Grand Prix Insider

When Team Lotus arrived iat Jarama for the first race of the European season they came in mourning. Not only had Clark been killed at Hockenheim a month earlier, they were also missing Mike Spence who had lost his life during a practice run for the Indianapolis 500.

The Jarama race was the first World Championship event staged in Spain since Hawthorn had won at Barcelona back in 1954. To entice Formula 1 back to the Spain the country’s racing body had constructed a modern circuit at Jarama, just outside of Madrid. The circuit would remain in use until the early 1980’s before the circus moved on to Jerez and then Catalunya.

Several new cars made their debut here, among them the new Ford powered McLaren M7A, and the new Brabham BT26, which was once again powered by the Australian Repco company. BRM introduced their P133, Matra their MS10, Honda brought the RA301 and Cooper introduced a B-version of their T86. And, of course, Gold Leaf Team Lotus starred their new sponsorship livery on Hill’s sole Lotus 49.

Chris Amon, who had been joined at Ferrari by the young Belgian Jacky Ickx, had taken pole but he was beaten off the line by Rodriguez and Beltoise, who was deputizing for an injured Jackie Stewart. It took Amon 16 laps to recover the lead, helped by Beltoise’s retirement, only to have his own chance of victory dashed by a fuel pump problem.

That allowed Hill into the lead from where he scored a timely victory for the disheartened Lotus squad. He was followed home by the 1967 champion, Denny Hulme, and Brian Redman, in an ageing Cooper.

XIV Gran Premio de España - 1968 Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, Jarama, Spain.

Pole Position: Graham Hill. Lotus 49-Ford Cosworth, 1m 27.9s, 139.413 km/h (86.646 mph) average.

Race Result: Winner – Graham Hill. Lotus 49-Ford Cosworth, 90 laps x 3.404 km (2.116 miles) = 306.360 km (190.404 miles) total race distance in 2h 15m 20.1s, 135.823 km/h (84.415 mph) average.

2) Denny Hulme McLaren M7A-Ford +15.9s
3) Brian Redman Cooper T86B-BRM +1 Lap
4) Ludovico Scarfiotti Cooper T86B-BRM +1 Lap
5) Jean-Pierre Beltoise Matra MS10-Ford + 9 Laps
6) Bruce McLaren McLaren M7A-Ford retired, oil leak

Fastest Lap: Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Matra MS10-Ford Cosworth, 1m 28.3s on lap 47 = 138.781 km/h (86.253 mph) average.

Milestones:

- 1st Formula 1 Grand Prix at Jarama Circuit

Milestones among drivers:

- Jean-Pierre Beltoise’s 1st Fastest Lap

- Chris Amon’s 1st Pole Position

Milestones among teams, constructors and suppliers:

- Gold Leaf Team Lotus’ 1st Win as entrant/team;

- Matra International’s 1st Fastest Lap as entrant/team;

- Matra’s 1st Fastest Lap as constructor;

- Repco’s 50th - Formula 1 Grand Prix as engine supplier;

- Ford’s 50th Formula 1 Grand Prix as engine supplier;

- Gold Leaf Team Lotus’ 1st Formula 1 Grand Prix as entrant/team.