F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Remastered footage of 1970 Spanish GP still gives the chills

Upscaled and extended footage of a bygone era in Formula 1 has emerged, with a film depicting the famous crash that occurred in the 1970 Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama.

Motor racing has always been embed with risk, but fifty years ago Grand Prix racing's perils were lurking at every corner on every lap.

At the start of the Spanish round, Jackie Stewart's March sprung into the lead from the second row to lead the field on the opening lap.

But as the Scot negotiated a tight right-hander shortly after the start, all hell broke loose behind when a broken axle on Jackie Oliver's BRM pitched the Brit's car out of control and into the path of the Ferrari of Jacky Ickx.

With cars on full tanks, a fiery blaze ensued, leaving both drivers struggling to exit their cockpits with little time to spare. While Oliver scrambled rapidly out of harm's way, Ickx's get away was slower as the Belgian battled with his harness.

The Ferrari driver eventually managed to liberate himself, only to find himself alight as he ran across the track in search of a marshal and a fire extinguisher.

The extraordinary footage is not only a reminder of the ever-present dangers that swamped F1 back in the day, it also displays the limited safety measures that were in force.

From a bystander positioned nonchalantly at the apex of the corner as the field barrels down to firefighters tackling the blaze with basic equipment as drivers press on, the stunning footage appears as surreal.

Both Ickx and Oliver were lucky to escape the worst that day, while the race allowed Stewart to take March to its first Grand Prix win.

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Mekies: Verstappen won’t be swayed by Red Bull staff changes

Uncertainty has hovered over Red Bull in recent weeks, but team principal Laurent Mekies is…

6 hours ago

Cadillac reveals special all-American Miami GP livery

The spotlight in Miami won’t just be on the racing this week – it will…

7 hours ago

No advantage, just safety: FIA details new F1 start plan

Formula 1 is set to experiment with a new race start procedure during practice at…

9 hours ago

Mansell slams F1: ‘Totally false’ overtakes under fire

Formula 1’s 2026 regulations were meant to usher in a new era of closer racing…

10 hours ago

Lauda's maiden F1 win and Ferrari's 50th GP triumph

In this scene immortalized by legendary photographer Bernard Cahier, a jumping-jack Luca di Montezemolo flanked…

11 hours ago

No big leap expected: Honda temper Aston Martin Miami hopes

Honda F1 Trackside Manager Shintaro Orihara has warned that Aston Martin are unlikely to see…

12 hours ago