The 1970 FIA Formula One World Championship began on 7 March and concluded on 25 October, over 13 Grand Prix, alongside three non-championship Formula One races open to Formula One cars.
Season
The World Drivers’ Championship was won by Jochen Rindt, driving for Lotus, under circumstances that remain unique in the history of Formula One. Rindt was killed during practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with four races still remaining in the season. Despite his death, the points he had already accumulated earlier in the year were enough to ensure that no other driver could surpass his total, making him the only driver in Formula One history to be awarded the World Drivers’ Championship posthumously.
Rindt’s closest challenger in the standings was Jacky Ickx of Ferrari, who mounted a strong challenge in the latter part of the season. However, despite winning races and closing the points gap, Ickx ultimately finished five points short of Rindt’s total by the end of the championship.
In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Lotus also secured the title, finishing seven points ahead of Ferrari. The team’s success during the season was largely built upon the performances Rindt had delivered earlier in the year before his fatal accident.
The 1970 season was also marked by several other tragic events within the motorsport community. On 2 June, Bruce McLaren, founder and owner of the McLaren racing team, was killed while testing his McLaren M8D Can-Am car at Goodwood Circuit in England. Just weeks later, during the Dutch Grand Prix on 21 June, British driver Piers Courage, competing for Frank Williams’s team, was killed in a crash.
At the end of the season, another significant moment in Formula One history occurred when Jack Brabham, the three-time World Champion and founder of the Brabham team, retired from driving. His departure marked the end of a distinguished career that had included both championship success and the rare achievement of winning a title in a car bearing his own name.
1970 Formula 1 Race Calendar
| Round | Grand Prix | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1970 South African Grand Prix | Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Midrand | 7 March |
| 2 | 1970 Spanish Grand Prix | Circuito Permanente Del Jarama, Madrid | 19 April |
| 3 | 1970 Monaco Grand Prix | Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo | 10 May |
| 4 | 1970 Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot | 7 June |
| 5 | 1970 Dutch Grand Prix | Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort | 21 June |
| 6 | 1970 French Grand Prix | Charade Circuit, Clermont-Ferrand | 5 July |
| 7 | 1970 British Grand Prix | Brands Hatch, West Kingsdown | 18 July |
| 8 | 1970 German Grand Prix | Hockenheimring, Hockenheim* | 2 August |
| 9 | 1970 Austrian Grand Prix | Österreichring, Spielberg | 16 August |
| 10 | 1970 Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza | 6 September |
| 11 | 1970 Canadian Grand Prix | Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Tremblant | 20 September |
| 12 | 1970 United States Grand Prix | Watkins Glen International, New York | 4 October |
| 13 | 1970 Mexican Grand Prix | Magdalena Mixhuca, Mexico City | 25 October |
1970 Formula 1 Race Results
Grands Prix
1970 Formula 1 Standings
Driver standings
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jochen Rindt | AUT | Lotus Ford | 45 |
| 2 | Jacky Ickx | BEL | Ferrari | 40 |
| 3 | Clay Regazzoni | SUI | Ferrari | 33 |
| 4 | Denny Hulme | NZL | McLaren Ford | 27 |
| 5 | Jack Brabham | AUS | Brabham Ford | 25 |
| 5 | Jackie Stewart | GBR | Tyrrell Ford | 25 |
| 7 | Pedro Rodriguez | MEX | BRM | 23 |
| 7 | Chris Amon | NZL | Matra Ford | 23 |
| 9 | Jean-Pierre Beltoise | FRA | Matra | 16 |
| 10 | Emerson Fittipaldi | BRA | Lotus Ford | 12 |
| 11 | Rolf Stommelen | GER | Brabham Ford | 10 |
| 12 | Henri Pescarolo | FRA | Matra | 8 |
| 13 | Graham Hill | GBR | Lotus Ford | 7 |
| 14 | Bruce McLaren | NZL | McLaren Ford | 6 |
| 15 | Mario Andretti | USA | Matra Ford | 4 |
| 15 | Reine Wisell | SWE | Lotus Ford | 4 |
| 17 | Ignazio Giunti | ITA | Ferrari | 3 |
| 17 | John Surtees | GBR | Surtees Ford | 3 |
| 19 | John Miles | GBR | Lotus Ford | 2 |
| 19 | Johnny Servoz-Gavin | FRA | March Ford | 2 |
| 19 | Jackie Oliver | GBR | BRM | 2 |
| 22 | Dan Gurney | USA | McLaren Ford | 1 |
| 22 | Francois Cevert | FRA | March Ford | 1 |
| 22 | Peter Gethin | GBR | McLaren Ford | 1 |
| 22 | Derek BellDerek Bell | GBR | Surtees Ford | 1 |
Team standings
| Pos | Team | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lotus Ford | 59 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 52 |
| 3 | Matra Ford | 48 |
| 4 | Brabham Ford | 35 |
| 5 | McLaren Ford | 35 |
| 6 | BRM | 23 |
| 7 | Matra | 23 |
| 8 | Surtees Ford | 3 |
