1975 Argentine Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Country:Argentina
Grand Prix:Argentine
Date:January 12,
Year:1975
Official Name:XII Gran Premio de la Republica Argentina
Location:Autódromo Municipal Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Course:Permanent racing facility
Course Mi:3.708
Course Km:5.968
Distance Laps:53
Distance Mi:196.549
Distance Km:316.315
Weather:Hot and sunny
Pole Driver:Jean-Pierre Jarier
Pole Team:Shadow-Ford
Pole Time:1:49.21[1]
Pole Country:FRA
Fast Driver:James Hunt
Fast Team:Hesketh-Ford
Fast Time:1:50.91[2]
Fast Lap:34
Fast Country:GBR
First Driver:Emerson Fittipaldi
First Team:McLaren-Ford
First Country:BRA
Second Driver:James Hunt
Second Team:Hesketh-Ford
Second Country:GBR
Third Driver:Carlos Reutemann
Third Team:Brabham-Ford
Third Country:ARG
Lapchart:[3]

The 1975 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Buenos Aires on 12 January 1975. It was race 1 of 14 in both the 1975 World Championship of Drivers and the 1975 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. It was the twelfth Argentine Grand Prix and only the second to be held on the lengthened six kilometre version of the race track that runs out towards Curvon Salotto around the lake which lies to the north-east of the circuit.

The race was won for the second time by Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi driving a McLaren M23. He took a six-second victory over James Hunt in his Hesketh 308. Carlos Reutemann scored his best result to that time on his home race finishing third in his Brabham BT44B.

Race summary

The close season had been fairly quiet – Jochen Mass had replaced Denny Hulme at McLaren, John Watson had joined Surtees and Mike Wilds, Rolf Stommelen and Jacques Laffite were confirmed at BRM, Hill and Williams respectively.

March had announced their retirement, but then in a dramatic U-turn confirmed their entry for 1975 with Vittorio Brambilla and Lella Lombardi.

There were contractual wrangles with Ronnie Peterson, reportedly discontent at Lotus and it was uncertain up until the start of practice whether he would be driving for them or Shadow.

Jean-Pierre Jarier proved the Shadow's effectiveness, putting in the fastest ever lap of the circuit, averaging 122 mph to gain his first pole from Carlos Pace and Carlos Reutemann.

However it was all in vain. On the warm-up lap, his crown-wheel-and-pinion stripped, leaving him a non-starter. Local hero Reutemann gratefully accepted the lead from Pace. James Hunt driving the newest Hesketh with new rubber suspension climbed from the 6th row up to third place, duelling with Niki Lauda. Jochen Mass and Jody Scheckter tangled. Meanwhile, John Watson was stranded with a loose fuel-pipe and was disqualified after attempting trackside repairs.

Wilson Fittipaldi crashed on lap 13, his car catching fire and requiring the fire engine to be deployed. By now, Hunt had passed Lauda and was catching the two Brabhams. Pace took the lead on lap 15, but spun on the very next lap. Reutemann having retaken the lead, was understeering badly and on lap 25 was passed by Hunt. There was a ferocious battle with Emerson Fittipaldi for the lead.

Classification

Qualifying

Pos.DriverConstructorTime/Gap
1 Jean-Pierre JarierShadowFord1:49.21
2 Carlos PaceBrabhamFord+0.43
3 Carlos ReutemannBrabhamFord+0.59
4 Niki LaudaFerrari+0.75
5 Emerson FittipaldiMcLarenFord+0.81
6 James HuntHeskethFord+1.05
7 Clay RegazzoniFerrari+1.50
8 Patrick DepaillerTyrrellFord+1.59
9 Jody ScheckterTyrrellFord+1.61
10 Mario AndrettiParnelliFord+1.85
11 Ronnie PetersonLotusFord+2.23
12 Vittorio BrambillaMarchFord+2.56
13 Jochen MassMcLarenFord+2.61
14 Tom PryceShadowFord+2.71
15 John WatsonSurteesFord+2.92
16 Mark DonohuePenskeFord+3.15
17 Jacques LaffiteWilliamsFord+3.67
18 Jacky IckxLotusFord+3.69
19 Rolf StommelenLolaFord+3.91
20 Arturo MerzarioWilliamsFord+4.22
21 Graham HillLolaFord+4.79
22 Mike WildsBRM+5.27
23 Wilson FittipaldiFittipaldiFord+11.01
Source:[4]

Race

Pos No Driver Constructor Tyre Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
11 Emerson FittipaldiMcLaren-Ford531:39:26.2959
224 James HuntHesketh-Ford53+ 5.9166
37 Carlos ReutemannBrabham-Ford53+ 17.0634
411 Clay RegazzoniFerrari53+ 35.7973
54 Patrick DepaillerTyrrell-Ford53+ 54.2582
612 Niki LaudaFerrari53+ 1:19.6541
728 Mark DonohuePenske-Ford52+ 1 Lap16 
86 Jacky IckxLotus-Ford52+ 1 Lap18 
99 Vittorio BrambillaMarch-Ford52+ 1 Lap12 
1022 Graham HillLola-Ford52+ 1 Lap21 
113 Jody ScheckterTyrrell-Ford52+ 1 Lap9 
1216 Tom PryceShadow-Ford51Transmission14 
1323 Rolf StommelenLola-Ford51+ 2 Laps19 
142 Jochen MassMcLaren-Ford50+ 3 Laps13 
Ret8 Carlos PaceBrabham-Ford46Engine2 
NC20 Arturo MerzarioWilliams-Ford44Not Classified20 
Ret27 Mario AndrettiParnelli-Ford27Transmission10 
Ret14 Mike WildsBRM24Engine22 
Ret5 Ronnie PetersonLotus-Ford15Engine11 
Ret21 Jacques LaffiteWilliams-Ford15Gearbox17 
Ret30 Wilson FittipaldiFittipaldi-Ford12Accident23 
DSQ18 John WatsonSurtees-Ford6Disqualified15 
DNS17 Jean-Pierre JarierShadow-Ford0Transmission1 
WD29 Nestor García-VeigaBerta-FordWithdrew[5]

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1 Emerson Fittipaldi9
2 James Hunt6
3 Carlos Reutemann4
4 Clay Regazzoni3
5 Patrick Depailler2
Source:[6]
Constructors' Championship standings
PosConstructorPoints
1 McLaren-Ford9
2 Hesketh-Ford6
3 Brabham-Ford4
4 Ferrari3
5 Tyrrell-Ford2
Source:

Notes and References

  1. Book: Lang, Mike . Grand Prix! Vol 3 . Haynes Publishing Group . 1983 . 0-85429-380-9 . 66.
  2. Book: Lang, Mike . Grand Prix! Vol 3 . Haynes Publishing Group . 1983 . 0-85429-380-9 . 68.
  3. Web site: Argentinian Grand Prix 1975 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070112144604/http://www.motorsport-stats.com/f1/history/1975/argentina.html . 2007-01-12 . motorsport-stats.com . 2017-08-11 . dead .
  4. Web site: Formula One 1975 Argentine Grand Prix Classification | Motorsport Stats.
  5. News: The Grand Prix car Argentina almost had. forix.autosport.com. 22 February 2023.
  6. Web site: Argentina 1975 - Championship • STATS F1. www.statsf1.com. 6 March 2019.