1969 Formula One season

1969 FIA Formula One World Championship season
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Index: Races by country | Races by season

The 1969 Formula One season included the 20th FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on March 1, 1969, and ended on October 19 after eleven races.

Season summary

Matra withdrew their works team from the 1969 championship and focused on their partnership with Ken Tyrrell. Jackie Stewart won the 1969 title easily with the new Matra MS80, which corrected most of the weaknesses of the MS10. Stewart's title was the first won by a French chassis, and the only one won by a chassis built in France. It was a spectacular achievement from a constructor that had only entered Formula One the previous year.

Jacky Ickx had a strong second half to the season for Brabham, winning in Germany and Canada, after Jack Brabham was sidelined by a testing accident. Ickx finished second in the drivers' championship, with 37 points to Stewart's 63.

After several incidents in which wings, struts, or the suspension (to which they were attached) collapsed, wings were banned from Monaco 1969. They were reintroduced later in the season but were to be restricted in size and height, and attached directly to the chassis in a fixed position.

1969 also saw a brief resurgence of interest in four wheel drive following a number of wet races the previous year. Four such cars were entered for the British Grand Prix, and Johnny Servoz-Gavin became the one and only driver to score a point with a 4WD, finishing sixth with the Matra MS84 at the Canadian Grand Prix. Wide tyres and downforce quickly proved to be superior means of increasing grip, and the technology was largely abandoned, although Lotus continued to experiment with the idea for a few more years. Bruce McLaren described the handling of his M9 as being like trying to sign an autograph while someone was jogging his elbow; Cosworth discovered that their car handled better the more drive went to the rear wheels.

The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps was boycotted by many of the drivers because of the extreme danger of the track after an overall inspection of Spa by Jackie Stewart. The race was eventually dropped from the calendar, and it was included in 1970 after Armco was added to the track.

Season review

Rnd	Race	Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Constructor	Tyre	Report
1	South African Grand Prix	Kyalami	March 1	Jack Brabham	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Matra-Ford	D	Report
2	Spanish Grand Prix	Montjuïc	May 4	Jochen Rindt	Jochen Rindt	Jackie Stewart	Matra-Ford	D	Report
3	Monaco Grand Prix	Monaco	May 18	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Graham Hill	Lotus-Ford	F	Report
4	Dutch Grand Prix	Zandvoort	June 21	Jochen Rindt	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Matra-Ford	D	Report
5	French Grand Prix	Charade	July 6	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Matra-Ford	D	Report
6	British Grand Prix	Silverstone	July 19	Jochen Rindt	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Matra-Ford	D	Report
7	German Grand Prix	Nürburgring	August 3	Jacky Ickx	Jacky Ickx	Jacky Ickx	Brabham-Ford	G	Report
8	Italian Grand Prix	Monza	September 7	Jochen Rindt	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	Jackie Stewart	Matra-Ford	D	Report
9	Canadian Grand Prix	Mosport Park	September 20	Jacky Ickx	Jacky Ickx Jack Brabham	Jacky Ickx	Brabham-Ford	G	Report
10	United States Grand Prix	Watkins Glen	October 5	Jochen Rindt	Jochen Rindt	Jochen Rindt	Lotus-Ford	F	Report
11	Mexican Grand Prix	Hermanos Rodríguez	October 19	Jack Brabham	Jacky Ickx	Denny Hulme	McLaren-Ford	G	Report

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1969 FIA World Championship.

Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	Driver	Rounds
Gold Leaf Team Lotus	Lotus	49B 63	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Graham Hill	1-10
					Jochen Rindt	1-2, 4-11
					Mario Andretti	1, 7, 10
					Richard Attwood	3
					John Miles	5-6, 8-9, 11
Rob Walker/Jack Durlacher Racing Team	Lotus	49B	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Jo Siffert	All
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing	McLaren	M7A M7C M9A	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	Denny Hulme	All
					Bruce McLaren	All
					Derek Bell	6
Matra International	Matra	MS10 MS80 MS84	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	D	Jackie Stewart	All
					Jean-Pierre Beltoise	All
					Johnny Servoz-Gavin	9-11
		MS7	Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4	D	Johnny Servoz-Gavin	7
Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC North American Racing Team	Ferrari	312	Ferrari 255C 3.0 V12	F	Chris Amon	1-6
					Pedro Rodríguez	6, 8-11
					Tino Brambilla	8
Owen Racing Organisation	BRM	P138 P133 P139	BRM P142 3.0 V12	D	John Surtees	1-4, 6-11
					Jackie Oliver	1-4, 6-11
					Bill Brack	9
					George Eaton	10-11
Reg Parnell Racing	BRM	P126	BRM P142 3.0 V12	G	Pedro Rodríguez	1-3
Motor Racing Developments Ltd	Brabham	BT26A BT26	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	Jack Brabham	1-4, 8-11
					Jacky Ickx	All
Team Gunston	Lotus Brabham	49 BT24	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Repco 620 3.0 V8	D F	John Love	1
					Sam Tingle	1
Team Lawson	McLaren	M7A	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	D	Basil van Rooyen	1
Jack Holme	Brabham	BT20	Repco 620 3.0 V8	G	Peter de Klerk	1
Frank Williams Racing Cars	Brabham	BT26A	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	D	Piers Courage	2-11
		BT30	Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4	D	Richard Attwood	7
Antique Automobiles	Cooper McLaren	T86B M7B	Maserati 10/F1 3.0 V12 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	Vic Elford	3-7
Silvio Moser Racing Team	Brabham	BT24	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	Silvio Moser	3-5, 8-11
Ecurie Bonnier	Lotus	63 49B	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Joakim Bonnier	6-7
Ahrens Racing Team	Brabham	BT30	Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4	D	Kurt Ahrens, Jr.	7
Roy Winkelmann Racing	Lotus	59B	Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4	F	Hans Herrmann	7
					Rolf Stommelen	7
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG	BMW	269	BMW M12/1 1.6 L4	D	Hubert Hahne	7
					Gerhard Mitter	7
					Dieter Quester	7
Matra Sports	Matra	MS7	Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4	D	Henri Pescarolo	7
Tecno Racing Team	Tecno	TF69	Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4	D	François Cevert	7
Squadra Tartaruga	Brabham	BT23C	Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4	F	Xavier Perrot	7
Felday Engineering Ltd	Brabham	BT30	Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4	F	Peter Westbury	7
Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc.	Lotus	49B	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Pete Lovely	9-11
Paul Seitz	Brabham	BT23B	Climax FPF 2.8 L4	D	John Cordts	9
John Maryon	Eagle	T1F	Climax FPF 2.8 L4	F	Al Pease	9

• Pink background denotes F2 entrants to the German Grand Prix.

1969 Drivers Championship final standings

Pos. Driver RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER ITA CAN USA MEX Pts. 1 Jackie Stewart 1 1 Ret 1 1 1 2 1 Ret Ret 4 63 2 Jacky Ickx Ret 6 Ret 5 3 2 1 10 1 Ret 2 37 3 Bruce McLaren 5 2 5 Ret 4 3 3 4 5 DNS DNS 26 4 Jochen Rindt Ret Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret 2 3 1 Ret 22 5 Jean-Pierre Beltoise 6 3 Ret 8 2 9 12† 3 4 Ret 5 21 6 Denny Hulme 3 4 6 4 8 Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret 1 20 7 Graham Hill 2 Ret 1 7 6 7 4 9 Ret Ret 19 8 Piers Courage Ret 2 Ret Ret 5 Ret 5 Ret 2 10 16 9 Jo Siffert 4 Ret 3 2 9 8 11† 8 Ret Ret Ret 15 10 Jack Brabham Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 2 4 3 14 11 John Surtees Ret 5 Ret 9 Ret DNS NC Ret 3 Ret 6 12 Chris Amon Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret Ret 4 13 Richard Attwood 4 3 14 Vic Elford 7 10 5 6 Ret 3 15 Pedro Rodríguez Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 5 7 3 16 Silvio Moser Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret 6 11 1 17 Jackie Oliver 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 1 18 Johnny Servoz-Gavin 6 NC 8 1 — Sam Tingle 8 0 — Pete Lovely Ret 9 0 — John Miles Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 0 — Bill Brack NC 0 — Mario Andretti Ret Ret Ret 0 — Jo Bonnier Ret Ret 0 — George Eaton Ret Ret 0 — Peter de Klerk NC 0 — Basil van Rooyen Ret 0 — John Love Ret 0 — Derek Bell Ret 0 — John Cordts Ret 0 — Al Pease DSQ 0 Pos. Driver RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER ITA CAN USA MEX Pts.

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish, inc. non-classified finish Purple Did not finish (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Light blue Practiced only (PO) Friday test driver (TD) - 2003-2007 only Blank Did not practice (DNP) Injured or ill (Inj) Excluded (EX) Did not arrive (DNA)

† Formula Two cars occupied fifth to tenth positions in the German Grand Prix, however drivers of these cars were not eligible for championship points. The points for fifth and sixth were awarded to the drivers of the eleventh and twelfth placed cars.

1969 Constructors Championship final standings

Points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis to the first six finishers at each round, however only the best placed car from each manufacturer was eligible to score points. The best five results from the first six rounds and the best four results from the last five rounds were retained.

Pos.	Manufacturer	RSA	ESP	MON	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	CAN	USA	MEX	Pts.
1	Matra-Ford	1	1	Ret	1	1	1	2	1	4	NC	4	66
2	Brabham-Ford	Ret	6	2	5	3	2	1	5	1	2	2	49 (51)
3	Lotus-Ford	2	Ret	1	2	6	4	4	2	3	1	9	47
4	McLaren-Ford	3	2	5	4	4	3	3	4	5	Ret	1	38 (40)
5	BRM	7	5	Ret	9		Ret	DNS	NC	NC	3	6	7
6	Ferrari	Ret	Ret	Ret	3	Ret	Ret		6	Ret	5	7	7
—	Cooper-Maserati			7									0
—	Brabham-Repco	8											0
—	Brabham-Climax									Ret			0
—	Eagle-Climax									DSQ			0
Pos.	Manufacturer	RSA	ESP	MON	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	CAN	USA	MEX	Pts.

• Bold results counted to championship totals.

Non-Championship race results

Other Formula One races held in 1969, which did not count towards the World Championship.

Race Name	Circuit	Date	Winning driver	Constructor	Report
IV Race of Champions	Brands Hatch	March 16	Jackie Stewart	Matra-Cosworth	Report
XXI BRDC International Trophy	Silverstone	March 30	Jack Brabham	Brabham-Cosworth	Report
Madrid Grand Prix	Jarama	April 13	Keith Holland	Lola-Chevrolet	Report
XVI International Gold Cup	Oulton Park	August 16	Jacky Ickx	Brabham-Cosworth	Report

Notes

This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at 1969 Formula One season. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Autopedia, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.