Already on the podium

Carlos Reutemann made his Formula 1 debut driving a  McLaren M7A for the Écurie Bonnier team at the 1971 Argentine Grand Prix (non-championship), and impressed by immediately climbing onto the podium! (photo above).

The 1971 Argentine Grand Prix hosted both Formula 1 and Formula 5000 single-seaters and was held at the Autódromo Oscar Gálvez in Buenos Aires, but did not count towards the Formula 1 World Championship.

Scuderia Ferrari had entered three single-seaters there, but they were withdrawn following the fatal accident that occurred to Ignazio Giunti at the 1000 km of Buenos Aires, two weeks earlier…

The race, contested over two 50-lap heats, was won by Chris Amon driving his Matra MS 120 (photo below) ahead of Henri Pescarolo in a March entered by Frank Williams Racing Cars, and the new Argentinian hero, Carlos Reutemann in his private McLaren.