Jackie Stewart won by two laps at Montjuïc in 1969, the last race before high-mounted wings were banned from Formula One.
Key Facts
- Race date
- 4 May 1969
- Circuit
- Montjuïc Circuit, Barcelona
- Championship round
- Race 2 of 11
- Winner's margin
- Two laps ahead of runner-up
- Notable incident
- Both Lotus cars crashed due to wing failure
- Engine failure lap
- Chris Amon's engine seized on lap 56
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 1969 Spanish Grand Prix was run with high-mounted aerodynamic wings, which teams had been escalating in size for increased downforce. Lotus designer Colin Chapman had the wings widened further with aluminium and styrofoam, placing excessive load on the suspension-mounted supports. A small field also resulted from the Targa Florio sportscar race being scheduled on the same day.
Held at the Montjuïc Circuit on 4 May 1969, both works Lotus cars suffered major accidents when their suspension-mounted wing supports failed at speed. Jochen Rindt and Graham Hill both crashed; Hill was injured and Rindt broke his nose. Chris Amon inherited the lead but his engine seized on lap 56, handing victory to Jackie Stewart, who won by two laps in one of Formula One's most dominant performances.
The race marked the end of the high wing era in Formula One, as governing authorities subsequently banned suspension-mounted wings following the Lotus crashes. Stewart's two-lap winning margin remains one of the most dominant in Grand Prix history, equalled only by the 1995 Australian Grand Prix. The Montjuïc circuit's dangers drew lasting criticism from Stewart, who became a prominent advocate for improved safety standards.