11/7/1941
Record updated 11-Jul-06
He was one of only four drivers to enter a Formula One race from the former republic of Rhodesia.
Clive Puzey started racing in December 1963 when he entered his privately run Lotus 18/21 'P2' Climax 1.5 in the VI Rand Grand Prix unfortunately he failed to finish, going out with gearbox problems. The following year he entered the race again finishing 10th in the first heat and 9th in the second, giving him 7th OA.
In 1965 he failed to achieve a lap time of 1'37 to pre-qualify for the South African Grand Prix and was not classified in the Cape South Easter Trophy.
He was a regular competitor in the South African F1 Championship with his trusty Lotus though the Climax engine was not so reliable. 1966 was his best year, scoring 24 points and finishing 5th in the Championship. He finished 7th in the South African GP (now non-championship), 6th in the Cape South Easter Grand Prix, 3rd in both the Rand Autumn Trophy at Kyalami and the Bulawayo 100 at Kumalo. 6th at the Natal Winter Grand Prix at the Roy Hesketh Circuit, 4th in the Border 100 East London was followed by a 2nd at the Pat Fairfield Trophy at the Roy Hesketh Circuit and a 3rd in the final round, the Rhodesian Grand Prix at Kumalo.
In 1967 he switched to an LDS Climax run by Doug Serrurier. He finished 6th in the Championship in 1967 with 12 points. He took 4th in the Killarney Grand Prix, 3rd in the Pat Fairfield Trophy at Roy Hesketh and a 4th in the Rhodesian Grand Prix.
By 1968 the Lotus-Climax was getting very tired, Clive posted a number of DNFs due to mechanical failure and ended the year with just 4 points.
In 1969, he acquired a Brabham BT19 Repco. But the car was already 3 years old, and after three retirements in four races, Puzey decided to retire from racing.
He was one of only four drivers to enter a Formula One race from the former republic of Rhodesia.
He owned a garage in Bulawayo and became head of the fuel committee of the Zimbabwe Motor Trade. In the late 1990s he became actively involved in the opposition to Robert Mugabe (which spelt backwards becomes e ba gum, though that will possibly only amuse our English visitors!). In 2000 his business was attacked during the first Zimbabwean uprising. Clive was shaken but unhurt. Realising that the attack was aimed at scaring him off politics he thankfully decided to emigrate to Australia.