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Damien Smith
The history of F1: the 1970s

Bernie Ecclestone was little more than a minor player up until the early 1970s. A sometime racer in 500cc Formula 3, herCOd befriended and advised
the promising Stuart Lewis-Evans, until the south Londoner succumbed to
burns sustained in a crash at the 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix. The
second-hand car trader subsequently withdrew from the race tracks to
focus onrCa empire building, letrCOs say rCo until Jochen Rindt rocked up in the mid-1960s. As the AustrianrCOs star rose in the first year of the new decade, so too did EcclestonerCOs rCo but in a quieter, less demonstrative, but by no means less effective manner.

Read part one of this series here: The history of F1: The 1950s


Again, Bernie lost a good friend to this bloodthirsty sport, when Rindt
was killed at the wheel of his Lotus 72 at Monza on 5th September 1970,
having already gathered enough points to become F1rCOs only uncrowned
world champion rCo a ghoulish honour that will remain forever unique (we hope). But this time, Ecclestone chose not to drift back into the
shadows. Instead, he bought Brabham, for a snip from designer/engineer
Ron Tauranac, who had no hope against such a man. Bernie had now thrust
his well-heeled boot firmly into the F1 door rCo and the rest of him would soon follow.

From our supposedly enlightened perspective, the early 1970s seem
endearingly colourful, uncomplicated, raw and refreshingly untamed rCo at least from an F1 perspective. But the reality was a wider world that had
been made drab and brought low, in stark contrast to the sunny optimism
of the preceding decade, by the lingering grind of the Vietnam War,
increasing social and trade union unrest, deepening political cynicism
and a fuel crisis that led to the economic stall of the three-day week.
Life was grim for many. Much like David Bowie, racers and jetsetters
Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi and Clay Regazzoni must have looked
to most like they had beamed in from another planet.

The cars they drove were ever closer to the ground, sitting on wide,
slick tyres and gripped by ever-expanding wings on the noses and hung
out the rear. And national colours were suddenly passe. Tyrrells were
Elf deep blue, Brabhams turned Martini white, Lotuses were first red,
white and gold in deference to the Gold Leaf tobacco brand, then unforgettably, dramatic fag-packet black and gold. And Colin Chapman
wasnrCOt troubled to sign away his teamrCOs name either when there were sponsor dollars to be had rCo so the Lotus 72 became the John Player
Special. Nothing was sacred in the gauche 1970s, including, it seemed,
the life of racing drivers.

As Stewart and Fittipaldi shared world titles, their friends and
colleagues perished around them: Piers Courage, Jo Siffert, Roger
Williamson, Helmuth Koinigg, Peter Revson rCo and for Jackie, the final heartbreak. Francois Cevert. Worn down by the stress, fear and sheer
numbers of those herCOd lost, Stewart had already decided to call it a day
at the end of 1973, telling only Ken Tyrrell of his intention. Wife
Helen didnrCOt need to know, sherCOd only live in greater fear, counting
down the races. Then at the last one, his friend, prot|-g|-, team-mate and anointed successor crashed through the steel barriers in practice at
Watkins Glen. Stewart, his career numbers forever frozen on 99 GP
starts, 27 wins and three world titles, never raced again.

F1-1974-Nurburgring-Emerson-Fittipaldi-McLaren-M23-MI-Goodwood-17112020.jpg

Fittipaldi, disenchanted by Chapman and the loss of a title he felt
should have been his, left for McLaren and in 1974 became champion for a second time. But now here was a new threat, like Rindt, another
straight-ahead character from Austria, a buck-toothed oddball at first dismissed as a rCypay driverrCO. There were hints at March and BRM, but once he was in a Ferrari all doubts were banished: Niki Lauda was the real deal.

Read part two of this series here: The history of F1: The 1960s

F1-1975-Silverstone-Niki-Lauda-Clay-Regazzoni-Mauro-Forghieri-Luca-di-Montezemolo-Ferrari-312T-David-Phipps-MI-Goodwood-17112020.jpg

Ferrari had slumped to a low ebb by rCO73, cushioned to the bosom of Fiat
but riven by politics and malice. Bespectacled genius Mauro Forghieri
had paid for the failures (not for the first time) but now was ushered
back, by a smooth-talking lawyer with energy and a vision. HerCOd seen an
ally in Lauda, who knew Forghieri was the key rCo and the perfectly
packaged and proportioned 312T was unlocked. Nine pole positions, five
wins: this was as close to domination as it got in the cut-and-thrust of (mostly) Cosworth DFV-powered F1 in the mid-rCO70s. Ferrari, against the grain, had put the garagistes back in their place.

But then Fittipaldi pulled the pin and sensationally quit McLaren to
join his brother Wilson in a Brazilian dream-team (that would slowly
turn into a nightmare). Who on earth would replace him? James Hunt was
all that was left.

F1-1976-Japan-Niki-Lauda-James-Hunt-Barry-Sheene-David-Phipps-MI-Goodwood-17112020.jpg

But McLaren had inadvertently struck gold with the lanky English public
school boy, who had been so error-prone early on herCOd been nicknamed rCyShuntrCO. At Hesketh, for anyone who cared to look beyond the champagne patriotism, herCOd proven his worth, most notably beating Lauda fair and square at Zandvoort in rCO75. Now Fittipaldi had unknowingly gifted him an
M23 rCo and Hunt was ready to fly.

As punk created a rCyYear ZerorCO effect in British sensibilities, so too
did Hunt and Lauda in the closeted, niche sport of F1 during the long,
hot summer of rCO76. TheyrCOd been friends and flat-mates before all this,
but now they were pitted in the middle of a raging Ferrari vs. McLaren rivalry. Early on, Lauda had the edge, but Hunt clawed his way into the
fight, winning brilliantly in Spain rCo only to be disqualified on a technicality. At Brands, the feud boiled as fans pelted cans on to the
track in protest that Hunt was to be barred from the restart, following
chaos at Paddock Bend. The blue-blazered officials bristled, theyrCOd
never seen such a thing rCo and relented. Hunt won, and only months later would be disqualified.

Then Niki had his accident at Bergwerk. The N|+rburgring rCo the long, original one, dubbed The Green Hell by Stewart rCo was already an
anachronism by August 1976. In the aftermath of LaudarCOs fiery accident
it would become revered, but no longer feared, F1 history.

LaudarCOs fight for life and brave comeback six weeks later at Monza rCo complete with gaudy images of him gingerly peeling a sweat and
blood-soaked balaclava from his burnt, raw face and head rCo define that
year, that decade, perhaps Niki himself, but only for a voyeuristic
wider world attracted solely to the horror-movie adrenaline ride of this insanity that hid behind the name of rCysportrCO. Ecclestone, growing in understanding of what F1 could become and increasingly a voice of
cohesive influence among the British teams, took note.

The live TV coverage of the soaking finale at Fuji was the culmination,
as Lauda found a new level of mental fortitude by bravely walking away
from the craziness. Hunt overcame a puncture and pitstop to become
champion rCo to his initial disbelief rCo by a solitary point. It had been like a movie script (and would be one day).

F1-1977-Zandvoort-Niki-Lauda-Ferrari-312T2-David-Phipps-MI-Goodwood-17112020.jpg

On the back of 1976, Ecclestone negotiated TV deals that would make F1 a regular visitor to living rooms on Sunday afternoons, and began to
unleash the potential. On track in rCO77, Lauda rCo who had lost his ally di Montezemolo at the end of his first championship year rCo set aside his
fury at Ferrari for its doubt and lack of loyalty in his darkest hours
to claim another title, then exacted cold revenge by immediately
quitting for EcclestonerCOs Brabhams. He could have been champion again in rCO78 rCo had Bernie not spotted the bigger picture and withdrawn Gordon MurrayrCOs potentially game-changing BT46B fan car after its maiden
victory at Anderstorp. Murray was exasperated, but Ecclestone was canny
enough to recognise F1rCOs momentum would be lost by one-team domination.

F1-1978-Brands-Hatch-Ronnie-Peterson-Colin-Chapman-Mario-Andretti-David-Phipps-MI-Goodwood-17112020.jpg

Chapman was less concerned when his rCyBlack BeautyrCO, the stunning Type
79, swept through the rest of the summer in the hands of Mario Andretti
and Ronnie Peterson. Here was the true force of the 1970s, as
ground-effects aerodynamics began to be fully harnessed. But still the
cruelty of this sport knew no bounds, as beloved Peterson was lost when complications set in to the leg injuries sustained at Monza. rCLMotor
racing is also this,rCY said his sorrowful team-mate and new world
champion Andretti.

F1-1979-Kyalami-Jody-Scheckter-Ferrari-312T4-MI-Goodwood-17112020.jpg

The final year of the decade would point the way towards the next one,
as Chapman blew the Lotus advantage and lost his way, Lauda quit
mid-season to run an airline and Frank Williams rCo once a no-hoper and so-called start-line specialist rCo unlocked the key to lasting F1 success
in partnership with his new friend Patrick Head. The FW07 rCo a properly engineered and fully realised rCycopyrCO of the Lotus 79 rCo broke through at Silverstone as Regazzoni claimed a swansong victory, then blunt
instrument Alan Jones proved once and for all that his opportunistic win
at the Osterreiching for Shadow back in 1977 hadnrCOt been a flash in the
pan. After missing out at Silverstone, he won four out the next five
grands prix.

But it was too late to overhaul Jody ScheckterrCOs Ferrari 312T4, the
South African finally securing the title herCOd spent the whole decade chasing: wiping out the Surtees team by triggering a pile-up at
Silverstone in rCO73; maturing at Tyrrell; winning in the bizarre-looking
but effective six-wheeled P34 he couldnrCOt love in rCO76; then scoring first-time out in the new Wolf at the start of rCO77. But the culmination
for this former wild child would come in Ferrari red, in partnership
with his new friend and team-mate, the mercurial Gilles Villeneuve. A pure-bred sportsman, Gilles would gallantly support Scheckter at Monza, reasoning that his own time would come. WouldnrCOt it?

As the decade turned, F1 eyed a new age of super-power, as the overblown
boost of the new turbos threatened to end the long life of the
dependable DFV rCo and the little bloke who owned Brabham wheeled and
dealed his way into the heart of this increasingly epic tale. It was Ecclestone himself who would turn out to be the biggest super-power of
them all.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.

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