1975 Austrian Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of Austria in 1975 was held on August 17 on the ring Austria near Zeltweg place and was the twelfth round of the Formula 1 season 1975. Had the race even the FIA honorary title of European Grand Prix.
- 3.1 Start -up
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
Prior to his home race Niki Lauda had 17 -point lead in the world championship standings over his pursuer Carlos Reutemann. Defending champion Emerson Fittipaldi were missing three outstanding world championship races 18 points on the Austrians.
30 participants registered for the race weekend and took part in the training.
The Team Surtees, who had the Grand Prix of Germany skipped due to damage to the unit carriage, returned after successful repair again with the regular driver John Watson in the field of participants, whereupon Lotus instead took up with Watson once again with Brian Henton next regular driver Ronnie Peterson.
Rolf Stommelen who had serious accident at the Grand Prix of Spain, returned to the Embassy Hill team, after Alan Jones had to vacate his cockpit. Also, after several months of abstinence dared Chris Amon a comeback in Formula 1 at the control of a second plant - Ensign.
In Shadow of the two factory cars with a V12 engine was fitted by Matra. This was piloted by Jean -Pierre Jarier, while his teammate Tom Pryce still went to the start with the conventional Ford V8 engine.
Two pilots debuting this weekend in Formula 1 This was Jo Vonlanthen as Paydriver in the second Williams and Brett Lunger, who drove the second plant - Hesketh, during the Warsteiner brewery continued to fund the use of Harald Ertl, from now on, however, in the form a private team.
Training
For the seventh time this season, Niki Lauda secured the pole position. James Hunt took second place in the front row at a slower by almost a tenth of a second training time. This was followed by Emerson Fittipaldi and Hans- Joachim Stuck, who shared the second row. Behind the Clay Regazzoni, Carlos Pace, Patrick Depailler Vittorio Brambilla and qualified.
Even before the actual race the weekend was marred by two serious accidents. Wilson Fittipaldi retired fractures on one hand as he crashed with his Copersucar during training. In the warm-up before the race, however, a still far more dramatic incident occurred. Mark Donohue came off due to a puncture in the fast Vöst Hill curve, which had not yet been modified by a braking chicane of the track and crashed into the barriers and against a billboard. Two marshals were seriously injured. One of them later died. Donohue was initially conscious, lost, however, a little later on the way to the hospital in Graz. On Tuesday after the race, he died there of his injuries.
Race
Just before the start, the clouds condensed on the circuit, it began to rain heavily in some sections of the course. The vehicles were converted to wet tires. The start was delayed by a few minutes for this.
Lauda went to Hunt and the well started Depailler lead. This was followed by stucco, Fittipaldi, Brambilla and Scheckter. The Italians impressed by vorbeizog already during the first rounds at Fittipaldi, stucco and Depailler, thereby occupying the third place.
In the 15th round, both Hunt and Brambilla came past Lauda and even procured himself well ahead of him. As Hunt in the 19th round aground on the board to be lapped Lunger, Brambilla took advantage of the opportunity afforded to him and pulled both vehicles over the top.
While the weather conditions deteriorated gradually, thought the organizers after a race was stopped. Already fancy participants who had experienced out of the cockpit the difficult visibility and slippery track, encouraged them in this decision.
At the end of lap 29, the race was eventually canceled. The Leading Brambilla was it a complete surprise and ripped while driving over the finish line cheering the arms upward. He lost control of his car and crashed into the barriers. He managed, however, to return to the track and completed a lap of honor with significantly demolished vehicle.
This was the second victory for a car manufacturer March. As Jackie Stewart's success at the Spanish Grand Prix was, however, came in 1970 under the direction of then- customer teams Tyrrell about, it is now concerned the first victory of the March factory team.
For Brambilla, this was the first and only Grand Prix victory of his career. At the same time, this was his only podium finish and he had completed the only time the fastest race lap. Tom Pryce, who finished third behind James Hunt, also climbed the podium for the first time. Since less than 75 percent of the originally planned race distance had been completed, only half points were awarded according to the rules.
Niki Lauda had to bring in the two races still outstanding, only a single point to become World Champion. If he does not succeed, Reutemann had only in the case of two wins the title safe.
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).