Success in F1 with March
With the benefit of a works March in 1971, Ronnie Peterson quickly found his way to the front of the grid. In his first full Grand Prix season Peterson ended up second overall in the World Championship, behind the dominant combination of Jackie Stewart and Tyrrell.
A particular highlight was his drive at Monaco where he finished second to Stewart after passing several cars on the tight circuit. Further second places followed in Great Britain, Italy and Canada before he rounded off the year with third at Watkins Glen. There was also sports car success at the Glen, where he won the six hours race sharing an Alfa with Andrea De Adamich.
If 1971 had been successful then 1972 was nothing less than disastrous. That year’s March was woefully off the pace and Peterson could only manage ninth in the final standings. Sports car racing provided a happier hunting ground. Driving alongside Tim Schenken for Ferrari the duo won in Buenos Aires and at the Nurburgring. They also finished second in the 24 Hours of Daytona, Sebring 12 Hours, BOAC 1000 km and Watkins Glen Six Hours.
Peterson Joins Lotus F1 Team
By the start of the 1973 Formula 1 season Peterson was a Lotus driver. Armed with a heavily developed Lotus 72 he had a stellar year, in which he scored his first Grand Prix victory in France. Three other wins in Austria, Italy and the US followed. In the championship he was third behind team-mate Emerson Fittipaldi and retiring champion Stewart.
There were high hopes at Lotus in 1974 for the new type 76 Formula 1 car, but it turned out to be one of Colin Chapman’s less inspired designs. Before long Peterson and his new team-mate Jacky Ickx had reverted to the old 72. Peterson used the ageing machine to score three wins en route to fifth in the final standings. He also received the prestigious Rouge et Blanc award, given in remembrance of the great Swiss driver Jo Siffert, for best performance of the season.
By 1975 the Lotus 72 was truly over the hill and Peterson only managed to score six points all season. Ickx was so disillusioned with the situation that he left the team mid-season. If his professional life wasn’t ideal, Peterson’s private life was far happier. On April 20th, 1975, he married his fiancée Barbro, who was expecting their first child. Nina – named after the wife of the posthumous 1970 champion Jochen Rindt – was born on November 4th . 1975 was also the year that Peterson and his family relocated from England to Monaco.
Peterson's Formula 1 career, 1976-1978.
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