The 1974 Formula One season was the 28th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1974 World Championship of F1 DriversResults of 1974 FIA International Championships, 1975 FIA Yearbook, Grey section, pages 88–89 and the 1974 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, contested concurrently over a fifteen-race series which commenced on 13 January and ended on 6 October. The season also included three non-championship races.
Defending champion Jackie Stewart did not drive in 1974, having announced his retirement at the end of the previous season. For the first time since 1968, the battle for the Drivers' Championship went down to the very last race; Emerson Fittipaldi (McLaren) and Clay Regazzoni (Ferrari) began the race weekend at Watkins Glen with an equal number of points, but Regazzoni dropped down the field with handling problems and Fittipaldi's fourth place gave him his second championship. South African Jody Scheckter finished third for Tyrrell Racing after having an outside chance of also becoming champion. Fittipaldi's triumph with the British manufacturer wrought many firsts for Formula One and served as a precursor to what was to come; it was the first title for the McLaren team and the first of many titles for a team sponsored by the Marlboro cigarette brand.
Two F1 drivers died over the course of the season: Peter Revson during practice for the South African Grand Prix and Helmut Koinigg during the United States Grand Prix.
Teams and drivers The following teams and drivers contested the 1974 World Championship. Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre No Driver Rounds John Player Team Lotus Lotus-Ford 72E76 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 1 Ronnie Peterson All 2 Jacky Ickx All 31 Tim Schenken 15 Elf Team Tyrrell Tyrrell-Ford 005006007 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 3 Jody Scheckter All 4 Patrick Depailler All Marlboro Team Texaco Yardley Team McLaren McLaren-Ford M23B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 5 Emerson Fittipaldi All 6 Denny Hulme 1–3, 5–15 33 Mike Hailwood 1–11 David Hobbs 12–13 Jochen Mass 14–15 56 Denny Hulme 4 Motor Racing Developments Hitachi Team Brabham Brabham-Ford BT42BT44 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 7 Carlos Reutemann All 8 Richard Robarts 1–3 Rikky von Opel 4–9 Carlos Pace 10–1534 Teddy Pilette 5 March Engineering Beta Utensili March-Ford 741 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 9 Hans-Joachim Stuck 1–6, 8–15 Reine Wisell 7 10 Howden Ganley 1–2 Vittorio Brambilla 3–15 SEFAC Ferrari Ferrari 312B3-74 Ferrari 001/11 3.0 F12 11 Clay Regazzoni All 12 Niki Lauda All Team BRM BRM P160EP201 BRM P142 3.0 V12BRM P200 3.0 V12 14 Jean-Pierre Beltoise All 15 Henri Pescarolo 1–11, 13 Chris Amon 14–15 37 François Migault 1–6, 8–11, 13 UOP Shadow Racing Shadow-Ford DN1DN3 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 16 Peter Revson 1–2 Brian Redman 4–6 Bertil Roos 7 Tom Pryce 8–15 17 Jean-Pierre Jarier 1–2, 4–15 Team Surtees Bang & Olufsen Team Surtees Memphis International Team Surtees Surtees-Ford TS16 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 18 Carlos Pace 1–7 José Dolhem 9, 15 Derek Bell 10–14 19 Jochen Mass 1–11 Jean-Pierre Jabouille 12 José Dolhem 13 Helmut Koinigg 14–15 30 Dieter Quester 12 Frank Williams Racing Cars Iso-Marlboro-Ford FW Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 20 Arturo Merzario All Richard Robarts 7 21 Tom Belsø 3–4, 7, 10 Gijs van Lennep 5, 8 Jean-Pierre Jabouille 9 Jacques Laffite 11–15 Team Ensign Team Ensign with Theodore Racing Dempster International Team Ensign Ensign-Ford N174 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 22 Rikky von Opel 1 Vern Schuppan 5–11 Mike Wilds 12, 14–15 25 13 Scribante Lucky Strike Racing McLaren-Ford M23 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 23 Dave Charlton 3 Trojan-Tauranac Racing Trojan-Ford T103 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 23 Tim Schenken 4, 6, 8, 10–12 29 13 41 5 AAW Racing Team Surtees-Ford TS16 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 23 Leo Kinnunen 7, 9, 13 43 10, 12 44 5 Hesketh Racing March-FordHesketh-Ford 731 308 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 24 James Hunt All 31 Ian Scheckter 12 Maki Engineering Maki-Ford F101 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 25 Howden Ganley 10–11 Embassy Racing with Graham Hill Lola-Ford T370 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 26 Graham Hill All 27 Guy Edwards 1–2, 4–11 Peter Gethin 10 Rolf Stommelen 12–15 John Goldie Racing with Hexagon John Goldie Racing with Radio Luxembourg Allied Polymer Group Brabham-Ford BT42BT44 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 28 John Watson All 34 Carlos Pace 9208 Lella Lombardi10 Pinch Plant Ltd Lyncar-Ford 006 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 29 John Nicholson 10 Team Gunston Lotus-Ford 72E Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 29 Ian Scheckter 3 30 Paddy Driver 3 Dalton-Amon International Amon-Ford AF101 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 30 Chris Amon 4, 6, 11 22 13 30 Larry Perkins 11 Dempster International Racing Team March-Ford 731 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 35 Mike Wilds 10 Scuderia Finotto Brabham-Ford BT42 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 31 Carlo Facetti 13 32 Helmut Koinigg 12 43 Gérard Larrousse 5, 9 Blignaut Embassy Racing Tyrrell-Ford 004 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 32 Eddie Keizan 3 Token Racing Token-Ford RJ02 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 32 Ian Ashley 11 35 12 42 Tom Pryce 5 David Purley 10 The Chequered Flag Racing with Richard Oaten Brabham-Ford BT42 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 42 Ian Ashley 14–15 Team Canada F1 Racing Brabham-Ford BT42 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 50 Eppie Wietzes 14 Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Parnelli-Ford VPJ4 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 55 Mario Andretti 14–15 Penske Cars Penske-Ford PC1 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 66 Mark Donohue 14–15
Team and driver changes
A relatively large number of driver changes had happened over the winter: After winning the championship but then struggling in the second half of , Emerson Fittipaldi left Lotus for McLaren. Mike Hailwood moved up from Surtees to partner him. Fittipaldi's seat at Lotus was taken up by Jacky Ickx from Ferrari. New Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo signed both 1973 BRM drivers, Clay Regazzoni and Niki Lauda. Ex-Ferrari driver Arturo Merzario found a seat at Williams (entered as Iso-Marlboro), while BRM hired Henri Pescarolo and François Migault next to Jean-Pierre Beltoise who had stayed. After François Cevert had died and Jackie Stewart retired, Tyrrell signed Jody Scheckter from McLaren and Formula Two driver Patrick Depailler. Ex-McLaren driver Peter Revson found a seat at Shadow next to Jean-Pierre Jarier, coming from March. After having driven part-time for them in 1973, Jochen Mass drove a full season for Surtees. Wilson Fittipaldi had left Brabham to prepare and set up his own F1 team for 1974. Richard Robarts paid to take up the seat at the British team. March promoted their F2 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck to their F1 team, next to Howden Ganley from Williams. Graham Hill's Embassy Racing entered a Lola chassis after running a Shadow in 1973. The Hesketh team entered its self-made chassis after running a privatised March last year.
Mid-season changes During the season, five teams debuted with their self-made chassis: In the Spanish Grand Prix, Chris Amon debuted with his first own chassis, but later, gave up the effort for a drive at BRM. In the same race, Trojan-Tauranac Racing hired Tim Schenken to drive their car that was a development from their Formula 5000 chassis. Token Racing (the name inspired by the owners' first names, Tony and Ken) made their debut at the Belgian Grand Prix with Tom Pryce at the wheel. Famous America racing team Penske entered the Canadian and United States GP's with their own chassis. Mark Donohue was hired to drive. In the same two races, Parnelli Jones entered a car inspired by the Lotus 72, financially supported by Firestone, and future champion Mario Andretti at the wheel.
These are some of the mid-season driver changes: After two races, March replaced Howden Ganley with Formula Two driver Vittorio Brambilla. Peter Revson was killed during practice for the South African Grand Prix when his Shadow suffered suspension failure and crashed into the armco barrier. Shadow subsequently hired F5000 driver Brian Redman, F2 driver Bertil Roos, and Tom Pryce, who had made his debut with Token earlier in the year. Richard Robarts was let go by Brabham when a better-funded Rikky von Opel came in. Carlos Pace moved up from Surtees to finish the season at Brabham. Mike Hailwood left F1 after heavily crashing his McLaren at the German Grand Prix. David Hobbs returned to F1 after three years to take over, before Jochen Mass moved up from Surtees. Helmut Koinigg was killed during the United States Grand Prix in an accident reminiscent of Cevert's accident at the same track the year before. When his car hit the barrier, it split on impact, and Koinigg was decapitated. Surtees decreased their operations to one car for the next season.
Calendar Round Grand Prix Circuit Date 1 Argentine Grand Prix Autódromo de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 13 January 2 Brazilian Grand Prix Autodromo de Interlagos, São Paulo 27 January 3 South African Grand Prix Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Midrand 30 March 4 Spanish Grand Prix Circuito Permanente del Jarama, Madrid 28 April 5 Belgian Grand Prix Nivelles-Baulers, Nivelles 12 May 6 Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo 26 May 7 Swedish Grand Prix Scandinavian Raceway, Anderstorp 9 June 8 Dutch Grand Prix Circuit Park Zandvoort, Zandvoort 23 June 9 French Grand Prix Circuit de Dijon-Prenois, Prenois 7 July 10 British Grand Prix Brands Hatch, Kent 20 July 11 German Grand Prix Nürburgring, Nürburg 4 August 12 Austrian Grand Prix Österreichring, Spielberg 18 August 13 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza 8 September 14 Canadian Grand Prix Mosport Park, Bowmanville 22 September 15 United States Grand Prix Watkins Glen International, New York 6 October
Calendar changes The Spanish Grand Prix was moved from Montjuïc to Jarama, in keeping with the event-sharing arrangement between the two circuits. Likewise, the Belgian Grand Prix was moved from Circuit Zolder to Nivelles-Baulers, and the British Grand Prix was moved from Silverstone to Brands Hatch. The Dutch Grand Prix was moved up from late July to mid June. The French Grand Prix was moved from Charade to the newly built Dijon-Prenois circuit.David Hayhoe, Formula 1: The Knowledge – 2nd Edition, 2021, page 36
Regulation changes
Technical regulations Selfseal breakaway fuel couplings were mandated to reduce the chance of a fire in accidents.
Sporting regulations The 1974 season was the first in which teams had permanent racing numbers from race to race, after the system had been instituted in the 1973 Belgian Grand Prix. The numbers were based on the teams' finishing positions in the 1973 Constructors' Championship. From this point, each team only changed numbers if they had the driver who had won the World Drivers' Championship – the winning driver taking the number 1 and his teammate the number 2, and the team that had previously had those numbers switching to the newly vacated ones. (This made the 1974 season an anomaly, as there was no World Champion, since Jackie Stewart had retired. Ronnie Peterson took the number 1 as he was team leader at Constructors' Champion Lotus; when the situation arose again in 1993 and 1994, the number 0 was used instead. The only other driver who was not a reigning World Champion but raced with number 1 was John Watson while replacing Niki Lauda at McLaren at the 1985 European Grand Prix). This system meant that, for example, Tyrrell – who never again won either title – maintained the numbers 3 and 4 right through until the system was changed in 1996. For the first time, it was mandated precisely how drivers should line up on the grid before the start of the race: in a two-by-two staggered pattern, with 12 between each row of two cars.
Season report Race 1: Argentina