Monoposto

Nº 12

Jochen Rindt

1970 World Champion

Gold Leaf Team Lotus

Overview

Karl Jochen Rindt, born in Mainz on 18 April 1942 and racing under an Austrian licence, won the 1970 World Drivers' Championship with Lotus.1 He is the sport's only posthumous champion.1

He was killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on 5 September 1970, aged 28, after a brake shaft failed.1

1970

Five wins, 5 points clear of Jacky Ickx

He died with four rounds left, so this strip stops at nine of the season's 13 races.

The only posthumous title

He won five races, most of them in the Lotus 72.12 After his death, Jacky Ickx was his closest challenger. Ickx could only finish fourth at the United States Grand Prix, where Rindt's replacement Emerson Fittipaldi won, and could no longer catch him.1

Every Grand Prix finish, 1970

Numeral size follows the result. Round 1 at left.

Image plates

3 photographs, in season order

Helmet

At the 1970 French Grand Prix he gave up his new full-face helmet because it was too hot, went back to an open-face one, and was hit in the face by a stone.1

A drawing of his 1970 design.

Auge=mit · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Background removed

Lotus 72

He drove the Lotus 72 in most of the season's races.1

The Lotus 72 at the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix, his first win in it.

Evers, Joost / Anefo · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl · Wikimedia Commons
1970
Lotus 72

Road to the title

  1. 1964Formula One debut at the Austrian Grand Prix.1
  2. 1969First win, at the United States Grand Prix.1
  3. 1970World Drivers' Champion.1

Records

  • Only posthumous World Drivers' Champion1

Sources