Jochen Rindt was a fantastically gifted, spectacular driver, who on his day was virtually unbeatable. Tragically he was to become the sport's first posthumous champion, after losing his life during qualifying for the 1970 Italian GP at Monza. He started his F1 career in 1965 driving for Cooper and stayed until 1967, before moving on to join the Brabham team. He started to make a name for himself at Brabham, then moved to Lotus in 1969 as team mate to Graham Hill. He had several battles that year with Jackie Stewart in the Matra, most notably a titanic struggle in the British GP at Silverstone. Stewart won the race after Rindt suffered meachanical problems. 1970 saw the emergence of the fast but fragile ground breaking Lotus 72. It was the car that would take Jochen to his title, but it would also claim his life. Earlier that year Rindt took a stupendous win at the Monaco GP, in the then ageing Lotus 49C. He charged after Jack Brabham late in the race at break neck speed, forcing the Australian into a mistake at the final corner, it was an unforgettable sight. Despite losing his life at Monza, Rindt had amassed enough points to secure his title from challenger Jacky Ickx in the Ferrari. One of the sport's most spectacular drivers was gone.
Nationality - Austrian
Born 18 April 1942
Killed Monza 1970
First GP Austria 1964
Total GP's 60
Wins 6
Poles 10
Fastest laps 3
Total points 109
Teams
Rob Walker Racing
Cooper
Brabham
Lotus
World Champion
1970
