THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THE E-TYPE IN RACING
When Graham Hill and Roy Salvadori finished first and third on the Jaguar E-type’s competition debut at Oulton Park in April 1961, the future looked bright. The new and striking Big Cat was only denied a 1-2 by Innes Ireland’s Aston Martin DB4 GT in the closing stages, and the best Ferrari was a distant fourth.
With the world sportscar championship becoming the International Championship for GT Manufacturers in 1962, there was a feeling that Ferrari’s hegemony might finally be challenged. “Britain’s hopes are as bright as they could be, for the new Jaguar should be more than a match for the pre-eminent 250 GT Ferraris,” reckoned Autosport.
It proved to be something of a false dawn. The E-type, still in reasonably standard form, did score further national successes in 1961,
