has won at least three first places in the Class "B" drivers classification (i.e. non graded) of an event qualifying for said Trophy.

5. Drivers who, in the same year, won at the same time one classification among the first six in an event counting for the World Championship of Drivers, and one classificaton among the first three in the general results of an event counting for the Makes' Championship. Only the Championship of the two previous years shall be taken into consideration.

Unquote

So that's the original text published on page 29 of the yellow book of 1971 (with apologies to all English native speakers...)


The lists of the graded drivers of 1970 was as follows:

Kurt Ahrens, Chris Amon, Richard Attwood, Jean-P. Beltoise, Joakim Bonnier, Jack Brabham, Joe Buzzetta, Piers Courage, Vic Elford, Hans Herrmann, Graham Hill, David Hobbs, Denis Hulme, Jacky Ickx, Bruce McLaren, Jochen Neerpasch, Jack Oliver, Brian Redman, Jochen Rindt, Pedro Rodriguez, Udo Schütz, Johnny Servoz-Gavin, Jo Siffert, Jackie Stewart, Rolf Stommelen, John Surtees.


For 1971:

Kurt Ahrens, Chris Amon, Mario Andretti, Richard Attwood, JeanP. Beltoise, Jack Brabham, Joe Buzzetta, Vic Elford, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ignazio Giunti, Hans Herrmann, Graham Hill, Denis Hulme, Jacky Ickx, Leo Kinnunen, Gerard Larrousse, Rudi Lins, Jack Oliver, Henri Pescarolo, Brian Redman, Clay Regazzoni, Pedro Rodriguez, Udo Schütz, Johnny Servoz-Gavin, Jo Siffert, Jackie Stewart, Rolf Stommelen, John Surtees, Nino Vaccarella.

[Udo K.]

Vitesse, the thread you mean is the "Who is "Jupp Schmitz" one. Still a mystery, but it now looks as if Wolfgang Seidel could be the answer.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by FEV
Ray,
I forgot to ask you in my previous post : sorry, but my english being as average as it is I am not sure of having fully understanding your point. Could you please enlight a slow minded French guy ? Thanks !

Okay... let's take it point by point...

I don't think it was so much taking points as simply taking up track space...

My point here is that the grading had the purpose of keeping them out of races altogether, not just preventing them 'trophy hunting' or getting easy wins and prizes among the newer drivers in lesser classes.

...in classes which were essentially 'nursery' classes.

A nursery is for children... 'nursery classes' are classes that encourage newcomers, that are the domain of new drivers.

Formula Junior was definitely off-limits to anyone who was a graded driver...

Graded drivers were not allowed to drive in F. Junior, nor in the F3 which replaced it. "Off-limits" means the same as "out of bounds."

[Don Capps]

At one point, this was strictly for drivers scoring points in a WDC round -- you scored a point, you were a "Graded Driver." So, in the 1950's you had folks from Indy being graded and in 1960's you had folks driving perhaps an occasional event, but scoring a point -- Neville Lederle in 1962 comes to mind -- and being "Graded" as a result.

Later, with its perchant for making anything more complicated than it needed to be, the CSI tossed in sports car performances and whatever else struck their fancy in there as means to be considered a "Graded" driver.

When the CSI decided to exclude Rindt and others from running for the Euro F2 crown, graded drivers were excluded as they had been from FJ and F3, although Pete Revson ran F3 in 1965 after doing GP/F1 in 1964 for the Parnell team -- but he didn't score points and so was eligible to participate.

Also, the period for being a "Graded" driver was something like two years for scoring points and five years for being the WDC. In the pre-and-early-1970's, I think this "graded" business became a factor in the game of who got invited to play in some events.

[Vitesse2]

Slightly O/T: Don's mention of Revson brought Tom Pryce's step back to F3 at Monaco in 1974 to mind ...

[ry6]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Don Capps
[B]At one point, this was strictly for drivers scoring points in a WDC round -- you scored a point, you were a "Graded Driver." So, in the 1950's you had folks from Indy being graded and in 1960's you had folks driving perhaps an occasional event, but scoring a point -- Neville Lederle in 1962 comes to mind -- and being "Graded" as a result.

After Neville scored that "World Championship point" after a brilliant drive in and independently entered Lotus 21 in the 1962 South African GP I think there was some "trouble" with him being a graded driver and wanting to take part in the 1963 SA Championship.

I think the "problem" was sorted out to allow him to compete in his "home" championship which he went on to win for 1963.

However, I understand that he was barred from racing in the Governor General of Mocambique Trophy in Lourenco Marques because of his graded status.

[Don Capps]

Rob,

Spot on with the brilliant effort by Lederle -- who was then rewarded with the problems you mention! I never heard exactly how they resolved the situation, but since SA is a long way from the CSI in Paris it is most likely that plain & simple common sense prevailed, although I had forgotten about the flap with the Lourenco Marques race.

Funny how his name popped into my mind first thing! It was a great drive and I remember many in the "media" of the time being very impressed and wondering if he should join Tony Maggs in Europe the following season.

[David McKinney]

As I once mentioned on another thread, my understanding is that a "graded" driver could not compete in national races outside his own country. So Stirling Moss could race in whatever event he liked in the UK, Jack Brabham ditto in Australia - and Neville Lederle in South Africa. But Lederle could not, because of his graded status, race in a national event in a foreign country such as Mozambique.

[Don Capps]

If I remember, the race in Mozambique was a round in the SA championship and that is where the sticky part came in. I think. Hmmmm, did this apply to Rhodesia as well? Rob? David?

[David McKinney]

I did wonder, when I posted my thread, how the Laurenco Marques organisers got around the problem of having a whole bunch of foreign (South African) drivers at what was surely a national event. The flow of drivers between ZA and Rhodesia was (is?) such that there must have been some 'accommodation', possibly with FIA blessing. The ordinary races in ZA and Rhodesia were surely not run under international permits (though the December/January ones clearly were)

[FEV]

Thanks to all for your answers and special to Ray for your patience !
Seems incredible that there was no distinction between WDC and WSC before 1972 ! I find it quite odd that men like Buzzetta, Neerpasch, Schütz or Vaccarella were not allowed to score in Euro F2 just because they were great Endurance drivers ! But after all, we are talking about some CSI decisions, so I should not be surprised of such non sense !

[Ray Bell]

No problem... it's all to easy to forget that we have such a wide audience and such cultural and other difference when we write here.

I don't feel, however, that it was so strange to exclude these drivers.

I think the purpose was to keep the well-known professionals out of the up-and-coming fields. Though it's good, on reflection, that F3 was restricted while the F3 drivers graduated and mixed it with the top line drivers in F2, a kind of progression that helped them develop and become noticed. Rindt benefitted from this.

[Rob29]

Originally posted by David McKinney
I did wonder, when I posted my thread, how the Laurenco Marques organisers got around the problem of having a whole bunch of foreign (South African) drivers at what was surely a national event. The flow of drivers between ZA and Rhodesia was (is?) such that there must have been some 'accommodation', possibly with FIA blessing. The ordinary races in ZA and Rhodesia were surely not run under international permits (though the December/January ones clearly were)

I seem to remember some sort of 'comon border'agreement,by which,for instance,Irish licence holders can race in British clubiies ,or vice versa. This also seems to work between many European countries and USA/Canada.

[fines]

Here's my two € cents:

1961
Definition: Every driver who has scored in the WDC or finished twice in the top 5 of the WSC of the previous year
Restrictions: Not allowed to compete in Formula Junior and races in foreign countries which are designated "national with foreign participation"
Allison, Barth, Bettenhausen, Bianchi, Bonnier, Brabham, Branson, Brooks, Cabianca, Clark, Fairman, Fangio, Flockhart, Frère, Gendebien, Ginther, Goldsmith, Gregory, Gurney, Herrmann, Hill (G), Hill (P), Ireland, Johnson, McLaren, Mairesse, Menditeguy, Moss, Rathmann, Salvadori, Surtees, Shelby, Taylor, Trintignant, Trips, Ward
(ams 1/1961)

1968
Amon, Bonnier, Brabham, Clark, Donohue, Elford, Foyt, Ginther, Gurney, Hawkins, Hill, Hulme, Ickx, McLaren, Mairesse, Mitter, Müller, Neerpasch, Parkes, Revson, Rindt, Rodríguez, Ruby, Scarfiotti, Scott, Siffert, Spence, Stewart, Surtees
(autodrom)

1969
Amon, Beltoise, Bianchi, Bonnier, Brabham, Courage, Elford, Foyt, Gurney, Hawkins, Herrmann, Hill, Hobbs, Hulme, Ickx, McLaren, Mitter, Neerpasch, Oliver, Parkes, Redman, Rindt, Rodríguez, Siffert, Stewart, Stommelen, Surtees
(autodrom 2)

1970
26 drivers, including Ahrens, Herrmann, Neerpasch, Schütz, Servoz-Gavin, Stommelen
(autodrom 3)

1981
Definition (since 1972) :
- World Champion drivers of the five previous years.
- Drivers who, in one and the same year, have been classified at least twice among the first six in a race of the World Championship for Drivers, while taking into account the Championship of the two previous years.
- The winner of the Indianapolis 500 Miles of the previous year.
- The winner of the European Championship for Formula 2 Drivers of the previous year on condition, however, that he has won at least three first places in the Class 'B' drivers' classification (ie 'non graded')of an event qualifying for the said Championship.
- Drivers who, in the same year, won at the same time one classification among the first six in an event counting for the World Championship of Drivers, and one classification among the first three in the general results of an event counting for the Makes' Championship. Only the Championships of the two previous years shall be taken into consideration.
- Drivers who, in one and the same year, have been classified at least twice among the first three in an event of the Makes' World Championship, while taking into account the two previous years. However, only those teams of not more than two drivers, and that for the whole duration of the event, will be retained for inclusion on the list of graded drivers.
Restrictions: Not allowed to compete in Formula 3 and, outside the country in which they have been granted their licence, in "simple international events"
Alboreto, Andretti, Angelis, Arnoux, Barth, Cheever, Daly, Dören, Facetti, Fittipaldi, Fitzpatrick, Giacomelli, Henton, Hunt, Ickx, Jarier, Jones, Laffite, Lauda, Ludwig, Mass, Patrese, Paul, Pescarolo, Piquet, Pironi, Plankenhorn, Prost, Redman, Regazzoni, Reutemann, Röhrl, Rosberg, Rutherford, Scheckter, Schornstein, Villeneuve, Watson
(FIA Yearbook 1981)

1997
- World Champion drivers of the five previous years.
- Drivers who, in one and the same year out of the two previous years have been classified at least twice among the first six in a race of the F1 World Championship for Drivers.
- The winner of the Indianapolis 500 Miles of the previous year.
- The winner of the Formula 3000 International Championship for Drivers of the previous year.
Restrictions: Not allowed to compete in Formula 3 and, outside the country in which they have been granted their licence, in "simple international events"
Alesi, Barrichello, Berger, Blundell, Boullion, Brundle, Coulthard, Diniz, Frentzen, Häkkinen, Herbert, Hill, Irvine, Lazier, Mansell, Morbidelli, Müller, Panis, Prost, Salo, Schumacher, Villeneuve
(FIA Yearbook 1997)

I would be interested in how the Sports Car events were treated when there was no WSC, as in 1962-71! Obviously, the International Makes' Championship counted for 1964-71, but what about 1962/3? Anyone with a list? And when did they change from "top 5" to "top 3" for the Sports Car races? 1967? Questions over questions here...

Re Lederle, just recently I happened on a Moss interview from early 1963, where he commented VERY favourably about Lederle's driving in the SAGP of '62.

[Rainer Nyberg]

I think I have posted this before but it still gives an insight into the schedule for top-driver thirty years ago.

This was Ronnie Peterson's schedule for 1972...

720109 Buenos Aires 1000 km Ferrari
720123 Buenos Aires F1 March
710206 Daytona 6 hours Ferrari
720304 Kyalami F1 March
720312 Mallory Park F2 March
720318 Brands Hatch F1 March Race of champions
720325 Sebring 12 hour Ferrari
720331 Oulton Park F2 March
720403 Thruxton F2 March
720409 Ontario F1 March
720416 Brands Hatch 1000 km Ferrari
720423 Silverstone F1 March Non-champ
720425 Monza 1000 km Ferrari
720501 Jarama F1 March
720507 Spa 1000 km Ferrari
720514 Monaco F1 March
720521 Targa Florio Sportscars Ferrari
720528 Nürburgring 1000 km Ferrari
720529 Crystal Palace F2 March
720604 Belgium F1 March
720611 Le Mans 24 hours Ferrari
720618 Zandvoort F1 March
720625 Österreichring 1000 km Ferrari
720702 Clermont Ferrand F1 March
720709 Tulln F2 March
720715 Brands Hatch F1 March Non-champ
720722 Watkins Glen 6 hours Ferrari
720730 Nürburgring F1 March
720806 Mantorp Park F2 March
720813 Österreichring F1 March
720820 Enna F2 March
720827 Karlskoga F2 March
720828 Brands Hatch F1 March
720903 Salzburg F2 March
720910 Monza F1 March
720917 Hockenheim F1 March
720924 St Juvit F1 March
721001 Hockenheim F2 March
721008 Watkins Glen F1 March
721015 Rome F2 March
721022 Mexico City F1 March
721029 Paul Ricard F2 March

Pretty busy huh??

44 races scheduled! .....and there was tyretesting 2 days before every GP....plus all the normal testing....sigh!

PS This was his schedule in Jan 72...I have not double-checked which races he may have not run in...
Cancelled races and so on....DS

[fines]

Maybe we can pool the information of various TNF members to come up with a full list of graded drivers over the years, similar to the AUTOCOURSE Top Ten? That would be really nice!

[ry6]

Originally posted by David McKinney
As I once mentioned on another thread, my understanding is that a "graded" driver could not compete in national races outside his own country. So Stirling Moss could race in whatever event he liked in the UK, Jack Brabham ditto in Australia - and Neville Lederle in South Africa. But Lederle could not, because of his graded status, race in a national event in a foreign country such as Mozambique.

Don, I think David has hit the nail on the head with this explanation.

I am away from home and my records but will check next week. Maybe I will even contact Neville for the answer.

From memory maybe the Lourenco Marques event was not included in the SA Championship, but Rhodesian events were.

[David McKinney]

Without wishing to seem to argue against myself, I think the LM race was a championship round, at least in some years. But whether or not it was, it always had loads of ZA drivers, so the licensing problem's the same.

[Vitesse2]

1972:
GP Graded
Chris Amon, Mario Andretti, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Jack Brabham, Francois Cevert, Mark Donohue, Emerson Fittipaldi, Howden Ganley, Graham Hill, Denny Hulme, Jacky Ickx, Henri Pescarolo, Ronnie Peterson, Clay Regazzoni, Peter Revson, Tim Schenken, Jackie Stewart, Rolf Stommelen, John Surtees, Al Unser, Reine Wisell

LD Graded
Tony Adamowicz, Kurt Ahrens, Richard Attwood, Derek Bell, Andrea de Adamich, Vic Elford, Nanni Galli, Hans Herrmann, Toine Hezemans, Leo Kinnunen, Gerard Larrousse, Rudi Lins, Helmut Marko, Jack Oliver, Brian Redman, Nino Vaccarella, Gijs van Lennep

1975:
GP Graded
Chris Amon, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Patrick Depailler, Emerson Fittipaldi, Wilson Fittipaldi, George Follmer, Howden Ganley, Mike Hailwood, Denny Hulme, James Hunt, Jacky Ickx, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Niki Lauda, Arturo Merzario, Carlos Pace, Ronnie Peterson, Clay Regazzoni, Carlos Reutemann, Johnny Rutherford, Jody Scheckter, Jackie Stewart, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Gijs van Lennep, John Watson

LD Graded
Derek Bell, Andrea de Adamich, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Carlo Facetti, David Hobbs, Jacky Ickx, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Gerard Larrousse, Arturo Merzario, Herbert Muller, Carlos Pace, Henri Pescarolo, Brian Redman, Carlos Reutemann, Tim Schenken, Rolf Stommelen, Gijs van Lennep

Interestingly, the compilation rules must have been changed slightly, because in 1975, several drivers appear on both lists. Without checking, I'd guess that Ickx, Pescarolo, Ganley, Peterson and Schenken at least would also qualify as LD graded for 1972.

[FEV]

Michael, thanks for the great additions !

Maybe we can pool the information of various TNF members to come up with a full list of graded drivers over the years, similar to the AUTOCOURSE Top Ten? That would be really nice

Great idea ! Working on it. Incredible to learn that the list is still in the FIA books today (well at least in 1997) !

Richard,

I'd guess that Ickx, Pescarolo, Ganley, Peterson and Schenken at least would also qualify as LD graded for 1972.

I agree for Ickx, Pesca and Peterson but I don't think Ganley and Schenken would qualify. Didn't check yet, but Schenken joined Ferrari in 1972 and Ganley drove for Matra and Wyer's Mirages in 1972-73... Before that I don't remember them doing Long Distance races with much success.

[FEV]

Michael,

I would be interested in how the Sports Car events were treated when there was no WSC, as in 1962-71! Obviously, the International Makes' Championship counted for 1964-71, but what about 1962/3? Anyone with a list? And when did they change from "top 5" to "top 3" for the Sports Car races? 1967? Questions over questions here...

For 1962-63 my guess would be that they took what replaced the WSC (i.e. the International Champoinship for GT Manufacturers with all its Divisions, Groups, Series and Sub-divisions) and looked only at the scratch of each of the races ??? But that would have for effect to inlcude drivers like "Tiger" or Gian-Franco Rovetta in the Graded Drivers List, which, with all respect due to these respectable Italian drivers, would seem a bit strange ?
Another possiblity would be taking into account the only four races making the "World Challenge of Speed and Endurance" (Challenge Mondial de Vitesse et d'Endurance), initiated by the ACO and that was for "prototypes" or "non-homologuated GTs" only and had the Sebring 12H, la Targa Florio, the Ring 1000km and LM for rounds ??

About the 1961 list : there must have been other conditions to be graded because some drivers do not fit the definition : Barth, Bettenhausen, Fairman, Fangio, Frère, Gregory, Gurney, Salvadori, Surtees and Shelby. Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby won LM in 59 (the American adding a TT win to that), Fairman won the 1959 TT too, Frère won the 1960 LM (but no other WSC top 5), Gurney won the 1959 Ring 1000km with Moss. This could be a begining of an explanation ? But what about Fangio ? And Bettenhausen who last scored in WSC in 1959 (4th Indy) ?
I also think two American drivers are missing from your 1961 list : Johnny Thompson was 5th at Indy in 1960 and Alan Connell finished 5th both at Sebring and Le Mans '61.
Cheers
Frank

[Rob29]

Do we have a source for the 1961 LD graded drivers list? I thought this did not start until much later.There was no drivers championship for the original World Sportscar Championship(1953-61),which was for manufacturers only.

[Vitesse2]

Rob: the split GP/LD occurred at 1/1/72 as I posted above. Before then there was only one class of graded driver, but it appears to me they must have changed the rules several times.

I remember Motoring News in the UK used to publish the lists every January, as soon as the Yellow Book was published. Milan seems to have acquired some recently ....

[Rob29]

"Grade 1 Drivers for 1960

Jack Brabham,Stirling Moss,Tony Brooks,Bruce McLaren,Roy Salvadori,Jack Fairman,Innes Ireland,Phil Hill,Dan Gurney,Masten Gregory,Carroll Shelby,Harry Schell,Maurice Trintignant,Paul Frere,Olivier Gendebien,Jo Bonnier,Edgar Barth,Taffy von Trips.
The total of 18 drivers is one more than in 1959.2 names have been dropped-Graham Hill and Ron Flockhart.6 names added- McLaren,Fairman,Gurney,Ireland,Frere & Barth."
From 'Grand Prix World Championship 1959' by Louis T .Stanley.
This of course is strange maths.Maybe deceased men were on the '59 list? Musso,Collins,Hawthorn & Lewis-Evans?

[Vitesse2]

Hawthorn I could understand in 1959, but not the others ...

And no Rodger Ward either in 1960 ... perhaps the 500 winner wasn't included then? Or perhaps Big Lou omitted people he didn't think would race in a GP?

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Vitesse2
Hawthorn I could understand in 1959, but not the others ...

Yes,I had forgotten Jean Behra & Ivor Bueb,which computes: -2+6-3(deceased)=+1

[David McKinney]

I can't think Bueb would have been a graded driver in 1959 (or at any other time)

[Roger Clark]

Autosport (27 November 1959) had the same list of graded drivers for 1960 as Louis Stanley, but with the addition of cliff Allison.

Presumably Fangio would be on the 1958 list on account of his performance in the 1958 French GP.

However, the observant will no doubt note that the autosport list was published two weeks before the American GP.

[fines]

Originally posted by Rob29
Do we have a source for the 1961 LD graded drivers list?

German mag "Das Auto/Motor und Sport", issue 1/1961. I haven't yet checked the hows and whys, just translated the text. Thanks so far for the posts!

Re Fangio, the article said something like "a honourable mention", that sort of thing...

[sat]

Some more lists:
1962

Cliff Allison
Jack Brabham
Tony Brooks
Jim Clark
Jack Fairman
Ron Flockhart
Graham Hill
Innes Ireland
Jack Lewis
Bruce McLaren
Stirling Moss
Roy Salvadori
John Surtees
Henry Taylor
Don Branson
Richie Ginther
Paul Goldsmith
Masten Gregory
Dan Gurney
Phil Hill
Bob Holbert
Johnson
Rathmann
Rodger Ward
Giancarlo Baghetti
Giorgio Scarlatti
Maurice Trintignant
Lucien Bianchi
Olivier Gendebien
Willy Mairesse
Juan Manuel Fangio
Carlos Menditeguy
Jo Bonnier
Pedro Rodriguez
Ricardo Rodriguez
Edgar Barth
Hans Herrmann

1966
Chris Amon
Bob Anderson
Peter Arundell
Lorenzo Bandini
Jo Bonnier
Jack Brabham
Ronnie Bucknum
Jim Clark
Richie Ginther
Masten Gregory
Dan Gurney
Jean Guichet
Graham Hill
Phil Hill
Deny Hulme
Innes Ireland
Bruce McLaren
Tony Maggs
Ken Miles
Mike Parkes
Jochen Rindt
Pedro Rodriguez
Ludovico Scarfiotti
Jo Siffert
Mike Spence
John Surtees
Jackie Stewart
Maurice Trintignant
Nino Vacarella

1967
Chris Amon
Bob Anderson
Peter Arundell
Richard Attwood
Lorenzo Bandini
Bob Bondurant
Jo Bonnier
Jack Brabham
Ronnie Bucknum
Mark Donohue
Jim Clark
Richie Ginther
Dan Gurney
Graham Hill
Phil Hill
Denny Hulme
Willy Mairesse
Bruce McLaren
Herbert Müller
Mike Parkes
Jochen Rindt
Pedro Rodriguez
Lloyd Ruby
Ludovico Scarfiotti
Skip Scott
Jo Siffert
Mike Spence
Jackie Stewart
John Surtees

[fines]

Thanks, Stanislav!

[Rob29]

Originally posted by David McKinney
I can't think Bueb would have been a graded driver in 1959 (or at any other time)

Might have been from sportscars(LeMans) as with Flockhart,Fairman,Barth,Frere?

[David McKinney]

I had considered and rejected the possibility. If Bueb had earned grading from his LM wins (1955 and 1957) then Flockhart (1956 and 1957) should have been on the 1959 list too. But now I look again, I see Flockhart was on the 1959 list. So that does make Bueb a possibility.

[Roger Clark]

Motor Racing magazine gave the following list for 1959

Hawthorn, Moss, Brabham, Allison, Salvadori, Flockhart, G Hill, Brooks, Behra, Trintingnant, Schell, P Hill, Gregory, Shelby, Gendebien, Bonnier, von trips, Fangio.

This has 18 names, the same as Louis Stanley's list for 1960. However, it appears that Stanley missed Cliff Allison. This gives:

18 in 1959, +6 (McLaren, Fairman, Gurney, Ireland, Frere & Barth) - 5 (Hawthorn, Behra, Fangio, G Hill, Flockhart) = 19 in 1960

[sat]

I find some more...
1973
(sorry no long distance...)
Chris Amon
Mario Andretti
François Cevert
Mark Donohue
Emerson Fittipaldi
George Follmer
Howden Ganley
Mike Hailwood
Graham Hill
Denny Hulme
Jacky Ickx
Arturo Merzario
Carlos Pace
Henri Pescarolo
Ronnie Peterson
Clay Regazzoni
Peter Revson
Tim Schenken
Jackie Stewart
Rolf Stommelen
John Surtees
Reine Wisell
1963
Giancarlo Baghetti
Lorenzo Bandini
Jo Bonnier
Jack Brabham
Jim Clark
Olivier Gendebien
Richie Ginther
Carel Godin de Beaufort
Masten Gregory
Dan Gurney
Graham Hill
Phil Hill
Innes Ireland
Neville Lederle
Bruce McLaren
Tony Maggs
Willy Mairesse
John Surtees
Trevor Taylor
1964
Jack Brabham
Willy Mairesse
Gerhard Mitter
John Surtees
Trevor Taylor
Jim Clark
Innes Ireland
Graham Hill
Jo Siffert
Carlo Maria Abate
Lorenzo Bandini
Giancarlo Baghetti
Ludovico Scarfiotti
Umberto Maglioli
Carel Godin de Beaufort
Bruce McLaren
Jo Bonnier
Phil Hill
Dan Gurney
Jim Hall
Richie Ginther
Masten Gregory
Tony Maggs
Neville Lederle

[Milan Fistonic]

From Motoring News December 24, 1968.

1969 Graded Drivers

Roland King-Farlow, indefatigable keeper of motor racing statistics and RAC time-keeper, has once again stolen a march on the FIA by issuing a list of drivers who according to his achives will be on the 'graded' list in 1969. Drivers become graded either by being calssified in the first six places in at least two F1 World Championship Grand Prix or by finishing in the first three places in at least two races qualifying for the Sportscar Championship. Alternatively a combination of peformances in the two different types of car will automatically grade a driver, who remains on the list for two years, or longer if he is similarly placed in the intervening year. The winner of the non-graded European Formula 2 Championship is automatically graded for one year only, provided he has headed all the other non-graded drivers in at least three of the qualifying races. World Champions are graded for five years.
For 1969 there are seven newcomers to the graded ranks. They are Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Lucien Bianchi, Piers Courage, Hans Herrmann, Jack Oliver, Brian Redman and Rolf Stommelen.

The full list of the elite for 1969 is as follows:

Chis Amon
Jean-Pierre Beltoise
Lucien Bianchi
Jo Bonnier
Jack Brabham
Piers Courage
Vic Elford
A.J. Foyt
Dan Gurney
Paul Hawkins
Hans Herrmann
Graham Hill
Denny Hulme
Jacky Ickx
Bruce McLaren
Gerhard Mitter
Jochen Neerpasch
Jack Oliver
Mike Parkes
Brian Redman
Jochen Rindt
Pedro Rodriguez
Jo Siffert
Jackie Stewart
Rolf Stommelen
John Surtees

[FEV]

I bring this one to the top for several reasons. First to thank you all for the replies . Next because I would like to know if the F3 list I have in the issue n°123 of "Sport-Auto" (April 1972) is something typically French or if it was an official CSI list. This list is made of 41 drivers :
Ian Ashley, Mike Beuttler, Gerry Birrell, Jean Blanc, Bev Bond, Claude Bourgoignie, Jean-Pierre Cassegrain, Jacques Coulon, Patrick Depailler, Dieden, José Dolhem, Christian Ethuin, Claudio Francisci, Jean-Claude Guénard, James Hunt, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Brendan mcInerney, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, Freddy Kottulinsky, mcCully, Jean-Louis Lafosse, Barrie Maskell, Jochen Mass, Jean Max, François Migault, Dave Morgan, Manfred Mohr, Gian-Carlo Naddeo, Carlos PAce, Torsten Palm, David Purley, Pierre-François Rousselot, Chris Skeaping, Ulf Svensson, Steve Thomspon, Tony Trimmer, Colin Vandervell, Dave Walker, Roger Williamson, Bob Wollek.
The purpose of the list is to determinate a coefficient for each race of the French F3 Championship. Points for the series are awarded as follows : 9-6-4-3-2-1 for the top 6 finishers. Every race is given a starting coefficient of 10 (it was 1 untill 1971) to which is added the number of drivers part of list starting the race (heats of final). For instance if 20 drivers of the "Notoriety List" started the Monaco F3 Grand Prix, the winner (if he had a French racing licence) would be awarded 20+10 x 9 = 270 pts. Even if I do not have access to full British F3 race results and tables (wish I had !) I don't think this system was adopted for the various Biritish F3 series Anyobdy knows how this F3 list was set up ? Was it a typical French thing ?
In the same "Sport-Auto" issue is the list of the 62 FIA prioritary rally drivers to which must be added the 21 drivers of the GP/LD Graded Drivers list. Although it is not explained in the article, I believe its purpose (as today) is to give the first starting numbers to the best drivers. But on which results was this list also set up ? I can post the full list if anyone is interested.
Thanks
Frank

[fines]

Most interesting list, and most interesting scoring system! I have never heard of something similar, though.

[Leif Snellman]

1983: GP/Long Distance/Indy Winner
All GP unless noted:

Alboreto GP/LD
Andretti
de Angelis
Arnoux Baldi
Derek Bell LD
de Cesaris
Cheever
Daly
Guy Edwards LD
C Fabi
T Fabi LD
Giorgio Francia LD
Bob Garretson LD
Giacomelli
Gimax LD
Harald Grohs LD
Ickx LD
Johncock INDY
Jones
Laffite
Lauda
Lombardi LD
Mansell
Mass LD
Luigi Moreschi LD
Patrese GP/LD
Pescarolo LD
Piquet
Pironi
Prost
Bobby Rahal LD
Rebaque
Bryan Redman LD
Reutemann
Rosberg
Scheckter
Vern Schuppan LD
Rolf Stommelen LD
Surer
Tambay
Emilio de Villota LD
Watson

[Leif Snellman]

1977: GP/Long Distance/Indy Winner
All GP unless noted:

Andretti
Derek Bell LD
Brambilla
Mario Cassoni LD
Depailler
Egon Evertz LD
E Fittipaldi
John Fitzpartick LD
Hans Josef Heyer LD
Hunt
Ickx GP/LD
Jaboille GP/LD
jarier GP/LD
Reinhold Joest LD
Jones
Kinnunen LD
Laffite GP/LD
Gerard Larrousse LD
Lauda
Mass GP/LD
Merzario LD
Herbert Müller LD
Nilsson
Pace
Pescarolo LD
Peterson
Pryce
Dieter Quester LD
Regazzoni
Reutemann
Johnny Rutherford INDY
J Scheckter
Manfred Schurti LD
J Stewart !
Stommerlen GP/LD
Stuck
Gijs van Lennep
Tom Walkinshaw LD
Watson
Bob Wollek LD

I can also confirm that Vitesse 2's 1975 list is correct.
So soon now we will know what editions of the "yellow book" each of us own.

[Leif Snellman]

Originally posted by FEV
For instance if 20 drivers of the "Notoriety List" started the Monaco F3 Grand Prix, the winner would be awarded 20+10 x 9 = 270 pts.

Thanks FEV
Should be (20+10) x 9 =270 I think (while 20+10 x 9 = 110)
Highly interesting system. I have never seen anything like it before. The only other kind of competition I'm aware of that used the number of competitors in the scoring was Olympic Yachting (1948-1964) where they used common logarithms (base 10) and the formula:

Nearest integer of 101 + 1000 x log (N/X)

where N is the number of competitors and X the result.

Example, finishing 3rd among 21 gives 101 + 1000 x log (21/3) = 946 pts.

Well what does that have to do with Formula 1 ?

Well, interestingly F1 use(d) almost the same formula!

With the formula:

Nearest integer 1 + 10 x log (N/X) where N = 6

we get for X= 1 to 6

9, 6, 4, 3, 2 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alessandro silva]

I almost missed this one!!

Impeccable, Leif!

[Vitesse2]

Re-reading Walkerley's "Brooklands to Goodwood" I've found the apparent origin of the Graded driver system. Originally described as Classified Drivers, it was introduced for the 1956 season and allegedly listed all points scorers in the 1955 WDC:

Jean Behra
Eugenio Castellotti
Peter Collins
Juan Fangio
Giuseppe Farina
Paul Frere
Froilan Gonzales
Emanuel de Graffenried
Mike Hawthorn
Hans Herrmann
Karl Kling
Hermann Lang
Umberto Maglioli
Robert Manzon
Carlos Menditeguy
Roberto Mieres
Stirling Moss
Luigi Musso
Cesare Perdisa
Andre Pilette
Louis Rosier
Harry Schell
Andre Simon
Piero Taruffi
Maurice Trintignant
Luigi Villoresi
Ken Wharton

The observant will notice that Collins, de Graffenried, Lang, Manzon, Pilette, Rosier, Schell, Simon and Wharton scored no points in 1955.

Manzon and Pilette had scored points in 1954, de Graffenried and Lang in 1953, Wharton in 1952 and Rosier in 1951.

None of that explains the presence of Simon, Collins and Schell on the list, so I can only assume that they were there in their capacity as nominated works drivers for Gordini, Ferrari and Vanwall respectively and that the criteria were somewhat looser in at least the first year of the list, since of previous points scorers B Bira (for one) isn't included.