Jochen on a charge, huntin’ his friend Jack Brabham down…
‘Twas a famous victory this one. Jochen wasn’t a happy camper. The brand-spankers Lotus 72 wasn’t fast out of the box. It made its race debut in Spain on April 19 and by Monaco was already in B-spec. Team Lotus got there soon enough mind you, Rindt won in Holland on June 21 in a 72C.
But he wasn’t happy at Monaco.
The Lotus 49 made its race debut at Zandvoort ’67 and even with a few 1970 tweaks; suspension geometry, 72 wings et al, it was an old beast so he started the race from grid 8 in a cruise-and-collect mindset having slept badly on a yacht shared with his manager, Bernie Ecclestone.
Stewart’s March 701 Ford leads Chris Amon’s similar car, Jacky Ickx’ Ferrari 312B and Denny Hulme’s yellow McLaren M14A Ford (Gulay Berryman)
Early in the race; Brabham’s BT33 from JPB’s Matra MS120, Ickx’ Ferrari 312B, Hulme’s McLaren M14A Ford, Rindt’s Lotus 49C Ford and Pescarolo’s Matra MS120 (Automobile Year 18)
Stewart led for the first third of the race, than retired with engine electronics problems, leaving Jack and Chris Amon in positions one and two. Jochen was seventh, but thanks to typical Monaco attrition he moved up the lap charts.
Ickx and Beltoise retired – then the Austrian fired up and passed Pescarolo and Hulme, leaving only Amon and Brabham up the road.
Rindt’s charge is underway. Here #3 Rindt is lining Denny Hulme’s McLaren M14A, behind is Pescarolo’s Matra MS120, Courage’ De Tomaso 505 Ford, Siffert’s March 701 Ford and in the distance Bruce McLaren, McLaren M14A Ford (The Cahier Archive)
Amon retired on lap 61 leaving only Brabham, not too traumatised even with four laps to go, with a lead of nine seconds.
On lap 77 Black-Jack was baulked by Siffert’s March 701, the Swiss was suffering from fuel feed dramas – losing five seconds – Jochen was lapping in 1:23s, Jack 1:24s.
At Tabac Brabham came upon three back-markers, and then into the hairpin on the last lap the struggling Piers Courage – in 1969 he was up-front in one of Tauranac’s BT26 Brabhams, in 1970 aboard the shitbox De Tomaso 505 – Brabham went off-line onto the marbles to pass Piers, applied the brakes and boofed the fence allowing Jochen, shaking his head in disbelief, to pass into the lead.
Brabham soon got his BT33 going to take second from Henri Pescarolo’s Matra MS120 in third.
Brabham with ‘bruised nose’ has recovered and drives to the line, retaining second place. Brabham BT33 Ford (unattributed)
For the first 40 laps of the race Rindt’s average lap time was 1:27, for the last 40 1:24.9, one-second quicker than he qualified.
Mind over matter and the sniff of victory.
(unattributed)
Brabham’s loss of the Monaco GP provided the base upon which Rindt built his 1970 World Championship, albeit tinged in absolute tragedy.
YouTube Last Laps…
Credits…
Gulay Berryman painting, Automobile Year 18, The Cahier Archive
Tailpiece: Even the wiliest and most experienced can have lapses of judgement. Brabham in BT33 Monaco 1970…
Finito…
primotipo... 
I was there and I don’t wish to discuss it!
I was there and I don’t wish to discuss it! But I do very much appreciate your emails
I watched this on TV in the UK, and remember how exciting the last few laps were. Really felt for Jack that day, and at Brands later in the season, which I attended – we still didn’t know who had won until well after we had escaped the traffic jams and left the circuit
regarding the “Berryman painting”, please: name of artist, date of execution, and assuming the provenance is Berryman collection?… for the record. Sorry to be a Nanny, but as you know, attributions are gold, so leave a glittering trail. I Love what you are doing. Cheers, Michael Anderson.
Hi Michael,
Quick Google, the Gulay Berryman is an American artist, it appears the work was completed in 2014. Am making good progress on ’27 AGP/Meredith!
Mark
With three wins, Jack could have been in contention for the Championship after Brands Hatch. The Monaco crash must have been a factor for his subsequent lack of pace?
Fun fact: his Monaco car sported “Super Roo” stickers.
Thanks for the article.