Although technically German, Jochen Rindt raced under the Austrian flag, held an Austrian licence, and became an Austrian citizen.
Known as the ‘Flying Finn’, it is said that power-sliding was made for Jochen.
He was fearless, ofttimes reckless, but always sensational to watch.
Every image seemed to be an exuberant exhibition of opposite locks.
‘This was in the days before downforce crushed the visual excitement invoked by throttle control working in harmony with an anticipated loss of rear grip.’
He professed he was not reckless, just in a hurry to win.
He braked for nothing except the checkered flag.
Jochen Rindt was tragically killed whilst qualifying for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix driving a Lotus 72.
His Lotus left the tack at the spine-chilling fast Parabolica corner at Monza.
Jochen refused to wear crutch straps; the impact slid him lower into the cockpit, and the seat harness buckle inflicted fatal throat injuries.
Even having had only five wins, he was sufficiently ahead of his nearest rival, Jacky Ickx, that Jochen couldn’t be beaten in the championship.
He famously said, ‘Now, when I am driving for Lotus, in two years, I’ll either be world champion or dead’.
He achieved both.
After his death, he was inducted into the International Hall of Fame in 1995 and the FIA Hall of Fame in 2016.
Formula 1’s only ever posthumous World Champion: The legendary Jochen Rindt.
