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Flat out through Masta

07. May 2019 
by Ziv Knoll
2889 views

Jackie Stewart, put the Tyrrell-entered March 701 on pole for the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix held at Spa-Francorchamps. He was followed by Jochen Rindt in a Lotus 49 and Chris Amon in the STP-March 701 (picture above). Local hero Jacky Ickx, in the superb Ferrari 312B qualified 4th.

The New-Zealander Chris Amon, always very fast but never a Grand Prix winner, looked like having the race under control, after both Stewart and Rindt were hit by engine trouble. But it wouldn’t be Amon’s day of glory.

Pedro Rodriguez, in his BRM P153 was flying by now, his new engine fitted for the race, running particularly strongly. Some have always expressed doubts concerning the legality of this engine, suddenly so competitive.

The pair slipstreamed past each other and were rarely more than two seconds apart, but Amon had to work very hard to keep up with the very powerful BRM V12 and the super determined Mexican.

The driver from New Zealand was heroic, pushing his less powerful V8 Cosworth to the limit, narrowly controlling his car in the super fast Spa corners, and set a new lap record on the last lap, to close within a second of the BRM.

Unfortunately, the elusive Grand Prix victory he was chasing, was not going to be. Pedro Rodriguez had won his second Grand Prix in magnificent fashion. The old Spa, much too fast and dangerous, but ho so beautiful, had held its last Grand Prix.

  1. Pedro Rodriguez, BRM
  2. Chris Amon, March
  3. Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Matra
  4. Ignazio Giunti, Ferrari
  5. Rolf Stommelen, Brabham
  6. Henri Pescarolo, Matra
Source: Rainer W Schlegelmilch

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