first time visit …
only a month earlier, during the French Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand in early july 1970 did drivers united under the Grand Prix Drivers Association speak out a general boycot of the Nürburging event, nothing was done to improve safety matters & drivers, lead by Jackie Stewart, more than questioned their safety if they were to race the treturous Nordschleife
a short term solution was found 200 kilometres south-east of Nürburg, in a small town called Hockenheim, where track holders had recently updated their extremely fast Hockenheimring with armco, surrounding the entire lenght of the track
the photo shows Jacky Ickx (10) who leads Jochen Rindt (2), Ickx’ team mate Clay Regazzoni & March driver Chris Amon … both Amon & Reggazoni would retire due to engine failures, after 50 laps Rindt crosses the line first after a hair raising slipstream battle with Ickx which lasted for 48 laps, but still only .7 of a second seperated both aces at the finish …
the Hockheimring legend was born & a lot of epic battles would follow
after major work F1 returned to the Nürburgring the following season, but it would only be on borrowed time … after Niki Lauda’s near fatal accident in 1976 the paddock would for always turn its back on the legendary Eifel track & put up camp at the old Mercedes test track of Hockenheim
