On this day in 1970, Formula One arrived at Watkins Glen for the United States Grand Prix under the shadow of tragedy. Jochen Rindt, already the dominant force of the season, had been killed at Monza, leaving his rookie teammate Emerson Fittipaldi to carry Lotus’s hopes. What followed was a breakthrough performance from the young Brazilian, whose maiden victory ensured Rindt became Formula One’s only posthumous World Champion and secured the Constructors’ crown for Lotus.

We also look back to 1964, when Graham Hill’s victory at the Glen kept him at the forefront of a dramatic title fight with John Surtees and Jim Clark, before fast forwarding to Suzuka in 2009, where Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull laid down a marker for the future. Along the way, we pause to remember 1967 World Champion Denny Hulme, who passed away on this day in 1992.

It’s a story of breakthrough wins, title-shaping battles, and the poignant legacy of champions remembered.

Cover image: By Jim Culp, Jochen Rindt. BY-NC-ND 2.0 Link

Music by #Mubert Music Rendering