5 replies to this topic

[Glengavel]

Did Emerson Fittipaldi start this race or not? According to Motor Sport he went home on Sunday morning and did not take part, but I have read somewhere else that J-M Ballestre threatened to suspend him from the Monaco GP so he took place and retired at the end of the first lap. According to MS his brother Wilson did this, so is someone confusing the Fittipaldi siblings?

 

Apologies if this has been discussed before but I can't find mention of it.

[bigears]

According to F1.com, he was not classified as he didn’t complete a lap.

https://www.formula1...ain/race-result

Now I am starting to doubt if he did actually start in the race, I will check.

[MCS]

He didn't start.  He flew home before the race.

[Tim Murray]

Pete Lyons in Autosport also reported that Emerson did not start the race, but brother Wilson and Arturo Merzario both did one slow lap in the race before withdrawing.

[PeterElleray]

Did Emerson Fittipaldi start this race or not? According to Motor Sport he went home on Sunday morning and did not take part, but I have read somewhere else that J-M Ballestre threatened to suspend him from the Monaco GP so he took place and retired at the end of the first lap. According to MS his brother Wilson did this, so is someone confusing the Fittipaldi siblings?

 

Apologies if this has been discussed before but I can't find mention of it.

The red light should have come on when Balestre's name was mentioned, he wasn't the President until 1978, and wasn't involved in this fiasco. Emerson did not start the race. He made sure he didn't by not driving a lap fast enough to qualify.

[chr1s]

Yes, he did one slow lap with his arm in the air.