Before the victories, before the statistics, and before one of the most remarkable seasons in motorsport history, there was a driver shaped by patience, restraint, and quiet determination.

In this opening episode of our series on Jim Clark’s extraordinary 1965, we step back to understand how it all became possible. From a rural upbringing in Scotland and a gradual, unhurried rise through Scottish club racing, to a defining partnership with Colin Chapman and Lotus, this episode explores the foundations of Clark’s greatness.

We examine how Clark’s driving style was forged by mechanical sympathy rather than aggression, why near-misses in the 1962 and 1964 World Championships mattered, and how the fragility of Lotus innovation both hindered and sharpened his career. We also place 1965 in its proper historical context — an era when multi-discipline racing was common, but when Clark’s ambition to compete, and win, everywhere pushed those boundaries further than anyone before or since.

This is the story before the impossible became real.

A season that would span continents, categories, and expectations was about to begin — and Jim Clark was ready.

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In the second half of The Season That Power Could Not Tame, Formula One in 1985 begins to change shape.

The chaos does not disappear — engines still fail, weather still intervenes, and raw speed still flashes into view — but the margins tighten. Races are no longer decided by surprise alone. They are decided by judgement.

As Ferrari’s challenge falters under the weight of reliability, Lotus continue to deliver moments of brilliance without continuity, and turbo power proves as fragile as ever. Amid it all, one approach steadily asserts itself: accumulation over aggression, survival over spectacle.

From the tension of Zandvoort to the judgement required at Monza, from the defining mastery of Spa to the emotional release at Brands Hatch, and through the moral unease of Kyalami to the chaos of Adelaide, Part 2 traces how the championship finally resolves — not through domination, but through understanding.

Alain Prost does not overpower 1985. He solves it.

This is the story of how a season built on excess came to reward restraint — and why 1985 remains the clearest example of a championship that could not be controlled by power alone.

Cover Image: By Lothar Spurzem, ProstAlain_McLarenMP4-2B_1985, CC BY-SA 2.0 DE, Link

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In December, when the racing calendar falls silent, Chequered Past turns to reflection. In this two-part special, we rewind to 1985 — a season run at the height of the turbo era, when power was abundant but control was elusive.

The Season That Power Could Not Tame begins with a championship that refuses to behave. From Brazil to Britain, the fastest cars do not always win, fuel limits undo race leaders, disqualifications rewrite results, and brilliance proves fleeting without restraint. Ferrari show promise without certainty, Lotus deliver moments of genius without continuity, and races are shaped as much by survival as speed.

Through expanded, closely examined race narratives — from Senna’s rain-soaked breakthrough at Estoril, to chaos at Imola, discipline in Monaco, Ferrari’s high point in Canada, and precision at Silverstone — Part 1 explores a season defined by fragility and contradiction.

As power overwhelms reliability and aggression repeatedly meets its limits, one approach begins to stand apart. Not domination. Not spectacle. But judgement.

This is the story of how 1985 reached mid-season without a master — and why that mattered.

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Music by #Mubert Music Rendering