In the week of the Spanish Grand Prix, why not revisit one of the strangest and most peculiar stories of Formula 1 in Spanish territory? The 1969 Madrid GP, which ended up being one of the biggest fiascoes in the history of F1 events. But not everything went so terribly, because one thing saved the race from being a real disaster: the quick support from other categories, which helped to transform the long-awaited and desired F1 event into a great free-for-all.
Non-Championship Races: Relics of the Past
The 1969 season marked the beginning of a new era in Formula 1, encompassing the economic, technological and sporting factors of the category. Starting with the matters of technological evolution, we can say that it was in the final years of the 60s that cars in F1, F2 and other single-seater categories began to resemble the vehicles we see on today’s circuits. The primitive high-wings and ailerons implemented in 1968 gave way the following year to more definitive installations, which put into practice in a more efficient way the lessons learned about car aerodynamics, together with what we know today as ‘ground effect’.
