“You ignore everything…”
Jochen Rindt (1942-1970) was an Austrian race driver who won six Formula One Grand Prix in 60 starts and who sadly was killed during practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, and so became the only driver to be posthumously awarded the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship.
Picture above: In March 1967, Jochen Rindt married Nina Lincoln, a Finnish model and daughter of driver Curt Lincoln, whom he had raced in the early part of his career.
Jochen first was a sensation in Formula Two where he amassed a total of 29 victories. His performances led him to be called “King of Formula 2”. Along with single-seater racing, Rindt took up sports car racing in the mid-1960’s and in 1965, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with American Masten Gregory, driving a North American Racing Team (NART)-entered Ferrari 250LM.
About his passion for racing, Jochen said: “You ignore everything and just concentrate. You forget about the rest of the world and become part of the car and track. It’s a very special feeling. You’re completely out of this world and completely into it. There’s nothing like it.”
Rindt, picture below at the 1969 South African Grand Prix in a Lotus 49, was one of the fastest drivers of his time, a remarkable character who inspired a generation of Austrian drivers. A great loss.
