Jochen Rindt… the never-crowned king
Jochen Rindt was born on April 18th 1942 in an Austrian-German family in Mainz, Germany. Soon after his parents passed away due to a bomb attack during World War II, Jochen moved to Graz to live with his grandparents. As for his identity, years later he admitted that “if you ask me where am I from, I feel European”. A friend of his mother, who was a rally racer, encouraged him to join the world of motorsport and since then he never stopped racing. At the age of 17, he was racing on the streets of Graz with his friends, including a guy called Helmut Marko. At the age of 20 he switched to official racing, after acquiring a Cooper in 1963. His Formula 1 debut was just around the corner. In 1964, he took part in his first Formula 1 race in Austria, under the sponsorship of the Rob Walker Racing Team. In 1965, he completed his first season with Cooper, finishing 13th. He also used the time off between races to win the coveted 24 Hours of Le Mans helped by Masten Gregory, an american racing driver. The following year he drove once again for Cooper, this time scoring three podium finishes, which gave him third place on the drivers championship. In 1967, however, he returned to thirteenth place. In 1968 he tried his luck with the Brabham team; again without success. However, everything took a turn, when Lotus turned their attention to him. The team was known for looking for the fastest car at any price. In fact, Helmut Zwickl, a well-known journalist, confessed about the car: “With the Lotus I can win the championship or die“. Rindt was also aware of the risk involved in driving such a car, as he said: “My biggest
worry is that something in the car will fail, because I think I’m good enough not to make mistakes, but I’m not sure if I could control the car in case something went wrong.“ Be that as it may, the 1969 season saw Rindt in the Lotus battling against the greatest drivers of the world: Jackie Stewart, John Surtees, Jack Brabham, Jacky Ickx and Graham Hill. He scored a win and two more podiums, which took him up to fourth place. By then, he was already making a place for himself among this exclusive group. In an interview, Sir Jackie Stewart admitted: “He is the driver I fear the most and at the same time one of my best friends.“
By the time 1970 came around, Rindt had already finished shaping the Lotus 72. A fast, aggressive machine. He knew it. Everyone knew it. The goal was the World Championship. Despite a shaky start, Jochen won the Monaco Grand Prix, after battling with Brabham until the last lap. Weeks later he returned to the top in Zandvoort, Holland. Although this time the champagne tasted bitter, as he lost his friend Pierce Courage during the race. In France he did it for the third time. For the fourth time at Silverstone. In Germany he had a tough fight with Jacky Ickx, but — again — he won. He already had 45 points in his pocket at the halfway point of the season, so it was almost just a matter of time before he was crowned champion. At the start of September, Formula 1 moved to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. The weekend appeared to be just like any other of the 60 weekends in which Rindt had participated, with interviews, autographs and the roaring of engines. Nothing out of the ordinary. With that same usual character came the Saturday morning practice sessions and Rindt jumped in the car for a couple of laps. The session was going as usual, until the right front wheel brake failed at the end of a full speed straight. Jochen then lost control of the car, which crashed violently into the barriers. He instantly suffered multiple internal injuries that cost him his life in a matter of seconds. The same man who, minutes earlier, had been responding to the press with laughter, was lying lifeless in his Lotus 72.
Despite the terrible news, the season had to go on. However, no one managed to beat him, so he was posthumously proclaimed Formula 1 World Champion. To this day this case has not been repeated.
Years later, the Spielberg circuit — now the Red Bull Ring — named its penultimate corner after him. Also, last year — in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his death — several documentaries were dedicated to him. Time will keep going on, but Rindt will always stay in our minds.
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