Interior Of Am Formula 1 Car

Posted onJanuary 04, 2012 - 4:22 am by Admin | 0 Comments

Jochen Rindt Becomes Posthumous F1 Champion

1970 was a bleak year for motor racing. In June, Bruce McLaren died at Goodwood while testing one of his own Can-Am cars. Less than three weeks later Piers Courage perished in a fiery accident during the Dutch Grand Prix. In the championship Jochen Rindt was well clear of the rest as the Formula 1 circus reached Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. In practice Rindt experimented by running without wings on the radical wedge-shaped Lotus 72. Under breaking for the Parabolica corner a brake shaft failed, forcing the car left into the armco. Rindt was pronounced dead a short while later. No-one managed to beat his points total in the remaining races and so the popular Austrian became Formula 1’s only posthumous World Champion.

Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi

For 1971 Ken Tyrrell had constructed his own car, the 001. It allowed Jackie Stewart to take his second title, supported by his young team-mate François Cevert. The dashing Frenchman won at Watkins Glen in what turned out to be the only Grand Prix victory of his career. Stewart’s title defence was hampered in 1972 by an ulcer. Emerson Fittipaldi became the youngest champion to date, winning the title for Lotus, now resplendent in the black and gold colours of John Player Special.

1973 brought Stewart his third and final World Championship but it also brought stark tragedy. At the Dutch Grand Prix in August the promising young British driver Roger Williamson died in appalling circumstances. Despite being uninjured Williamson was unable to escape from his upturned and burning March. David Purley tried his best to right the car while the Dutch marshals stood and watched.


→ 0 Comments

Posted in online car parts search