Monday 2nd January 1961

The Pat Fairfield Trophy was held at the Roy Hesketh circuit at Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. Held over 45 laps of the three kilometres (1.803 miles) permanent road circuit, the Pat Fairfield Trophy was the opening round of the 1961 South African F1 Championship and was won by Bruce Johnstone driving a Cooper-Alfa Romeo T45.