| 1970 Italian Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 6 September 1970 | ||
| Official name | XLI Gran Premio d'Italia | ||
| Location | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 5.750 km (3.573 miles) | ||
| Distance | 68 laps, 391.000 km (242.956 miles) | ||
| Weather | Sunny, Dry | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Ferrari | ||
| Time | 1:24.14 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | | Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:25.2 on lap 65 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Ferrari | ||
| Second | March-Ford | ||
| Third | Matra | ||
Lap leaders | |||
The 1970 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza on 6 September 1970. [1] It was race 10 of 13 in both the 1970 World Championship of Drivers and the 1970 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The race was marred by the death of Jochen Rindt, who died during the practice session on 5 September. Rindt himself went on to become Formula One's only posthumous World Champion to date. [2] The 68-lap race was won by Ferrari driver Clay Regazzoni for his first Grand Prix victory after starting from third position. Jackie Stewart finished second for the Tyrrell team in one of the last races the team used the March chassis and Matra driver Jean-Pierre Beltoise came in third.
This was the last time that Monza was driven for 68 laps.[ citation needed ] From 1971 onwards, the race distance would be 55 laps. It was also the last win for a driver wearing an open-face helmet in Formula One. As of 2025 [update] , this was also the last time all three podium finishers used different tyre brands; Regazzoni used Firestones, Stewart used Dunlops and Beltoise used Goodyears.[ citation needed ]
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap | Grid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | | Ferrari | 1:24.14 | — | 1 | |
| 2 | 10 | | BRM | 1:24.36 | +0.22 | 2 | |
| 3 | 4 | | Ferrari | 1:24.39 | +0.25 | 3 | |
| 4 | 18 | | March-Ford | 1:24.73 | +0.59 | 4 | |
| 5 | 6 | | Ferrari | 1:24.74 | +0.60 | 5 | |
| 6 | 8 | | BRM | 1:24.77 | +0.63 | 6 | |
| 7 | 50 | | March-Ford | 1:25.09 | +0.95 | 7 | |
| 8 | 44 | | Brabham-Ford | 1:25.39 | +1.25 | 8 | |
| 9 | 30 | | McLaren-Ford | 1:25.47 | +1.33 | 9 | |
| 10 | 14 | | Surtees-Ford | 1:25.56 | +1.42 | 10 | |
| 11 | 20 | | March-Ford | 1:25.56 | +1.42 | 11 | |
| 12 | 22 | | Lotus-Ford | 1:25.71 | +1.57 | DNS | |
| 13 | 34 | | McLaren-Alfa Romeo | 1:25.91 | +1.77 | 12 | |
| 14 | 52 | | March-Ford | 1:25.93 | +1.79 | 13 | |
| 15 | 40 | | Matra | 1:26.01 | +1.87 | 14 | |
| 16 | 42 | | Matra | 1:26.04 | +1.90 | 15 | |
| 17 | 32 | | McLaren-Ford | 1:26.19 | +2.05 | 16 | |
| 18 | 28 | | Lotus-Ford | 1:26.38 | +2.24 | DNS | |
| 19 | 24 | | Lotus-Ford | 1:26.51 | +2.37 | DNS | |
| 20 | 46 | | Brabham-Ford | 1:26.60 | +2.46 | 17 | |
| 21 | 48 | | March-Ford | 1:26.67 | +2.53 | 18 | |
| 22 | 54 | | De Tomaso-Ford | 1:26.67 | +2.53 | 19 | |
| 23 | 12 | | BRM | 1:27.15 | +3.01 | 20 | |
| DNQ | 38 | | McLaren-Ford | 1:28.07 | +3.93 | — | |
| DNQ | 26 | | Lotus-Ford | 1:28.39 | +4.25 | — | |
| DNQ | 36 | | McLaren-Alfa Romeo | 1:28.59 | +4.45 | — | |
| DNQ | 56 | | Bellasi-Ford | 1:28.61 | +4.47 | — | |
| Source: [3] | |||||||
Rindt died after seven minutes, before arriving to a hospital in Milan. The official time of death was given as 16 minutes, meaning that he had been killed instantly. The autopsy recorded the cause of death as head injuries likely caused by an impact from a wheel and suspension. Lotus team withdrew from the race on Sunday morning.
On 8 September, the FIA called a meeting at the request of the Italian Automobile Club to review the events of the weekend. Later on, the governing body announced new safety measures for the next round in Canada which included the entry and exit of the pit lane to be controlled by a curve to force cars to run at a reduced speed, no team mechanic would be allowed onto the pit lane surface except for pit stops and a draw would be arranged to determine the order in which cars make pit stops and be limited to emergencies with cars not taking on new tyres or allowed to refuel.
Rindt was given a state funeral in Graz, Austria on 11 September 1970. Approximately 1,000,000 people lined the streets to watch the coffin pass. Jackie Stewart was among the pallbearers. The majority of the Formula One community attended Rindt's funeral.
Rindt was the last Austrian driver for 24 years to die in a Formula One qualifying accident, until the death of Roland Ratzenberger from injuries sustained at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. It was also last Austrian driver fatalities until Helmut Koinigg at the 1974 United States Grand Prix.
Doctor recalled in his memoirs Emerson Fittipaldi's reaction to the news, stating that "Emerson broke down and cried on my shoulder." Doctor tried to persuade Emerson not to race the following day, asking "What else do you need to do? You are rookie drivers, you are obviously the quickest driver. Give it up and let's go fishing." Emerson replied, "Doctor, there are certain things over which we have no control. I exited, I have to go fishing.
Next two rounds, Rindt won the Driver’s Championship posthumously after the United States Grand Prix.
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | | Ferrari | 68 | 1:39:07.1 | 3 | 9 |
| 2 | 18 | | March-Ford | 68 | + 5.73 | 4 | 6 |
| 3 | 40 | | Matra | 68 | + 5.80 | 14 | 4 |
| 4 | 30 | | McLaren-Ford | 68 | + 6.15 | 9 | 3 |
| 5 | 46 | | Brabham-Ford | 68 | + 6.41 | 17 | 2 |
| 6 | 20 | | March-Ford | 68 | + 1:03.46 | 11 | 1 |
| 7 | 48 | | March-Ford | 67 | + 1 Lap | 18 | |
| 8 | 34 | | McLaren-Alfa Romeo | 61 | + 7 Laps | 12 | |
| NC | 32 | | McLaren-Ford | 60 | + 8 Laps | 16 | |
| Ret | 8 | | BRM | 36 | Engine | 6 | |
| Ret | 52 | | March-Ford | 35 | Engine | 13 | |
| Ret | 44 | | Brabham-Ford | 31 | Accident | 8 | |
| Ret | 2 | | Ferrari | 25 | Clutch | 1 | |
| Ret | 12 | | BRM | 21 | Overheating | 20 | |
| Ret | 54 | | De Tomaso-Ford | 17 | Engine | 19 | |
| Ret | 6 | | Ferrari | 14 | Fuel system | 5 | |
| Ret | 42 | | Matra | 14 | Engine | 15 | |
| Ret | 10 | | BRM | 12 | Engine | 2 | |
| Ret | 50 | | March-Ford | 3 | Engine | 7 | |
| Ret | 14 | | Surtees-Ford | 0 | Electrical | 10 | |
| DNS | 16 | | Tyrrell-Ford | Practice only | |||
| DNS | 28 | | Lotus-Ford | Withdrew (Teammate's fatal accident) | |||
| DNS | 24 | | Lotus-Ford | Withdrew (Teammate's fatal accident) | 3 | ||
| DNS | 22 | | Lotus-Ford | Fatal accident in qualifying | 3 | ||
| DNQ | 38 | | McLaren-Ford | ||||
| DNS | 26 | | Lotus-Ford | Withdrew (Teammate's fatal accident) | 3 | ||
| DNQ | 36 | | McLaren-Alfa Romeo | ||||
| DNQ | 56 | | Bellasi-Ford | ||||
Source: [4] | |||||||
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