Emerson whi?

it is supposed to say whO, not whI (sorry)

It was 30 years ago today that the New York Times heading was:
Emerson who? won the US Grand Prix.
It was the first time Emerson Fittipaldi won a GP. The first time a Brazilian won a GP. He did it in a Lotus 72.

For Emerson it was the begining of a succesfull career in the big leagues.
He was World Champion in 1972 with Lotus and in 1974 with McLaren.
He won the CART championship in 1989 with Patrick and twice the Indianapolis 500 in 1989 with Patrick and in 1993 with Penske.
In that first victory Emerson received $50,000USD he and MariaHelena (his first wife) where so concerned about the money that they slept with a drawer chest agains the door.

For Brazil it was the begining of a long list of very fine drivers (too long to include all) with special mention to:
Nelson Piquet - World Champion in 1981 (Brabham), 1983 (Brabham) and 1987 (Williams)
Raul Boesel - Makes Championship 1987 (Jaguar)
Ayrton Senna - World Champion in 1988 (McLaren), 1990 (McLaren) and 1991 (McLaren)

As for the Lotus 72 it was one of it's 20 victories in a period that spaned from the Spanish GP in 1970 to the US GP in 1975.

Only last item. By winning in the US GP, Emerson secured the 1970 championship for J. Rindt.[p][Edited by luisfelipetrigo on 10-05-2000]

I certainly remember the surprise of it all... someone we'd never heard of up and taking the win. The start, as you say, of quite a heady career, one which could have netted greater results if he'd gone different directions.
As a former thread discussed....

I myself felt great relief that his win had secured the championship for Rindt after the tragedy at Monza and in the face of an on rushing Ickx. This period was dominated by Stewart and only Rindt seemed able to challenge him in a straight fight. Rindt's death left me in dispair though I may have been more a Lotus supporter than a fan of the Austrian I was desparate for a challenger to Stewart who I could not stomach at the time.

Dennis David:
My hero at the time was (and still is) JYS. And was not very excited about Emerson win, specially since Pedro Rodriguez came second (I am from Mexico). So, to use your words, I could not stomach Emerson ... but with the passage of time I have come to appreciate him and did followed his CART years with great interest and cheering for him.

And I feel the same way about JYS! I too have come to respect his great ability. My feelings then was of a fan.

I recall reading a long time ago that Emmerson was named for American writer Ralph Waldo Emmerson and Wilson for U.S. president Woodrow Wilson. Fittipaldi Sr. admired both men.

Dave

I always had the feeling that Ickx eased off to give Rindt the title Ickx believed Rindt deserved. is that a commonly held view?

I really do not know about the possibility of Ickx letting Rindt win the championship that year. Hopefully someone else in this forum will comment.

I can't believe that happened. The points difference at the end of the series was fourteen, and would have been seven had Ickx won. Stewart had a hold on the race from Pedro and Jacky, but Jacky got past the Mexican and held a solid second until a pit stop for a leaky fuel union to be fixed. He spent the rest of the race building his place back up to fifth.
Jacky did go on to win in Mexico, but would still have been second in the title if he had been second at Watkins Glen.
Does Mike Argetsinger remember the pit stop?

I find it hard to believe that would have happened. For a start if Ickx had won it would have been Ferraris first title since 64, also there was a sense that that they had made one of their periodic reschuffles to make the team much more competitive. Not sure if everyone would agree but i imagine a racing driver would see it almost as insulting a fellow drivers memory by going slow to lose a championship