 The German Grand Prix was originally set to take place at its traditional venue, the Nürburgring. The Grand Prix Drivers'Association (GPDA), represented by Rindt and Graham Hill, demanded changes made to the circuit to increase safety, including Armco barriers along the entire 22.8 kilometres (14.2 mi) of the Nordschleife. No agreement was reached and the Grand Prix moved to Hockenheim, where Rindt took his fourth victory in succession. The race was another classic two-way fight, this time between Rindt and Ickx, who exchanged the lead several times. This meant that he could have secured the drivers' title at his home event at the Austrian Grand Prix. To the delight of the crowd, he set the Lotus 72 on pole position, but retired from the race with an engine failure. The title decision was therefore postponed to the next race in Monza.
