Date 28 April 1974 Course length 3.404 km (2.115 mi) Time 1:18.44 | Location Madrid, Spain Driver Niki Lauda | |
 | ||
Course Permanent racing facility | ||
The 1974 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Jarama on 28 April 1974.
Contents
Race summary
With James Hunt's Hesketh having won the International Trophy, the season was one of the most open ever, with four different drivers from different teams having won the first four races and a driver who hadn't won at all - Clay Regazzoni - leading the championship. There were some new faces with Trojan and Amon and Liechtensteinian driver Rikky von Opel appearing - all rather unsuccessfully. Niki Lauda took pole from Ronnie Peterson in a qualifying session disrupted by a large accident to Patrick Depailler, but it was Peterson who led from the start as the rain began to fall. Jacky Ickx moved into the podium places, taking 3rd place on lap 19. As the track dried, cars dived into the pits for replacement tyres. Ferrari got Lauda in and out for a total pit stop time of 35 seconds, enabling him to take the lead and he led Regazzoni home in a 1-2 that lapped the entire field. Arturo Merzario lost out on a solid points finish when the hit the wall in 4th. Emerson Fittipaldi held off a strong challenge from Hans-Joachim Stuck, whilst Jody Scheckter claimed his first points.