1971 Dutch Grand Prix

Championship standings

Stewart leads the championship after wins in Spain and Monaco, with Ickx and Rodríguez among his closest challengers.

Previous race

Monaco (the 200th World Championship Grand Prix): Stewart won from Peterson and Ickx. Andretti was unable to qualify despite lying second in the standings after his car was stranded during the wet Friday session. Graham Hill started his record-breaking 127th Grand Prix but failed to finish, crashing at Tabac on lap two.

Between-race developments

The Belgian Grand Prix, scheduled for 6 June at Spa-Francorchamps, has been cancelled. The circuit owners failed to bring Spa up to mandatory safety standards, and the race will not take place. Formula One will not return to Spa until 1983.

Entrants

Gijs van Lennep, the Dutch driver who won this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, makes his Formula One debut at his home race. Australian David Walker also makes his debut. The Lotus 56B — powered by a Pratt & Whitney gas turbine engine — enters the championship for the first time.

Weather

Heavy rain is expected. The wet and slippery Zandvoort circuit is expected to favour the acknowledged wet-weather specialists Ickx and Rodríguez.

Milestones

This is the 50th championship race for McLaren as a constructor.