1968 Mexican Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of Mexico in 1968 took place on 3 November in Mexico City and was the twelfth and final race of the Formula 1 season 1968.
- 3.1 Start -up
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
Before the last round of the season still had three pilots opportunities to the world title. These were the leading in the championship Graham Hill, the defending champion Denis Hulme and Jackie Stewart, who had retained the connection to the top with his victory at the U.S. Grand Prix four weeks before.
The third factory Lotus, the team had taken to the flyaways was busy this weekend with the local host starter Moisés Solana. It was his last Grand Prix participation.
Jacky Ickx returned to auskurierter leg injury back to the Ferrari cockpit.
Joakim Bonnier announced after numerous operations of a technologically obsolete McLaren M5A for this race a Honda 301 for his private team.
Training
Jo Siffert secured in the private Lotus 49 pole position ahead of Chris Amon in the Ferrari 312 The second row shared the two championship rivals Hill and Hulme. The third title aspirant Stewart had to settle for the seventh grid position behind Dan Gurney and John Surtees.
Race
The starting from the front row pilots were overhauled immediately after the fall of the starting flag of Hill, who in turn was overtaken by the Surtees started well before the first corner. However, even during the first round, he retook the lead. Stewart had meanwhile positioned in third place before Amon, Hulme, Rodríguez and Rindt.
During the first few laps there were numerous shifts in position. Surtees fell back due to an engine problem and Rindt difference with defective ignition. A similar problem also ended after just two laps of the race Ickx.
For some laps Stewart took over the lead from Hill and Hulme, bringing the three World Cup opponents were in the top three positions. However, Hulme dropped out because of suspension damage from this top group by was first overtaken by Siffert and finally crashed in the eleventh round in the barriers.
The battle for the World Cup had thus developed into a duel between Hill and Stewart, intervened in the Siffert, by taking the lead in the 22nd round. However, a pit stop due to a technical defect threw him back a little later.
Stewart was second in a large lead over the rest of the field, but fell due to a problem with the fuel supply back gradually and was overtaken on lap 51, third placed Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren.
After Brabham and Johnny Servoz - Gavin had been eliminated, the second Lotus factory driver Jackie Oliver took third place behind the new world champion Hill and Bruce McLaren. Stewart was ultimately seventh.
It was Graham Hills second World Cup win after 1962 and the third constructors' title for Lotus after 1963 and 1965.
Message list
Classifications
Line-up
Race
WM stands after the race
The first six of the race were 9, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s).