Memories of Rindt

Sir,

Adam Cooper’s feature about Jochen Rindt (October 2000 issue) is accurate and illuminating.

Having driven Jochen’s Elan behind him into the Monza circuit on that fateful Saturday, the sheer tragedy of the day’s event hit me as much anyone in his close circle of friends and family.

While it is probably true that the failure of a driveshaft caused his Lotus 72 to leave the track, Maurice Phillippe was convinced that the solid, so-called safety post was responsible for the fatality.

If any good came from the accident, it was Jackie Stewart’s reaction. Never a favourite with Lotus (we are talking about two years after the death of Jim Clark, the greatest Scottish driver of all time), he was clearly very shocked by the unnecessary death of his friend and colleague. From that time onwards, Stewart took a real interest in circuit and car safety, ultimately to the benefit of every driver in the world. That is Jochen’s lasting legacy.

I am, Yours etc, Malcolm Ginsberg, Potters Bar, Herts