Confusion at Mosport

In 1973, at the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park, a Safety Car was deployed in Formula 1 for the first time (picture above), a Porsche 914/6 piloted by sometime F1 privateer Eppie Wietzes, who drove in front of Howden Ganley’s Iso-Marlboro by mistake, allowing several others, including eventual winner Peter Revson, to gain a lap.

Rain fell heavily on race day and the pit stops caused significant confusion, with some believing the leader to be Ganley and others believing it to be Fittipaldi or Revson. On the 80th lap, the starter waved the checkered flag over a group of cars consisting of Ganley, Hailwood, Revson and Hunt.

Despite Ganley seeing the flag first, the officials then announced Revson as the winner after a long confusion which included protest from Ganley’s then girlfriend (later wife) who had been keeping the team’s lap chart. Ganley maintains he feels he won the race, citing official lap charts have him pitting when he did not…