The 1963 Formula One season was the 17th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 14th FIA World Championship of Drivers, the sixth International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and numerous non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship commenced on 26 May, and ended on 28 December after ten races.
Teams and drivers
The following teams and drivers competed in the 1963 FIA World Championship. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Dunlop.
Calendar
Calendar changes
The Dutch Grand Prix and Monaco Grand Prix swapped places on the calendar with the round at Monaco being the season opener.
The French Grand Prix was moved from Rouen-Les-Essarts to Reims-Gueux for a year.
The British Grand Prix was moved from Aintree to Silverstone.
The Mexican Grand Prix was added to the calendar and was held at the Magdalena Mixhuca circuit in Mexico City.
Season summary
Jim Clark won his first championship with seven wins to two by Graham Hill and one by John Surtees in a revised Ferrari. This record number of wins in a season was not equalled until Alain Prost won seven races in driving a McLaren MP4/2, and it was not beaten until when Ayrton Senna won eight races in the McLaren MP4/4 (his teammate Prost again won seven races in 1988). However, unlike 1963 which only consisted of ten races, both the 1984 and 1988 seasons consisted of 16 races giving Clark a better winning ratio (70%) than either Prost (43.75%) or Senna (50%).
The ATS venture, founded by ex-Ferrari workers, was a failure which damaged Phil Hill's Grand Prix career. It was unrelated to the late 1970s German operation which was marginally more successful.
Results and standings
Grands Prix
World Drivers' Championship standings
Points were awarded on a 9–6–4–3–2–1 basis at each round, with only the best six round results retained.
Italics indicate fastest lap
Bold indicates pole position
‡ No points awarded as Hill's car was pushed at the start line.
International Cup for F1 Manufacturers standings
Points were awarded on a 9–6–4–3–2–1 basis at each round with only the best six round results retained. Only the best placed car from each manufacturer at each round was eligible to score points.
Bold results counted to championship totals. ‡ No points awarded as Hill's car was pushed at the start line.
Non-championship races
Other Formula One races, which did not count towards the World Championship, were also held in 1963.