1970 United States Grand Prix

The 1970 United States Grand Prix was the 12th race of the 1970 Formula One season, held on October 4. Entering into the race, Jacky Ickx still had a mathematical chance of catching the late Jochen Rindt for the World Championship. Ickx had 28 points, and if he won at both Watkins Glen and Mexico, he would beat Rindt, 46 to 45. Even though Ickx started on pole, most of the race was dominated by Jackie Stewart in the new Tyrrell 001, who led the first 82 laps and almost lapping the field, before retiring when an oil leak caused his engine to seize. Pedro Rodríguez took over the lead, until he had to stop to refuel with seven laps to go, giving the dramatic victory to Brazilian rookie Emerson Fittipaldi in a . Rodríguez held on for second, and Fittipaldi's new teammate, Reine Wisell, took a fine third place in his debut. Ickx's fourth place gave championships to Rindt and Lotus.
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==Background==
This was to be the last race held on the original configuration of Watkins Glen. Plans were being shown of a massive rebuilding and upgrade of the track, with the work to be completed by the 1971 race. in the mean time, the pits were still cramped and antiquated, so the organizers would only allow 24 starters. With 27 entries, there would be three non qualifiers. As Watkins Glen did not pay starting money (but did pay an enormous amount of prize money), and the only seeded drivers were former champions (Jack Brabham, Graham Hill, John Surtees, Denny Hulme and Jackie Stewart), practice had a bit more urgency than usual.
==Entry list==
The full entry list for the is outlined below:
No.	Driver 	Entrant 	Constructor	Chassis	Engle	Model 	Tyre
1 	Jackie Stewart 	Tyrrell Racing Organisation 	 	001 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
2 	François Cevert 	Tyrrell Racing Organisation 	 	701 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
3 	Jacky Ickx 	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 	 	312B 	 	001 F12 3.0 	
4 	Clay Regazzoni 	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 	 	312B 	 	001 F12 3.0 	
5 	Ignazio Giunti 	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 	 	312B 	 	001 F12 3.0 	
6 	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	Equipe Matra Elf 	 	MS120 	 	MS12 V12 3.0	
7 	Henri Pescarolo 	Equipe Matra Elf 	 	MS120 	 	MS12 V12 3.0	
8 	Denny Hulme 	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing 	 	M14A 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
9 	Peter Gethin 	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing 	 	M14A 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
10 	Andrea de Adamich 	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing 	 	M14D 	 	T33 V8 3.0 	
11 	Jo Siffert 	March Engineering 	 	701 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
12 	Chris Amon 	March Engineering 	 	701 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
14 	Graham Hill 	Brooke Bond Oxo Racing — Rob Walker	 	72C 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
15 	Jack Brabham 	Motor Racing Developments Ltd. 	 	BT33 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
16 	Rolf Stommelen 	Auto Motor und Sport 	 	BT33 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
17 	John Surtees 	Team Surtees 	 	TS7 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
18 	Derek Bell 	Team Surtees 	 	TS7 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
19 	Pedro Rodríguez 	Yardley Team BRM 	 	P153 	 	P142 V12 3.0	
20 	Jackie Oliver 	Yardley Team BRM 	 	P153 	 	P142 V12 3.0	
21 	George Eaton 	Yardley Team BRM 	 	P153 	 	P142 V12 3.0	
22 	Silvio Moser 	Silvio Moser Racing Team 	 	F1 70 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
23 	Reine Wisell 	Gold Leaf Team Lotus 	 	72C 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
24 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	Gold Leaf Team Lotus 	 	72C 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
27 	Jo Bonnier 	Ecurie Bonnier 	 	M7C 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
28 	Pete Lovely 	Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. 	 	49B 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
29 	Ronnie Peterson 	Colin Crabbe Racing 	 	701 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
30 	Tim Schenken 	Frank Williams Racing Cars 	 	505/38 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
31 	Gus Hutchison 	Privateer 	 	BT26A 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
32 	Peter Westbury 	Yardley Team BRM 	 	P153 	 	P142 V12 3.0	
33 	Jackie Stewart 	Tyrrell Racing Organisation 	 	701 	 	DFV V8 3.0 	
34 	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	Equipe Matra Elf 	 	MS120 	 	MS12 V12 3.0	
==Practice Overview ==
==Qualifying==
===Qualifying Results===
Pos	No.	Driver 	Constructor	Lap 	Gap
1 	3 	Jacky Ickx 	 	1:03.07	—
2 	1 	Jackie Stewart 	 	1:03.62	+0.55
3 	24 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	 	1:03.67	+0.60
4 	19 	Pedro Rodríguez 	 	1:04.18	+1.11
5 	12 	Chris Amon 	 	1:04.23	+1.16
6 	4 	Clay Regazzoni 	 	1:04.30	+1.23
7 	20 	Jackie Oliver 	 	1:04.37	+1.30
8 	17 	John Surtees 	 	1:04.52	+1.45
9 	23 	Reine Wisell 	 	1:04.79	+1.72
10 	14 	Graham Hill 	 	1:04.81	+1.74
11 	8 	Denny Hulme 	 	1:04.84	+1.77
12 	7 	Henri Pescarolo 	 	1:05.00	+1.93
13 	18 	Derek Bell 	 	1:05.00	+1.93
14 	21 	George Eaton 	 	1:05.14	+2.07
15 	29 	Ronnie Peterson 	 	1:05.18	+2.11
16 	15 	Jack Brabham 	 	1:05.29	+2.22
17 	2 	François Cevert 	 	1:05.30	+2.23
18 	6 	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	 	1:05.44	+2.37
19 	16 	Rolf Stommelen 	 	1:05.77	+2.70
20 	30 	Tim Schenken 	 	1:06.08	+3.01
21 	9 	Peter Gethin 	 	1:06.12	+3.05
22 	16 	Gus Hutchison 	 	1:06.22	+3.15
23 	11 	Jo Siffert 	 	1:06.23	+3.16
24 	27 	Jo Bonnier 	 	1:06.46	+3.39
DNQ	32 	Peter Westbury 	 	1:07.20	+4.13
DNQ	28 	Pete Lovely 	 	1:07.45	+4.38
DNQ	10 	Andrea de Adamich 	 	1:12.24	+9.17
===Grid===
==Race==
===Report===
===Results===
Pos.	No.	Driver 	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Pts
1 	24 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	 	108 	1:57:32.79 	3 	9
2 	19 	Pedro Rodríguez 	 	108 	+36.39 	4 	6
3 	23 	Reine Wisell 	 	108 	+45.17 	9 	4
4 	3 	Jacky Ickx 	 	107 	+1 Lap 	1 	3
5 	12 	Chris Amon 	 	107 	+1 Lap 	5 	2
6 	18 	Derek Bell 	 	107 	+1 Lap 	13 	1
7 	8 	Denny Hulme 	 	106 	+2 Laps 	11 	 
8 	7 	Henri Pescarolo 	 	105 	+3 Laps 	12 	 
9 	11 	Jo Siffert 	 	105 	+3 Laps 	23 	 
10 	15 	Jack Brabham 	 	105 	+3 Laps 	16 	 
11 	29 	Ronnie Peterson 	 	104 	+4 Laps 	15 	 
12 	16 	Rolf Stommelen 	 	104 	+4 Laps 	19 	 
13 	4 	Clay Regazzoni 	 	101 	+7 Laps 	6 	 
14 	9 	Peter Gethin 	 	100 	+8 Laps 	21 	 
Ret 	1 	Jackie Stewart 	 	82 	Oil leak 	2 	 
Ret 	14 	Graham Hill 	 	72 	Clutch 	10 	 
Ret 	2 	François Cevert 	 	62 	Lost wheel 	17 	 
Ret 	30 	Tim Schenken 	 	61 	Suspension 	20 	 
Ret 	27 	Jo Bonnier 	 	51 	Water pipe 	24 	 
Ret 	6 	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	 	28 	Handling 	18 	 
Ret 	31 	Gus Hutchison 	 	22 	Fuel leak 	22 	 
Ret 	20 	Jackie Oliver 	 	15 	Engine 	7 	 
Ret 	21 	George Eaton 	 	11 	Engine 	14 	 
Ret 	17 	John Surtees 	 	6 	Flywheel 	8 	 
==Milestones==
*First victory for Emerson Fittipaldi, which clinched championships for Jochen Rindt and .
*First posthumous world title.
*First race and points, and only career podium, for Reine Wisell.
*Only career point for Derek Bell.
*Only race for Gus Hutchison.
*Final entry for Peter Westbury.
*Final race for .
==Standings after race==
 
Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship
Pos. 	Driver 	Pts 	+/-
1 	Jochen Rindt 	45 	
2 	Jacky Ickx 	31 	
3 	Clay Regazzoni 	27 	
4 	Jackie Stewart 	25 	
4 	Jack Brabham 	25 	
6 	Denny Hulme 	23 	
7 	Pedro Rodríguez 	22 	1
8 	Chris Amon 	20 	1
9 	Jean-Pierre Beltoise 	14 	
10 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	12 	5
11 	Rolf Stommelen 	10 	1
12 	Henri Pescarolo 	8 	1
13 	Graham Hill 	7 	1
14 	Bruce McLaren 	6 	1
15 	Mario Andretti 	4 	1
15 	Reine Wisell 	4 	9
17 	Ignazio Giunti 	3 	2
17 	John Surtees 	3 	2
19 	John Miles 	2 	1
19 	Johnny Servoz-Gavin 	2 	1
19 	Jackie Oliver 	2 	1
22 	Dan Gurney 	1 	1
22 	François Cevert 	1 	1
22 	Peter Gethin 	1 	1
22 	Derek Bell 	1 	1
Intercontinental Cup for Manufacturers	Intercontinental Cup for Manufacturers	Intercontinental Cup for Manufacturers	Intercontinental Cup for Manufacturers
Pos. 	Team 	Pts 	+/-
1 	 	59 	
2 	 	46 	
3 	 	45 	1
4 	 	34 	
5 	 	32 	
6 	 	22 	1
7 	 	21 	1
8 	 	3 	
Category:Grand Prix articles
Category:Grand Prix articles
Category:1970 Grands Prix
Category:United States Grand Prix
Category:Formula One races in the United States