Post by backmarker on May 19, 2006 0:54:55 GMT 1
the challenge:
Track: Sunset Peninsula Infield; Alpine Ring
Class: P1
Car: BMW Motorsport #42 McLaren F1 GTR; Porsche #26 911 GT1 Le Mans
background:
KARL JOCHEN RINDT was an Austrian racing driver born in Germany. He is the only driver to have posthumously won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 1970.
Struggling with undistinguished cars earlier in his career, Rindt’s move to Lotus in 1969 armed him with perhaps the greatest Formula one car of all time, the Lotus 72. He placed fourth in the 1969 championship, quickly overhauling his team-mate, the ageing Graham Hill, before taking 5 more five races in 1970 (Monaco, The Netherlands, France, Britain and Germany).
During practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, however, Rindt lost control of his car upon braking for the Parabolica; possibly one of his four wheel disc brakes failed, and his car darted left, straight into and under the barriers which were placed too high for the revolutionary wedge design of his Lotus 72. He was immediately rushed to hospital, but died on the way. Rindt had only recently acquiesced to wearing a simple lap belt, and had slid underneath where the belt buckle cut his throat.
Because Rindt had won five of that year's ten Grand Prix, his lead in the World Drivers Championship had become unassailable.
The end
