The 1970 Formula 1 field was a colourful sight. It had only been two years since Lotus first appeared with their Gold Leaf sponsored car, as opposed to traditional national racing colours. As the cars arrived at Kyalami for the opening round of the season, commercial sponsorship was rife.
March Enters F1 but Brabham Wins at Kyalami
The main talking point was the arrival in Formula 1 of the March organisation, a team led by a group of ambitious young men. The works drivers were Chris Amon and Jo Siffert, but the company also manufactured a number of other cars which were sold to customer teams. One of these customers was Tyrrell and Jackie Stewart, the defending World Champion. In South Africa it was the veteran Australian Jack Brabham who took victory, fending off Denny Hulme’s McLaren and Stewart’s March.
There was a gap of more than a month before the teams reconvened at Jarama for the Spanish Grand Prix. A chaotic qualifying session ensued as the organisers tried to reduce the number of cars allowed to start the race. This was due to restrictions on the amount of starters at the circuit. In the race Stewart scored the first victory for a March chassis, followed by Bruce McLaren and Mario Andretti, the latter in another March. Meanwhile, Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver were fortunate to escape from a fiery collision. Oliver escaped from his BRM and rolled on the ground, where a quick thinking marshal extinguished his burning overalls.
Brabham Hands Monaco Win to Rindt
Monaco that year saw an extraordinary climax to the race. Stewart led comfortably for much of the race until he was forced to pit with engine management problems. Late in the race it was Brabham who led from a hard charging Jochen Rindt. At the very last corner Brabham tried to lap Piers Courage, slid wide on cement dust, and struck the barrier. Rindt’s Lotus passed by to take the win, while Brabham hurriedly regained the track to finish second. Henri Pescarolo was a fine third for the French Matra team.
Monaco also saw two other significant events. Johnny Servoz-Gavin, Stewart’s team-mate at Tyrrell, decided that Formula 1 was not where his future lay and retired. In seventh place at the finish was a young Swedish driver called Ronnie Peterson, making his Grand Prix debut in a privately entered March. It was an impressive beginning for a man who would go on to become one of the greatest drivers of the decade.
A review of the 1970 Belgian and Dutch Grands Prix.
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