The story of a heroic racing driver, cheated by a car salesman. [I Love Formula 1]
In the 1970s formula 1 was fast, colourful and glamorous. And of course dangerous. It was the era when the likes of Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi fought to be champion on racetracks on every continent in cars that had a one in three chance of killing them before the end of the season.
A young Swedish driver called Ronnie Peterson came to the attention at this time, a quietly spoken and easy going man who was near impossibly quick and wild but sportsmanlike on the track. Ronnie became team mate to Fittipaldi at Lotus to help them challenge Tyrrell for the constructors championship. In 1973 he won his first race and would be a regular on the podium.
Ronnie was popular with both his rival drivers and team mechanics. He was friends with the likes of Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, John Watson and James Hunt. Lauda said that he learned some elements of breaking technique and car control from Peterson on his own way to becoming a three time world champion. Ronnies wife Barbro was also a regular in the garage, tracking Ronnies lap times and helping where she could.
Unfortunately Ronnie was to fall on tough times as Lotus failed year after year to produce new and competitive cars. Being beaten by McLaren, Brabham and Ferrari. But 1978 Lotus was back at its best and ready to win the championship.
Colin Chapman, the Lotus team boss signed Mario Andretti as Peterson’s team mate. Chapman wanted to win the world championship with an American driver to boost Lotus car sales in the US. But there was a problem. Ronnie was faster.
Lotus mechanics have since said they were told by Chapman to overload Ronnies car with fuel, thereby being heavier and therefore slower. They then also used lower grade tyres on Peterson’s cars, saving the qualifying tyres for Andretti.
Chapman got what he wanted. The American driver narrowly beat Peterson to the world championship, and in spite of it Lotus cars, being terrible, still didn’t sell in the States.
The tale has a tragic end. Ronnie Peterson was killed at the 1978 Italian Grand Prix. Formula 1 lost a man believed to be the best driver never to take the crown. And Barbro having lost the love of her life took her own life in the 1980s.
It’s disappointing when winning means more than life itself, more than honesty. Sadly, there are players and athletes out there, and their supporters willing to do their worst to claim a win. Maybe that’s why, in ancient times people played to the death.
