Ferrari leads first two laps, but falls short.
Six teams lined up on the starting at Monaco. Ferrari’s J. Ickx once again held the pole position. Lotus driver E. Fittapaldi started in position 2 and Ferrari driver C. Regazzoni completed the front row. On the start Lovely advanced past Fittapaldi and Regazzoni and challenged Ickx down the Beau Rivage setting a blistering pace.
The slowest segment of the course, featuring the Station Hairpin, compressed the field and allowed the leaders to build a gap.
Ickx crossed the finish line ahead of Lovely to complete the 1st lap. Lovely VW team’s J. Biden held last place 27 spaces behind the leader! The field was spread out; Ickx and Lovely looked unstoppable.
During the second lap, the other strong down force configured cars began to close in on the leaders while leaving the rest of the pack behind. The strong down force group was out of the tunnel and through the Chicane du Port before the others had reached the Tunnel straight.
Ickx was once again first across the finish line, but team Ferrari was spent and rapidly began to fall off pace. At the beginning of the 3rd lap, Lovely, Stewart, and team Brabham pressed the leader. Team Ferrari was in dire straits as the prancing ponies stumbled through the Station Hairpin.
Lovely and Stewart passed Ickx just before the tunnel.
Stewart closed the gap on Lovely. Brabham’s replacement driver Shenken slipped past Regazzoni. Stewart was forced to take the inside lane at the Gazometre and almost lost control, but emerged out of the corner ahead of Lovely and won the race. Lovely followed to take second. Shenken passed Ickx to gain the third spot on the podium.
Race results follow:
1st Den (J. Stewart) 60/60/40/160/5 S
2nd Ray G. (P. Lovely) 80/40/40/160/5 S
3rd Terry (T. Shenken) 60/60/40/140/5 S
4th Steve (J. Ickx) 80/40/20/160/5 S
5th Steve (C. Regazzoni) 80/40/20/160/5 S
6th Den (F. Cevert) 40/60/40/160/4 S
7th Terry (G. Hill) 80/40/20/140/5 S
8th John H. (R. Fittapaldi) 80/40/60/140/5
9th John H. (R. Wisell) 60/40/40/140/5
10th Ray G. (J. Biden) 40/40/40/160/5 S
11th Ray R. (N. Galli) 60/40/40/160/6
12th Ray R. (R. Peterson) 40/60/20/140/6
The next event is Steve’s new Silverstone course and is scheduled for 4 August 2021.
Hope to see you at the race!