The 1970 Formula 1 season was the 24th season of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It was one of the most tragic and remarkable seasons in F1 history, as Austrian driver Jochen Rindt became the sport's first (and only) posthumous World Champion after losing his life during practice for the Italian Grand Prix. The season also saw the death of Bruce McLaren in a testing accident. The championship was contested over 13 rounds, with Rindt winning five races in his Lotus 72 before his death, and Ferrari's Clay Regazzoni and Jacky Ickx mounting a late-season charge that ultimately fell short.
The 1970 Formula 1 season began at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa. Jack Brabham, driving for his own Brabham team, won the race ahead of Denny Hulme in a McLaren. The new Lotus 72 made its debut but suffered reliability issues, with Jochen Rindt retiring.
Jochen Rindt took his first victory of the season at the Monaco Grand Prix, driving the innovative Lotus 72. He won by nearly a lap over Jack Brabham, who crashed on the final lap at the chicane while leading, handing Rindt the win. This marked the beginning of Rindt's dominant mid-season run.
New Zealand racing driver and team founder Bruce McLaren was killed while testing a McLaren M8D Can-Am car at the Goodwood Circuit in England. The rear bodywork detached at high speed, causing the car to lose downforce and crash. His death was a devastating blow to the motorsport community and the McLaren team.
Jochen Rindt won the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort in commanding fashion, leading from pole position in his Lotus 72. This was his second consecutive victory and established him as the championship leader. Jacky Ickx finished second for Ferrari.
![Circuit Park Zandvoort, 4,193 km, layout 1948-1972 [(https://web.archive.org/web/20100603204811/http://www.circuit-zandvoort.nl/info/track_data/]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Circuit_Park_Zandvoort-1948.svg/500px-Circuit_Park_Zandvoort-1948.svg.png)
The German Grand Prix was held at the Hockenheimring instead of the Nürburgring after safety concerns. Jochen Rindt won the race in his Lotus 72, extending his championship lead. This would be his fifth and final Grand Prix victory.
Championship leader Jochen Rindt was killed during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. His Lotus 72 crashed at the Parabolica corner, reportedly due to a brake shaft failure. Rindt's death sent shockwaves through the sport, and he had already accumulated enough points that no other driver could catch him by season's end.
At the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, young Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi took his first Formula 1 victory in only his fourth race, driving for Lotus. With Jacky Ickx finishing fourth, Rindt's points lead became mathematically insurmountable, making Jochen Rindt the first and only posthumous Formula 1 World Champion.
The 1970 season concluded at the Mexican Grand Prix in Mexico City. Jacky Ickx won the race for Ferrari, his second consecutive victory, but it was not enough to overhaul Rindt's points total. Clay Regazzoni finished second, securing third in the championship. The season ended with Rindt as champion, Ickx as runner-up, and Regazzoni third.
