Action filled inaugural race!
Nine teams attended our first race at Steve’s masterful version of Zolder, the Belgium Grand Prix circuit. Fittapaldi held the pole position in a McLaren sharing the front row with Walker in the Maki. Ferrari and Lotus occupied the second row followed by teams Hesketh and Parnelli. Fourth row tenants included Brambilla in the very orange March and Evans in the brightly colored BRM. Reutemann, in the fabulous Brabham was the sole occupant of the last row.
Fittapaldi drove aggressively and maintained the lead throughout the first lap earning a bonus point. Walker, Peterson, and Lauda pressed Fittapaldi but could not pass him. At the end of the first lap, Hunt and Peterson were neck and neck going down the front straight. Foreshadowing the second lap.
During the second lap, Fittapaldi lost his position to Walker and then regained it only to lose it to Peterson. By lap’s end, Walker had slipped back to fourth and Lauda to fifth.
Peterson dominated the last lap. Fittipaldi battled Peterson for the lead, but his McLaren ran out of steam and he fell back. Lauda started in fifth at the beginning of the lap and made a valiant run on Peterson, but he exhausted his Ferrari and could not maintain the pace. Hunt tried next, but he too could not catch Peterson. Peterson finished first. Hunt won a drag race against Lauda to take 2nd. Meanwhile Brambilla, who had started the lap in 8th place, battled through the pack to finish 4th. Race details follow:
1st Tom V. (R. Peterson) 60/40/40/140/6 W*
2nd Steve K. (J. Hunt) 60/40/20/160/6 S
3rd Den H. (N. Lauda) 80/40/40/140/5 S
4th Dave K. (V. Brambilla) 40/60/40/160/5 S
5th Ray G. (D. Walker) 60/40/40/140/6 S
6th John H. (E. Fittipaldi) 80/40/20/140/6 S*
7th Ray R. (B. Evans) 40/60/40/160/5 S
8th Dave M. (C. Reutemann) 40/40/40/160/6 S
9th A.J. (M. Andretti) 60/40/40/160/5 S