1968 Spanish Grand Prix

Championship standings

Jim Clark held the championship lead with 9 points after his South Africa victory. He is no longer able to defend that lead.

Previous race

Clark won in South Africa on New Year’s Day, breaking Juan Manuel Fangio’s eleven-year-old record of 24 Grand Prix victories with his 25th win. Graham Hill finished second and Jochen Rindt third.

Between-race developments

On 7 April, Jim Clark was killed at Hockenheim during a non-championship Formula Two race. The cause was believed to be a deflating rear tyre that sent his Lotus into the forest at the side of the circuit. Clark had won 25 Grands Prix and two World Championships.

Five days before this race, Mike Spence — Clark’s replacement at Lotus, who had also been driving for BRM in Formula One — died during practice for the Indianapolis 500 after a wheel struck him in the cockpit.

Team principal Colin Chapman does not attend Spain, still devastated by the two losses. Graham Hill is the only works Lotus driver; a second car was entered for Jackie Oliver but could not be set up in time for the race.

The four months between South Africa and Spain also saw two non-championship races: the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch in March, won by Bruce McLaren, and the BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone, won by Denny Hulme.

Entrants

Team Lotus appears for the first time in the red, gold, and white livery of Imperial Tobacco’s Gold Leaf brand, becoming the first works team to abandon national racing colours for a commercial sponsor. Jackie Stewart is absent with a wrist injury sustained in a Formula Two race; Jean-Pierre Beltoise takes the opportunity to debut the new Matra MS10 for Tyrrell’s team. Ferrari’s Chris Amon starts from pole position — his first — in searing heat.