Ronnie Peterson, the perfect team-mate

Ronnie Peterson joined Mario Andretti and the JPS Team Lotus for the 1978 season. The fast Swede, having suffered at the wheel of the heavy and by now uncompetitive Tyrrell P34/2 six wheeler the year before, gladly signed for Colin Chapman’s team as second driver.

His mission, help his American team leader (Andretti) become World Champion. The Lotus 79 was a fantastic machine, benefiting from the ‘ground effect’ aerodynamics invented by Chapman and his team. A huge advantage.
Sometimes faster than his team-mate in some races, Peterson faithfully stayed behind his leader (picture below at Zandvoort).

Mario Andretti was crowned and Ronnie Peterson was awarded second place in the Drivers’ standing posthumously, sadly having died from medical complications after a terrible accident at the start of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.