#8 Jim Hall
Jim Hall is a name that is synonymous with innovation and success in the world of motorsport: Hall is an American racing driver and engineer from Abilene, Tx.
His use of rear wings in Formula 1 revolutionized how cars were designed and have had a lasting impact on the sport.
Hall's driving career is second to his engineering and design contributions. From 1960-1962, Hall would only drive in the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen with a best finish of 7th. He would run the entire 1963 season with BRP/Lotus, with a best finish of 5th and 3 points in the driver's championship.
Hall's most significant contributions to motorsports would not necessarily be through race victories but through his vision as an engineer and innovator.
Hall is credited with some design components still used on modern-day formula one cars; modifications of a semi-automatic transmission, composite monocoque, and the most famous--aerofoil wings. In addition, Hall had a deep understanding of the physics of airflow and saw an opportunity to use this knowledge to gain an advantage over his competitors.
In 1966, Hall introduced the Chaparral 2E, a car with a large rear wing. The wing is designed to generate downforce, which is the force that pushes a car down onto the track and improves its grip and stability. The more downforce a car has, the faster it can go through corners without losing control. The Chaparral 2E was an instant success. It was faster and more stable than any previous car, and Hall and his team quickly began dominating the competition. Other teams soon took notice of the Chaparral's success and began experimenting with their rear wing designs. Introduced at the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix, Lotus was the first team to use aerofoil wings. Over the next few years, rear wings became a standard feature on Formula 1 cars.
Jim Hall's use of rear wings changed Formula 1 forever. His innovative design and understanding of aerodynamics paved the way for a new era of racing. Finally, a car's performance was as much about its interaction with the air as its power and speed. His legacy lives on in every Formula 1 race, where using rear wings is still crucial in determining a team's success.
In the early days of Formula 1, aerodynamics was not a significant concern. Cars were designed primarily for speed and power, with little attention paid to how they interacted with the air around them. However, as speeds increased and races became more competitive, it became clear that aerodynamics would be vital in achieving success on the track.
Post-Forumla one, Hall would compete for Chaparral Cars in the Canadian American "Can-Am" American Challenge Cup series from 1966-1970. In his final season in Can-Am, Hall would introduce the Chaparral 2J, known as the "Vacuum car," which would eventually get banned by the racing governing body for having an unfair advantage.
After the Chaparral days, Hall would stay in motorsports as a team owner in the Indycar series for nearly twenty years, winning 1978 Indy 500 and a CART PPG Indycar Championship in 1980.
