1969 F1 World Championship
Jackie Stewart Secured the Formula 1 title with Monza Victory
After the opening five races of the 1969 Formula 1 season Jackie Stewart was a clear title favourite, having won four of them in his Matra. The next race was his home event, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Stewart and Rindt in Thrilling Silverstone Battle
Stewart was beaten to pole at Silverstone by Lotus driver Jochen Rindt. In the race itself the two of them were in a class of their own. Lap after lap they circulated together at the front, never more than a few feet apart.
The terrific scrap ended when Rindt had to pit to have a loose wing attended to. Stewart went on to win from Jacky Ickx. The Brabham driver was an entire lap behind the winner. Third place went to Bruce McLaren, while Rindt salvaged fourth. Piers Courage was fifth in his home Grand Prix and the final World Championship point went to fellow Brit Vic Elford in a McLaren.
Ickx Wins German Grand Prix
Formula 2 cars were allowed to compete in the German Grand Prix, alongside the big boys. Tragedy struck at the Nurburgring when Gerhard Mitter crashed his Formula 2 BMW and was killed.
Ickx claimed pole, but made a poor start. Over the course of the first few laps the Belgian driver passed Rindt, Jo Siffert and Stewart to take the lead. Once there he was never headed again. Stewart finished second, followed by McLaren, and Graham Hill. Elford had a serious crash during the race and was left with a badly broken arm.
Stewart Secures Formula 1 World Championship at Monza
Stewart arrived for the Italian Grand Prix knowing that he could clinch the Formula 1 title at Monza. Rindt was fastest in qualifying, with Hulme second on the grid in his McLaren. Stewart was third, followed by his friend Courage.
The race developed into a typical Monza slipstreaming affair, with constant lead changes. Hulme dropped back from the leaders with fading brakes, and on the final lap there were four cars together, any one of which could win. In one of the closest finishes in Formula 1 history Stewart crossed the line first, ahead of Rindt, Jean-Pierre Beltoise and McLaren. The four cars were covered by less than two tenths of a second. The victory handed Stewart his first Formula 1 World Championship. So keen was the Monza crowd to congratulate the new champion that Stewart and his wife had to escape from the through a toilet window.
Bruce McLaren at the Nurburgring
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