“And there was another good work for McLaren for logistics. We changed the weight distribution, a higher percentage of weight on the front for the short circuits. I mean, we had a lot of pre-race study from each track – more than Lotus would do – to adapt the M23 to different tracks, different characteristics for the whole year, and that was Alastair Caldwell and Gordon Coppuck.”
The Lotus 72 made its racing debut at the 1970 Spanish Grand Prix and was seen as an incredible piece of engineering. Inspired by the Lotus 56, it boasted better aerodynamics and a higher top speed despite using the same Cosworth engine.
Jochen Rindt was on course to win the 1970 championship when he was killed in a qualifying crash at Monza. His replacement, Fittipaldi, won the US Grand Prix, helping Rindt become F1’s only posthumous world champion.
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