It had been advantage Clark after qualifying, with the Scot claiming pole in what was the biggest sporting event ever to be held in South Africa. At the start it was the green and gold Team Lotus that led into the first corner, with Clark immediately setting fastest lap on the third tour as Hill ran in second. The Scot put together a dominant display to pull ever further ahead of his rival, and with a quarter of the race to go the title was in his hands. Or so it seemed, for the Climax in the back of Clark's car was beginning to smoke, and with just twenty laps to go the Scot was in the pits, ultimately out of the race due to an oil leak.