Rindt wins posthumously, Stewart retires, Lauda survives, Williams victorious at last and Villeneuve makes his mark.
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 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.
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.
By the time of the final race in Watkins Glen Stewart had already been crowned champion, although he was waiting until after the race to announce his retirement. In the end he did not compete at the Glen. The Tyrrell team withdrew following a horrific qualifying accident which claimed the life of François Cevert.
Emerson Fittipaldi switched to the McLaren team for 1974 and enjoyed immediate success, eventually winning the World Championship. Peter Revson had left McLaren for Shadow but lost his life testing at Kyalami. 1974 also saw the emergence of Niki Lauda in the first competitive car that Ferrari had produced for some time. Watkins Glen was again the scene of a gruesome accident, when Helmut Koinigg died as a result of an armco barrier failing.
1975 was the year of Lauda and Ferrari as the Austrian dominated in his 312T. It also saw impressive performances from a young Welsh driver, Tom Pryce. At the British Grand Prix he stuck his Shadow on pole position and he managed to win the non-championship Race of Champions at Brands Hatch, becoming the only Welsh driver to win a Formula 1 race.
The following year was arguably the most controversial season in the sport’s history. The battle for the title was between Niki Lauda’s Ferrari and James Hunt’s McLaren. Amid disqualifications and accusations Lauda had established a healthy lead over Hunt by the time of the German Grand Prix. During the race Lauda crashed into an unprotected rock face and the Ferrari ignited. Dragged from the burning car by fellow drivers Lauda was taken to hospital with terrible burns and given the last rites. Incredibly, through immense willpower, Lauda pulled through and was back racing just six weeks later. Hunt had clawed back points on Lauda and the title would be decided in Japan. In monsoon conditions Lauda pulled in to retire. He valued his life more than the World Championship. James Hunt eventually finished third to claim the title.
Lauda was back to his best in 1977, taking his second title, but by late season his Ferrari career was over. Unable to work with the team he left, to be replaced by Gilles Villeneuve, a relatively unknown Canadian whose racing career had begun on snowmobiles. He quickly established a reputation as a fast but erratic driver. Ronnie Peterson openly criticised him after a coming together. Villeneuve was dismayed by the Swede’s comments as Peterson was one of his own racing heroes. At that year's British Grand Prix Renault debuted their turbo car. Although intially unreliable, within a few years, turbos would be the norm in Formula 1. In South Africa Tom Pryce lost his life in a freak accident, colliding with a marshal who was crossing the track.
By 1978 Lotus had perfected their ground-effect car and, in the hands of Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson, it was the class of the field. Brabham tried to respond with their controversial fan-car but, after a single victory, the outlandish device was banned. Andretti clinched the World Championship at Monza but elation turned to despair when his team-mate Peterson passed away the following day. He had suffered broken legs in an opening lap crash but the injuries did not appear life threatening. During the night an embolism claimed the veteran Swede’s life. He was one of the fastest and most spectacular drivers of the decade.
Lotus took a backwards step with their 1979 car which allowed Ferrari to win the title, with Jody Scheckter at the wheel. The British Grand Prix also saw the first Grand Prix victory for Williams, after years of struggling. Gilles Villeneuve endeared himself to millions with his press-on regardless style. The sight of him driving at barely reduced speed at Zandvoort, despite only having three wheels, became one of Formula 1’s most iconic images. At Dijon the first win for a turbo engine was overshadowed by an incredible battle for second place between Villeneuve and Rene Arnoux.
