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World Exclusive F1 Rejects Interview with TOM JONES
Interview by Stephen Slater |
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There have always been a few mysterious characters who have defied the Grand Prix history books, drivers of whom virtually nothing is known. Perhaps the most infamous of these is Tom Jones, whose fleeting appearance at the 1967 Canadian GP (where he was deemed too slow in practice to start the race) bizarrely seemed to be all that anyone knew about him.
Who was this man? When was he born? What motorsport career did he have? Where did he come from? Is he the same man as the Tom Jones from Thunder Bay in Canada, a dominating ice-racer and Canada's first FIA-graded rally driver? No-one knew the answer. Until now! Here at F1 Rejects, we have been researching Tom for over a year. Tantalisingly close to uncovering the mystery, we lost contact with Paul Busby, who now campaigns in vintage racing the car Jones drove in 1967. Enter our UK Correspondent Stephen Slater, who managed to get in touch with Paul, and subsequently track down Tom in Cleveland, USA. And so F1 Rejects can now exclusively reveal the story of Tom Jones, F1's mystery man! In addition to our full biography, we asked him if he would answer some questions for us about his career, and he graciously obliged! For full details of Jones' F1 adventure, and information on his career, please see our Tom Jones biography. |
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• What inspired you to become interested in motorsport?
It all began one night when my elder brother came home with a Mercedes 190-SL road car which I instantly fell in love with. From that moment on I wanted to be a racing driver. | |
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• Did you long for a chance to break into Formula One, and how did it feel when you heard you could race in the Canadian Grand Prix?
Oh, I think I still have that desire! (Laughs.) I don't think it ever goes away. Formula One is the best activity for a car racer that you can get. That desire to get into Formula One was there even when I had my first ever car. When I heard that I could race, I was just ecstatic. I was on Cloud Nine! It was probably one of my greatest ever moments. | |
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• As your Cooper Climax was a 1965 spec car when all the others were 1967 models, you must have realised that you were going to be at a slight disadvantage.
Sure I did! You'd be arrogant to think that you could go up and conquer the world. I was just thrilled to be there. I was happy that I could sit down and talk to the other drivers, feel that I was a part of it. That's a thrill that I'll never forget. Just because you don't have the best piece of equipment and you're not prepared properly, you don't refuse to go when the opportunity arises. | |
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• How did you get on with the other drivers?
I thought I was very comfortable with everybody because I didn't start shouting "I'm going to beat you", I just wanted to be with them. I think that attitude really helped my relationship with the other drivers. The only driver that was really quite indignant that I was there, was Jo Bonnier, because I was driving his old car! | |
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• Do you hold the alignment company responsible for your DNQ?
No, I can't really blame them. They only disconnected the wires in the first place to avoid damaging the car. I think I was ignorant in that I should have realised that it was necessary to check over what they had done and to make sure that everything was how it was supposed to be. That was my fault. [Note: For details about what happened to Tom at the 1967 Canadian GP, read our Tom Jones biography.] | |
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• When you look back at your 1967 DNQ do you look back on it as the chance of a lifetime, or as a missed opportunity?
Both. Missed opportunity because of one silly wire. If I had competed in that race and just done well so I didn't look like a fool, I think my whole life could have changed because I may have got recognition, especially from the other Formula One teams. That could have pushed me into much better things than I ever did get to. So disappointment yes, opportunity lost, yes. But the experience was worth a lifetime. | |
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• Do you feel you could have done well or won in a more competitive car?
(Long whistle.) I could have done well, yes. Winning, well I mean you're going against Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Dan Gurney so who can say? But gaining respect was the goal I would have had. | |
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• How did you feel on your way home from the track?
Like nothing was right. Just total devastation. The moment they told me I could show up and enter the race I was floating on air. It didn't come down until the shoe dropped Sunday morning when they said I couldn't run and for the rest of the day I was very disappointed. | |
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• What does it feel like being the forgotten man of Formula One?
(Laughs.) I've had to live with that for 35 years! (More Laughs.) Very few people knew that I even participated. There are some people in Cleveland who know about it. | |
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• Are you aware that most of the racing world confuses you with a Canadian Tom Jones?
I know that. I gather he was pretty good especially as an ice racer. A few years ago I had a few phone calls asking if I was the same guy, and I said "Sorry, no I'm not". I've had more comments about the fact that I was not Albert Finney, who was an actor in the film “Tom Jones”! | |
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• Do you still follow Formula One?
I've got on my shelves videotapes of every Formula 1 race since 1993. I'm still fascinated by it and consider it the pinnacle of motorsport. Michael Schumacher is obviously the class of the current crop of drivers and Juan-Pablo Montoya is a potential star of the future, so I think we're in for some serious action next year. | |
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• What do you consider the best and worst moments of your career?
One of the worst moments was when Cooper called me and that whole situation went away from me for the lack of $8,000. Another disappointment was, obviously, not making the grid at Mosport. As for the best, the Canadian Grand Prix's got to be up there! After all, if I hadn't driven in that race, then you wouldn't be talking to me now! | |
| Click here to read Tom's Full Biography on our site! |
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