224 replies to this topic

[frp]

Thirty-nine years ago today we lost Jochen. I can still remember the stupefaction I felt, as a ten-year-old, when Dickie Davies announced it on ITV World of Sport. I spent the rest of the day shut away in my bedroom.

It's a long time ago now, I guess, but two of his closest friends were Jackie Stewart and Bernie Ecclestone. I don't suppose many then would have imagined these two having so much influence deep into the next century. Same with Sir Frank. And Herbie Blash was Jochen's Chief Mechanic.

Sorry, I'm rambling. Anyone else with some concise thoughts.

Andy

[Giraffe]

Seven weeks earlier I had been at Brands Hatch to see Jochen inherit a somewhat fortuitous but nevertheless deserving British Grand Prix when Jack Brabham ran out of petrol, and then five weeks later, I saw him finish in second place at the Oulton Park Gold Cup where I was marshalling. The day of his death, I was marshalling at Aintree, and I'm looking at the programme for it now; during the Monoposto race which started at 4.30pm I have written in pencil "Learned of Jochen Rindt's death 4.45pm". I went home that evening on my pushbike numb with shock; my driver of the year had gone............

[sterling49]

I was numbed by Jochen's death, 1970 was an awful year for fatalities, it was the 7th syndrome if I remember correctly, Jimmy, Mike Spence, Bruce..........this probably had the drivers well spooked. Although I was at Brands for the 1970 GP, and loved "my team" winning, I felt so much for Black Jack, who had not put a wheel wrong, and drove brilliantly in the gorgeous BT33 (both colour and design ) My real lasting memories of Jochen are from the TV coverage of Monaco in the 49, he hurled that old car round that track like nobody else could, and in a car in its 4th season, amazing drive! I also saw Jochen winning races in the Roy Winkelman F2 cars, but he was usually so far ahead that he made it look easy.

[Kingsleyrob]

I was numbed by Jochen's death, 1970 was an awful year for fatalities, it was the 7th syndrome if I remember correctly, Jimmy, Mike Spence, Bruce..........this probably had the drivers well spooked. Although I was at Brands for the 1970 GP, and loved "my team" winning, I felt so much for Black Jack, who had not put a wheel wrong, and drove brilliantly in the gorgeous BT33 (both colour and design ) My real lasting memories of Jochen are from the TV coverage of Monaco in the 49, he hurled that old car round that track like nobody else could, and in a car in its 4th season, amazing drive! I also saw Jochen winning races in the Roy Winkelman F2 cars, but he was usually so far ahead that he made it look easy.

Sterling, you have been on the pop, but I'll let you off as you've probably been having a schnapps for Jochen

The awful year was 1968, but 1970 not so good either. I distinctly remember the news coming through on the radio. September 5th is etched on my mind, not only for Jochen but it's my Dad's birthday too. He's not around either, but I have great memories of him ferrying me to Oulton Park to see my heroes in the 60s, Jochen included.

Like you and Giraffe, I saw him at Brands, and then at the Gold Cup some weeks later. Who'd have thought that a good few of us youngsters at Brands in 1970 (I know Barry Boor was there too, standing not far away from me) would be corresponding via something called TNF in 2009? And in doing so keeping the memory of Jochen alive!

Yes, how he hurled that 49 around Monaco in those final laps in 1970. I can still see Jack heading towards the barriers at the Gasworks, impact inevitable. The memory is aided by the miracle of Youtube of course...

Rob

[COUGAR508]

I was less than a year old when Jochen died. However, when I first got into racing, in the early 1980s, Jochen was one of the first drivers to interest me. I remember reading about his accident in a racing book around that time. It was an article about safety in Grand Prix racing. From then on, he has had a special fascination for me. I believe that Sir Frank Williams rates him as the greatest ever...

Edited by COUGAR508, 05 September 2009 - 15:01.

[DOHC]

My real lasting memories of Jochen are from the TV coverage of Monaco in the 49, he hurled that old car round that track like nobody else could, and in a car in its 4th season, amazing drive!

Same here, and who could ever forget his last 1:23.2 lap.

I was about to turn 18, and it appears silly to remember that moment, but I surely do. I was on my feet when Jochen won and the flagman forgot to wave and swing the checkered flag for his victory. The flag man was waiting for Black Jack in his helicopter helmet, but he never showed up...

[stevewf1]

Same here, and who could ever forget his last 1:23.2 lap.

I was about to turn 18, and it appears silly to remember that moment, but I surely do. I was on my feet when Jochen won and the flagman forgot to wave and swing the checkered flag for his victory. The flag man was waiting for Black Jack in his helicopter helmet, but he never showed up...

I remember watching that on TV... Rindt was absolutely flinging that car around. He qualified 8th at 1:25.9. His fastest lap was .9 second faster than 2) Siffert, 1:24.1; 3) Amon, 1:24.3; 4=) Stewart & Brabham, 1:24.4...

[Greatest]

I've heard so much stories about Jochen from my parents... I also had the pleasure once of talking with his father-in-law Curt Lincoln, who was a really nice man.

R.I.P., Jochen (and Mr. Lincoln, too)!

[Skeggysteve]

Seven weeks earlier I had been at Brands Hatch to see Jochen inherit a somewhat fortuitous but nevertheless deserving British Grand Prix when Jack Brabham ran out of petrol,.............

I was at Brands Hatch as well - my first Grand Prix, I was 11 years old and had informed my father that I wanted to go to the GP, we lived close, he didn't want to go but he did agree to take me and collect me - not sure that many parents would do that today!

I remember stitting on the grass bank at Clearways and watching Jochen drifting the 49 around the corner - I was 100% hooked.

I can still remember exactly where I was when I, by accident, saw the newspaper report.

Jochen was my first motor racing hero.

RIP Jochen.

[Tim Murray]

... Monaco in the 49, he hurled that old car round that track like nobody else could ...

I still have this very vivid mental picture of him getting incredibly sideways coming out of Casino, and then flicking sideways again over the bump on the run down to Mirabeau. Breathtaking.

RIP Jochen. For me 5th September is one of those never-to-be-forgotten dates.

[Pullman99]

Like you and Giraffe, I saw him at Brands, and then at the Gold Cup some weeks later. Who'd have thought that a good few of us youngsters at Brands in 1970 (I know Barry Boor was there too, standing not far away from me) would be corresponding via something called TNF in 2009? And in doing so keeping the memory of Jochen alive!

I remember this date too. I heard the awful news on TV and just couldn't believe it. Whether it was just a reaction to somehow make these events seem "normal", I also remember commenting to someone after the end of practice that I felt that Clay Regazzoni would be the winner the following day. But 1970, like 1968, was an exceptionally tragic year when we also lost Bruce McLaren and Piers Courage within a very short space of time.

At the Oulton Park Gold Cup, I had gone along in the mid-week prior to the event to see if I could help marshal the Jackie Stewart Test Days when the new Tyrrell 001 was making its first circuit appearance and spent hours as a result at Druids! I had also managed to become an "unofficial helper" with Gerry Birrell and the Sports Motors Brabham BT28. He and his mechanic John Catt even gave me a lift to the circuit. I had taken along a cassette recorder to tape a few interviews and managed to have a word with most of the drivers in the Gold Cup including briefly with Jochen. I had asked him if he was treating the Gold Cup as a "tset session" prior to Italy and he replied "No. not really, I'm on holiday". My original cassette was "borrowed" by someone loking for a blank tape so everything got lost I'm afraid including quite a long pice with John Surtees who mentioned that he would have liked to have brought their other car (the second Surtees TS7) along to Oulton as well.

Does anyone recall the somewhat makeshift TV tower - put up by the BBC- opposite the pits? Murray Walker was in full flow at the top of it interviewing Jochen, Graham Hill, and John Surtees (?). They all had to climb a very rickety looking ladder to get up there! Try telling that to the young folk t'day!

Edited by Pullman99, 06 September 2009 - 16:41.

[stevewf1]

I still have this very vivid mental picture of him getting incredibly sideways coming out of Casino, and then flicking sideways again over the bump on the run down to Mirabeau. Breathtaking.

I was watching the race on ABC. When that happened, I remember Jim McKay shouting "Rindt!".

Edited by stevewf1, 05 September 2009 - 21:21.

[sterling49]

Sterling, you have been on the pop, but I'll let you off as you've probably been having a schnapps for Jochen

Rob

Rob, how did you know that I had been on the sherberts??? An old mate and I had a FEW drinks to the great man.....and I got my years all mixed up

[Slurp1955]

Does anyone recall the somewhat makeshift TV tower - put up by the BBC- opposite the pits? Murray Walker was in full flow at the top of it interviewing Jochen, Graham Hill, and John Surtees (?). They all had to climb a very rickety looking ladder to get up there! Try telling that to the young folk t'day!

I've posted before about the 1970 Gold Cup being my first proper circuit event, and Jochen remains my great hero to this day. Me and my mates stood at the foot of said rickety ladder as Jochen and Graham made their precarious descent from the BBC interview, and Hill was also still struggling with his injured legs from the previous season's Watkins Glen smash - the US GP of course that was Jochen's first F1 win.
My prized possession is the Gold Cup programme with"Rindt" scrawled across the cover, also posted on one of the previous threads.
My visit to Oulton Park for last weekend's splendid Gold Cup Meeting brought back more than a few poignant memories of that first visit..... 39 years ago. In the words of Sandy Denny, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?"

Edited by Slurp1955, 06 September 2009 - 08:22.

[MCS]

...I had asked him if he was treating the Gold Cup as a "test session" prior to Italy and he replied "No. not really, I'm on holiday"....

He left the circuit via helicopter immediately after the second heat - it was down at Old Hall waiting for him apparently.

I was always intrigued as to why Jochen Rindt hadn't won the Gold Cup in 1970 and have always been curious as to the stories about him not wanting to be there.

Having watched the DVD kindly provided by Auroraf1 recently, he certainly doesn't look particularly interested in the proceedings.

Twinny, I've noticed quite a few threads on Rindt - maybe a merge could be achieved? But please don't include the one about the crashed car being "restored"...Thanks.

[Tony Lethbridge]

I was at Brands too. We were in the little stand at Paddock and remember my Dad getting very excited as Jochen and Jack went by with their wheels almost interlocking. It was a great moment.

I was also on the Page and Moy trip to Austria, the first GP at the wonderful Osterreichring, where we all expected Jochen to win on home territory. Sadly it wasn't to be, and we joked about highjacking the coach and going on to Monza for the next race. We were staying overnight in Graz and next morning someone discovered that Jochen was making a personal appearance at a local bank. We eventually found the right bank and there he was, busy signing autographs, surrounded by a huge crowd. We were all handed photo leafets for him to sign. Alas our coach driver was eager to get on the road, and so we were unable to wait for that precious autograph. I still have the photo tucked in the race programme.

[Slurp1955]

I was always intrigued as to why Jochen Rindt hadn't won the Gold Cup in 1970 and have always been curious as to the stories about him not wanting to be there.

According to Heinz Pruller's biography of Jochen, he became very careful in his choice of races towards the climax of what was turning into a World Championship-winning season. He "grudgingly" allowed himself to be entered for the Gold Cup, but turned down his mate Helmut Marko's request to co-drive in the Zeltweg 1000km, which was scheduled for two weeks before the last GP of 1970 in Mexico.
At Oulton, he did indeed park the 72 at Old Hall, having won the 2nd heat of the Gold Cup, not even completing the slowing-down lap. Another 4 seconds on Surtees in that 2nd race, and he would have won overall.

[COUGAR508]

According to Heinz Pruller's biography of Jochen, he became very careful in his choice of races towards the climax of what was turning into a World Championship-winning season.

Was this because he was wishing to devote all of his energies towards the World Championship GPs, or was there some other reason? There has been speculation that he planned to retire at the end of the 1970 season...

[Kingsleyrob]

Was this because he was wishing to devote all of his energies towards the World Championship GPs, or was there some other reason? There has been speculation that he planned to retire at the end of the 1970 season...

From what I have read it seems that self preservation and making a living by other means were occupying his mind. Particularly using the "Rindt" brand that a World Championship would enhance, eg his "Jochen Rindt Show".

While we are mentioning his great battles with Sir Jack, it's worth reminding ourselves that Jack was giving his all and thrilling us at Brands and Monaco at the age of forty-four - an age when for many of us even a spot of gardening seems too energetic.

Rob

[Slurp1955]

Was this because he was wishing to devote all of his energies towards the World Championship GPs, or was there some other reason? There has been speculation that he planned to retire at the end of the 1970 season...

I think there is an element of devoting his energies towards the Championship, but he made a number of references to Pruller " that I have been so lucky this year that it really worried me somewhat." Not wishing to push his luck in too many races perhaps...
Jochen appears to have been committed to continuing in 1971, and was initially enthusiastic about even using the turbine Lotus 56 for that season. That's a car I watched Reine Wisell whistling (literally) around Silverstone ten laps behind the leaders in '71.

Edited by Slurp1955, 06 September 2009 - 12:11.

[MCS]

I was also on the Page and Moy trip to Austria, the first GP at the wonderful Osterreichring, where we all expected Jochen to win on home territory. Sadly it wasn't to be, and we joked about highjacking the coach and going on to Monza for the next race. We were staying overnight in Graz and next morning someone discovered that Jochen was making a personal appearance at a local bank. We eventually found the right bank and there he was, busy signing autographs, surrounded by a huge crowd. We were all handed photo leafets for him to sign.

God, how wonderful – what a trip that must have been, Tony. Lovely story. I don’t know what it is, but I remember the early seventies so vividly, even now. I can certainly recall the disappointment of the Austrian GP result.

According to Heinz Pruller's biography of Jochen, he became very careful in his choice of races towards the climax of what was turning into a World Championship-winning season. He "grudgingly" allowed himself to be entered for the Gold Cup, but turned down his mate Helmut Marko's request to co-drive in the Zeltweg 1000km, which was scheduled for two weeks before the last GP of 1970 in Mexico.
At Oulton, he did indeed park the 72 at Old Hall, having won the 2nd heat of the Gold Cup, not even completing the slowing-down lap. Another 4 seconds on Surtees in that 2nd race, and he would have won overall.

How I wish I’d been there to see it – still half convinced he “gave up” (thinking second would probably be acceptable enough) and then clearing off home…

While we are mentioning his great battles with Sir Jack, it's worth reminding ourselves that Jack was giving his all and thrilling us at Brands and Monaco at the age of forty-four - an age when for many of us even a spot of gardening seems too energetic.

Dear oh dear, oh dear…

Edited by MCS, 06 September 2009 - 12:27.

[Tim Murray]

I was also on the Page and Moy trip to Austria, the first GP at the wonderful Osterreichring, where we all expected Jochen to win on home territory. Sadly it wasn't to be ...

I'm away from home at the moment, so cannot check definitely, but, from memory, this could/should have been a great race. As I recall, Jochen made a bad start, and after twenty or so laps had worked his way up to fourth place with just the three Ferraris ahead of him. In front of his home crowd, driving (probably) the best car in the race, fireworks were expected. Then his engine went bang ...

[Slurp1955]

I'm not sure whether this link has been posted before, but it has some interesting 1970 Oulton footage, including qualifying in the wet, and genuine Super8 projector noise!

[Stephen W]

In 1970 I was lucky to see my hero Jochen Rindt racing at .....

Brands Hatch - 22/03 - Race of Champions
Silverstone - 26/04 - International Trophy
Spa-Francorchamps - 07/06 - Belgian GP
Brands Hatch - 19/07 - British GP
Hockenheimring - 02/08 - German GP
Oulton Park - 22/08 - Gold Cup

I was doing the photographic duties at my cousins wedding when I read in the Bolton Evening News that Rindt had been killed. I will always remeber my cousin's wedding anniversary but it is always tinged with great sorrow.

[Ronnie792]

At the Oulton Park Gold Cup, I had gone along in the mid-week prior to the event to see if I could help marshal the Jackie Stewart Test Days when the new Tyrrell 001 was making its first circuit appearance and spent hours as a result at Druids! I had also managed to become an "unofficial helper" with Gerry Birrell and the Sports Motors Brabham BT28. He and his mechanic John Catt even gave me a lift to the circuit. I had taken along a cassette recorder to tape a few interviews and managed to have a word with most of the drivers in the Gold Cup including briefly with Jochen. I had asked him if he was treating the Gold Cup as a "tset session" prior to Italy and he replied "No. not really, I'm on holiday". My original cassette was "borrowed" by someone loking for a blank tape so everything got lost I'm afraid including quite a long pice with John Surtees who mentioned that he would have liked to have brought their other car (the second Surtees TS7) along to Oulton as well.

Great memories Pullman99 and nicely conveyed...

[Doug Nye]

I was waiting at the traffic lights northbound on the North Circular Road at Ealing Common, where the road to Acton goes off on the right, when I heard on the radio news that Jochen had been killed. One of those moments absolutely fixed in one's memory...

DCN

[Slurp1955]

In 1970 I was lucky to see my hero Jochen Rindt racing at .....

Brands Hatch - 22/03 - Race of Champions
Silverstone - 26/04 - International Trophy
Spa-Francorchamps - 07/06 - Belgian GP
Brands Hatch - 19/07 - British GP
Hockenheimring - 02/08 - German GP
Oulton Park - 22/08 - Gold Cup

I was doing the photographic duties at my cousins wedding when I read in the Bolton Evening News that Rindt had been killed. I will always remeber my cousin's wedding anniversary but it is always tinged with great sorrow.

That's a fine run of events Steve, particularly Hockenheim, which must still rank as one the greatest GPs. It was another four years before I managed a race abroad, the 1974 Italian GP won by Ronnie Peterson (the Lotus 72 was still winning races). I've been back to Monza several times over the years and always make my way to the Parabolica for some quiet moments of reflection on the events of that terrible Saturday.

[taylov]

I was working my way through college that September and heard the sad news on the radio when I got home.

However my most vivid memory of Jochen was from the Whit Monday F2 meeting at my local track at Crystal Palace when this then unknown (to me) driver come through from the "lesser" heat in the Ford Austria entered Cooper to beat Graham Hill, Pete Arundell, Frank Gardner, Palace specialist Alan Rees, Denis Hulme, Tony Maggs etc. in the final.

What a day - Jochen beating the best in F2, Jim Clark winning the supporting large saloon car race in the Lotus Cortina - three-wheeling through Ramp Bend and the Mini Coopers of Handley and Fitzpatrick smoking the front tyres at South Tower Corner. Happy memories as vivid today as in 1964.

Tony

[stevewf1]

I was 21 years old and vacationing near Thunder Bay, Canada when I got a long-distance call from my younger brother (we live in Indianapolis) telling me about Rindt. I was so shocked I forgot to wish my brother a happy birthday, which is September 5.

[cpbell]

Sadly, he died almost exactly a decade before I was born, but his talent and personality have always intrigued me. Was he as aloof as I have read? Why did he sudebly start winning towrds the end of a tragically foreshortened career and life? Was it simply lack of competitive machinery, or were his results in the Cooper-Maserati real giant-killing efforts?

[Stephen W]

Sadly, he died almost exactly a decade before I was born, but his talent and personality have always intrigued me. Was he as aloof as I have read? Why did he sudebly start winning towrds the end of a tragically foreshortened career and life? Was it simply lack of competitive machinery, or were his results in the Cooper-Maserati real giant-killing efforts?

The Cooper-Maserati was a stolid race car - a bit overweight and a bit slow. Rindt's performances were certainly above average in a below average car.

His move to Brabham coincided with the spread of the Cosworth DFV and the 1968 interation of the Repco engine was not a vast improvement on their 1967 unit especially as it was more unreliable.

When he moved to Lotus for 1969 the Lotus 49 was getting a bit long in the tooth but was still a useful mount to have for the talented Rindt.

For 1970 the Lotus 72 was the car. With Rindt at the wheel it was only the usual Lotus niggling problems that stopped him winning more races.

As for being aloof, I never found him to be like that. Maybe it was a language problem I don't know but he was always friendly and happy to chat on the occasions I met him.

[bschenker]

Was he as aloof as I have read?

I, think al other then this, since 1968 as I trove him regular on the races hi always found the time for a salute and some personally discussion.

Hi was one of the friendliest GP Driver around.
.

[scheivlak]

Sadly, he died almost exactly a decade before I was born, but his talent and personality have always intrigued me. Was he as aloof as I have read? Why did he sudebly start winning towrds the end of a tragically foreshortened career and life? Was it simply lack of competitive machinery, or were his results in the Cooper-Maserati real giant-killing efforts?

Don't forget that he won something like 9 F2 races in 1967, often against not just the best F2 talents but against opposition like Clark, Stewart, Hill, Surtees, and Brabham as well - see http://www.formula2.net/F267_Index.htm

Edited by scheivlak, 09 September 2009 - 10:18.

[Phil Rainford]

And of course he won at Le Mans in 1965

PAR

Edited by Phil Rainford, 09 September 2009 - 10:19.

[charles r]

I remember in the dim and distant past (early '67?) that he appeared on Eamon Andrews' ITV chat show with (I think Donald Campbell) and he came across as good humoured and friendly and when asked what he thought of Campbell's exploits; replied jokingly I think he's mad!
I wonder whether there is any footage of this show anywhere?

[SEdward]

I was on holiday in North Wales with my parents. I clearly remember my Dad parking the car to buy a Sunday paper and coming back to the car with the news that Jochen was dead.

Wasn't there some disagreement between Rindt and Chapman about using the Lotus 72 at Monza? Why was Jochen so apprehensive, after he had driven the car for much of the season and won enough GPs to claim the drivers' title? Or was the dispute about running without a rear wing?

I would appreciate any input from anyone who knows more about this.

Edward

[Phil Rainford]

Interview after mechanical retirement in Austria 1970.....


PAR

[ddmichael]

Apologies in advance for posting such a personal story, but if it hadn't been for Jochen Rindt I fear my interest in motor racing might only have been passing. Though I always watched the Grands Prix, my true love for racing was ignited when my father bought me an issue of Motor Sport which featured a photo of every driver to win the British GP. Thrashing up the motorway to one of my dad's photographic assignments, I read out each name and he gave me his brief recollections of said driver, but when I arrived at 1970 and Jochen Rindt he had a lot to say - Jochen was the fastest, most flamboyant and best of his generation, often plagued by ill-fortune and sadly killed at the peak of his career. Before long a call had been placed to Chaters to obtain the Pruller biography (no internet in those days!) and my collection grew from there (meanwhile my schoolbooks filled with sketches of Cooper Maseratis instead of work!).

Though I've seen only footage of him (and not enough of it) Rindt will, for me, always be the greatest. Even acknowledging the fact that he eventually raced largely for financial reasons, one could never doubt his total commitment if he sniffed a win, and once he got the bit between his teeth there was nobody faster.

Oh, and I mustn't forget that he deserves great respect for tripping Graham Hill up in front in front of Frankenheimer's film cameras, then getting the giggles with Gurney - my favourite scene in Grand Prix.

[stevewf1]

Was he as aloof as I have read?

It was either 1967 or 1968, when Rindt was at Indianapolis, Rindt was sitting on the pit wall when a reporter asked him if he'd be back next year. "No" was the terse reply. End of "interview". Rindt didn't seem to endear himself to Indy fans while he was here.

[SEdward]

Great stuff! I think that this is the first time I have ever heard Jochen speak, with a lovely Austrian accent too!

Edward

[Phil Rainford]

1m 24secs into this BBC spoof and you can hear him speak in English

PAR

Edited by Phil Rainford, 09 September 2009 - 16:19.

[Stephen W]

1m 24secs into this BBC spoof and you can hear him speak in English

PAR

Plus there are snippets from Amon, Courage and Beltoise. Very well put together indeed.

[wenoopy]

I was also on the Page and Moy trip to Austria, the first GP at the wonderful Osterreichring, where we all expected Jochen to win on home territory. Sadly it wasn't to be, and we joked about highjacking the coach and going on to Monza for the next race. We were staying overnight in Graz and next morning someone discovered that Jochen was making a personal appearance at a local bank. We eventually found the right bank and there he was, busy signing autographs, surrounded by a huge crowd.

In 1970 my wife and I were travelling in Austria(in a Bedford Dormobile with a body like an ice-cream van!) and went into a Bank in Klagenfurt on 2 September to cash a travellers cheque. To our surprise we found the Jochen Rindt Racing Car Show in there, with 2 Formula 2 cars and (I think) 2 BMW racing saloons. I guess Rindt must have had a sponsorship deal with that bank.

The previous Saturday, we had watched, from a distance, practice for (I presume) a non-championship F2 race at Salzburgring. We stood at the side of a road overlooking one end of the track (all we could afford!), trying to brush off the ticket-sellers for the Sunday's race, while getting a distant view.

A few days later, in Bologna, we saw the newspaper billboards with "Morte a 300 Kilometri" or similar and watched the milling crowds of emotional young people taking in the news. A very Italian scene that stays in my mind.

[Ralliart]

A few things occur to me regarding Jochen Rindt's accident. I believe he was driving the T car - Fittipaldi had crashed Rindt's car and, with number 22 on his car - an unusual number for Lotus - I believe that it had been numbered 2T and replaced with number 22. Point being, I wonder how well sorted that car was when Rindt got behind the wheel. I also wonder how his wingless car would have acted when put in a wind tunnel. Terribly unstable, a little unstable, OK? I also wonder about Chapman's obsession with getting just that little extra speed at Monza - his reason for removing the wings - because, at Hockenheim, another fast circuit, the wings were not removed - and Rindt won. We know that John Miles did not want to drive the car without wings. If Rindt had refused to drive the car sans wings, it seems that Chapman wouldn't have been able to do anything about that. There were GPs to go, after Monza, and if Rindt hadn't won at Monza - the intent of everyone at Team Lotus - it's not like the championship would have been lost or, even, put in great jeopardy. In the end, of course, no one forced Rindt to race the car without wings. It's very ironic that Rindt, who hated wings, fatally crashed in a car that might have been more stable had it wings.

[bschenker]

I think that's nearly all teams, one almost 1 car, has tested without wings.

The problem was not the wing, that's not the same like 3 ~ 5 years later, or today.
.

[ensign14]

A few things occur to me regarding Jochen Rindt's accident. I believe he was driving the T car - Fittipaldi had crashed Rindt's car and, with number 22 on his car - an unusual number for Lotus - I believe that it had been numbered 2T and replaced with number 22.

Unlikely, Ferrari had 2-4-6 that weekend, Lotus 22-24-26 and Rob Walker's 28.

[f1steveuk]

I rarely got out of the broadcast village at Grand Prix, but one of the few occaisions I did was Monza once, going out to tweak microphones before quali'. While I worked for Bernie, so too did Natascha Rindt, Jochen's daughter, and Bernie's god-daughter. It was only when I turned to go back to the car, at Parabolica, that I saw 'Tash looking toward the braking area, with a distant expression on her face. I was totally, totally lost for anything to say..............

[pete53]

I seem to recall I had been to a football match (Crystal Palace v. Spurs I think) and on arriving home my mother informed me of Jochen's death. In those days when Grand Prix weekends came around you kind of braced yourself for bad news such was the frequency of loss. It was, nonetheless, a terrible shock. His rise to fame coincided with my burgeoning interest in motor-sport and I followed his career closely thereafter.

Six years earlier, as an 10 year old,I had been at the Palace to see his shock win in the Whit Monday Formula 2 race. After that I saw him race on many occasions. I particularly recall the 1970 British GP win which lots of you have mentioned, but also winning F2 races at Brands in 1966 ( at last vanquishing the Brabham Hondas) and 1967, and again at the Palace Whit Monday 1968.

Does anyone else recall Jochen Rindt being interviewed on, I think, the Simon Dee show (Dee Time?) on a Saturday afternoon in the late 60s? I particularly remember SD making reference to Jochen's escape from a still moving - and burning - car during Indianapolis qualifying. Or perhaps I just dreamed it!

[milestone 11]

Forgive me if this has already been posted somewhere in TNF. There has been quite a lot of interest in it after I posted it within a thread on RC, for those sensible enough to not venture there, I repeat it here.
The letter is from Jochen to Colin Chapman after the Barcelona incident.

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138 at 2010-03-26

Jochen at the Oulton Park Gold Cup, August 1969.