Era · 1966–1976
The DFV and the birth of aerodynamics
The Cosworth DFV made independent constructors competitive; wings and then ground effect turned the car into an aerodynamic device. Fatality rates were at their worst.
- Dominant
- Lotus, Brabham, Tyrrell, Ferrari, McLaren
- Technology
- 3.0 L formula, wings, sponsorship liveries, the beginning of the safety movement
- Confidence
- medium
The seasons 11
| Season | Rounds | Drivers' champion | Driving for | Points | Wins | Runner-up | Margin | Title race | Constructors' champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 16 | James Hunt | McLaren | 69 | 6 | Niki Lauda | 1 | Ferrari | |
| 1975 | 14 | Niki Lauda | Ferrari | 64.5 | 5 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 19.5 | Ferrari | |
| 1974 | 15 | Emerson Fittipaldi | McLaren | 55 | 3 | Clay Regazzoni | 3 | McLaren | |
| 1973 | 15 | Sir Jackie Stewart | Tyrrell | 71 | 5 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 16 | Team Lotus | |
| 1972 | 12 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Team Lotus | 61 | 5 | Sir Jackie Stewart | 16 | Team Lotus | |
| 1971 | 11 | Sir Jackie Stewart | Tyrrell | 62 | 6 | Ronnie Peterson | 29 | Tyrrell | |
| 1970 | 13 | Jochen Rindt | Team Lotus | 45 | 5 | Jacky Ickx | 5 | Team Lotus | |
| 1969 | 11 | Sir Jackie Stewart | Matra | 63 | 6 | Jacky Ickx | 26 | Matra | |
| 1968 | 12 | Graham Hill | Team Lotus | 48 | 3 | Sir Jackie Stewart | 12 | Team Lotus | |
| 1967 | 11 | Denny Hulme | Brabham | 51 | 2 | Sir Jack Brabham | 5 | Brabham | |
| 1966 | 9 | Sir Jack Brabham | Brabham | 42 | 4 | John Surtees | 14 | Brabham |
Margin is the points gap between champion and runner-up at the end of the season; before 1991 that is net of dropped scores, so it can look small beside the wins. A row marked “so far” is the season still running: its leader, not its champion. The title race is the champion’s lead over the runner-up after each round, above the line when ahead and below it when behind, each season drawn to its own scale. A row reading “not yet run” is a calendar that has been announced and not yet raced. A blank constructors’ champion before 1958 is not a gap — the championship did not exist yet.
Engine formulae 1
| Era | Formula | Typical | Power (bhp) | Revs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The return of power 1966–1976 | 3.0 L naturally aspirated or 1.5 L forced induction | V8 / V12 / flat-12 | 400-500 | 10,000-12,500 rpm | The Cosworth DFV arrived in 1967 and made the independent constructor viable. |
Regulation changes 7
| Year | Category | Change | Detail | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | technical | Tall airboxes banned | Mid-season ban following the airbox height arms race. | — |
| 1973 | safety | Deformable structures around the cockpit | Side crash structures mandated. | — |
| 1972 | technical | Airbox regulations and safety structures | Rollover bar dimensions specified; onboard fire extinguishers and electrical cut-off required. | — |
| 1970 | safety | Mandatory deformable structure and fuel bag tanks | Crushable structures around fuel cells and self-sealing bag tanks required. | Directly reduced fire deaths, the era's dominant killer. |
| 1969 | technical | High wings banned mid-season | Following strut failures for both Lotus drivers at Barcelona, tall aerofoils on unsprung mountings were outlawed. | Aerodynamic devices were henceforth required to be fixed to the sprung mass and limited in height. |
| 1968 | sporting | Commercial sponsorship permitted | The FIA allowed liveries other than national racing colours. | Gold Leaf Team Lotus appeared in red, white and gold. The sport's commercial model begins here. |
| 1966 | technical | 3.0 L formula | Capacity doubled, or 1.5 L with forced induction. | 'The return of power'; the Cosworth DFV followed in 1967. |
Technical innovations 4
| Year | Innovation | Originator | What it was | What became of it | Banned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | The Cosworth DFV as a stressed member | Lotus 49 / Cosworth | The engine bolted directly to the rear of the monocoque and carried the suspension loads. | Made the small independent constructor viable for two decades. | — |
| 1968 | Aerofoil wings | Lotus and Ferrari | Inverted aerofoils generating downforce. | The single most important performance concept in the sport's history. | — |
| 1970 | Side-mounted radiators | Lotus 72 | Radiators moved from the nose to the flanks, giving a wedge profile and cleaner front-end airflow. | Standard layout ever since. | — |
| 1976 | Six-wheeled car | Tyrrell P34 | Four small front wheels to cut frontal area while retaining braking and grip. | Won the 1976 Swedish GP. Tyre development killed it; four-wheel cars mandated from 1983. | 1983 |
Safety 5
Grand Prix Drivers' Association reactivated1967
After: Rising fatality rate
Jackie Stewart's campaign for barriers, run-off, medical facilities and marshalling standards begins in earnest.
Full-face helmets and rollover bars1968
After: Multiple fatalities including Clark, Spence, Schlesser and Bandini
Rollover protection specified; full-face helmets adopted.
Bag fuel tanks and deformable structures1970
After: Fire deaths through the 1960s
Self-sealing fuel cells became mandatory.
Six-point harnesses and onboard extinguishers1972
Standardised restraint and fire suppression.
Deformable side structures1973
After: Roger Williamson's death in a fire at Zandvoort with no marshal intervention
Marshalling and fire-crew standards overhauled alongside the car rules.