F1Weekly Podcast #837

CLARK AND NASIR ARE NOW READY TO GET THIS 2020 F1 SEASON STARTED AND TO CELEBRATE THEY BRING OUT THE BIG GUNS!! YES WE HAVE GARRY SLOAN IN THE PIT LANE DOT COM AND THIS WEEKS MACHISMO VINTAGE INTERVIEW IS…CARLOS REUTEMANN!!!

Early international career

With a grounding in Argentinean touring cars and single-seaters, he arrived in Formula 2 in 1970 with an Automóvil Club Argentino Brabham BT30-Ford. He immediately made headlines by crashing into the category’s superstar Jochen Rindt in his first race.

Third in the non-championship 1971 Argentine GP with Jo Bonnier’s old McLaren M7A-Ford, Reutemann showed much promise in his second F2 season that year. Victory proved elusive with second at Albi his best result and he finished runner-up in the points behind Ronnie Peterson.

Formula 1 with Brabham

Reutemann made a sensational Grand Prix debut in front of his adoring Buenos Aires public in 1972 – qualifying his works Brabham BT34-Ford on pole position for his first race (one of only four men to do so). He followed that up with victory in the non-championship Brazilian GP at Interlagos but his season was temporarily halted by a broken left ankle sustained during practice for Thruxton’s F2 race at Easter.

Carlos Reutemann Brabham BT44 1975 | Martini racing.Twice third during the 1973 Formula 1 season, he also finished second for Ferrari’s sports car team at Vallelunga and Monza. That year also included his only Le Mans 24 Hours start when Reutemann and Tim Schenken retired a Ferrari 312PB.

Breakthrough victories

The 1974 season began with heartbreak but proved to be his breakthrough F1 campaign. He was just two laps from victory at an emotionally charged Buenos Aires when he ran out of fuel in the Argentine GP. However, he took an early lead at Kyalami and controlled the race thereafter to score a maiden GP victory by 34 seconds. Another two wins followed but inconsistency restricted his championship challenge and Reutemann was sixth in the final points.

Play Podcast: 06-23-20f1weekly837.mp3