1971 Italian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Jackie Stewart is World Champion, having clinched his second title at the Austrian Grand Prix when Ickx retired and Peterson finished out of the points.

Previous race

Austria: Jo Siffert took pole and led throughout to win for BRM, with Fittipaldi second and Schenken third. Stewart’s race ended when his driveshaft broke on lap 36 and a rear wheel was torn off; he emerged unhurt to be greeted as World Champion.

Entrants

The race falls on the first anniversary of Jochen Rindt’s fatal accident during practice at Monza in 1970. Due to ongoing legal proceedings between Team Lotus and the Italian authorities following Rindt’s death, the team cannot enter officially; their Lotus 56B is entered under the name “World Wide Racing.” Fittipaldi drives the 56B — a gas turbine, four-wheel-drive car powered by a Pratt & Whitney engine — in his only championship race not powered by a Ford DFV.

McLaren enter only one car; Hulme is in California for a USAC race. Jean-Pierre Beltoise remains suspended following his role in the accident that killed Ignazio Giunti at Buenos Aires in January; Matra field one car only. Mike Hailwood makes his Formula One debut for Surtees — a multiple motorcycle world champion transitioning to cars, he holds both the Formula 5000 and motorcycle lap records at Monza. Jean-Pierre Jarier also makes his debut.

Milestones

One year since Jochen Rindt’s fatal accident at this circuit.