Jochen Rindt
A flamboyantly talented driver whose relentless speed earned him Formula One's only posthumous world championship.
1942–1970 (age 28)·Racing driver·Birthday: April 18·The Silent Generation
Biography
Jochen Rindt raced with a breathtaking, almost reckless verve that made him a superstar and ultimately defined his tragic legend. The German-born driver who raced under the Austrian flag was a force of nature on the track, known for his spectacular car control and a bravery that bordered on the terrifying. His early career showcased his raw talent in Formula Two and at Le Mans, which he won in 1965. In Formula One, he found his perfect, if perilous, match with Colin Chapman's Lotus team. Driving the revolutionary but fragile Lotus 72 in 1970, Rindt dominated the season with a string of victories. His aggressive style was a perfect fit for the car's sharp handling. That championship season was cut brutally short when he was killed during practice at Monza. The points he had already accrued proved insurmountable, and he was crowned World Champion after his death. Rindt's legacy is a poignant mix of sublime skill and the stark dangers of his era, forever remembered as the man who won it all without being there to receive it.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Jochen was born in 1942, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jochen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Jochen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1970Died at 28
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
Key Achievements
- Won the 1970 Formula One World Drivers' Championship posthumously, the only driver ever to do so.
- Won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965 driving a Ferrari 250 LM for the North American Racing Team (NART).
- Secured six Formula One Grand Prix victories, all during the 1970 season with Lotus.
- Was a highly successful Formula Two driver, winning the 1964 London Trophy and the 1967 German Grand Prix support race.
Did You Know?
He was orphaned during World War II after his parents were killed in an Allied bombing raid and was raised by his grandparents in Graz, Austria.
Rindt was known for his distinctive sideburns and flamboyant personal style off the track.
He was married to Finnish model Nina Lincoln, with whom he had a daughter, Natasha.
The corner where he had his fatal accident at Monza was later renamed the 'Variante del Rettifilo' but is often still referred to by fans as the 'Rindt Curve.'
“I don't want to be the best driver in the world. I want to be the fastest.”
