1975 Belgian Grand Prix

Qualifying summary

Ferrari arrived at Circuit Zolder eager for the fray and buoyed up by their Monaco victory. Niki Lauda dutifully gained pole after a technical gremlin held up early leader Carlos Pace and Saturday's qualifying was rained out. Vittorio Brambilla was third on the grid and Tony Brise stunned on his debut race for Graham Hill, gaining a fourth-row start ahead of Championship leader Emerson Fittipaldi. Ronnie Peterson suffered the unfortunate experience of being given a parking ticket during the practice session – after having parked his car in a dangerous position at the edge of the track, rather than risk a puncture by pulling into the gravel trap. Mario Andretti was missing from the field because he was competing at the Indianapolis 500.

Qualifying classification

Race summary

Pace took the lead whilst Brambilla and Regazzoni duelled. Jochen Mass and John Watson collided – the German retired whilst Watson returned to the pits with a damaged nosecone. Alan Jones also had to retire after a collision with Jacques Laffite. Arturo Merzario was out with a burnt out clutch. Pace's fiery start was now causing problems with brakes and cold tyres and he was having to drop back.

Brambilla took the lead until lap six when he was passed by Lauda. Tony Brise spun at the chicane and retired shortly after with piston failure. Jody Scheckter was storming through the field to be in second place by lap nine. Brambilla's brakes were fading and he dropped down the order. Jean-Pierre Jarier spun into the catch-fencing, James Hunt retired with a broken gear-linkage. Clay Regazzoni had risen to third, but then dived into the pits to change a blistered tyre. Lauda led Scheckter comfortably and the race settled down into a procession.

Carlos Pace had handling problems and dropped down the order when he lost third gear. By lap 49, Ronnie Peterson crashed into the catch fencing, whilst Brambilla surrendered third place to change a blistered tyre, resuming but retiring with brake problems.

Fittipaldi was also having brake problems, leaving him helpless against the assault of Regazzoni and Tom Pryce as he dropped from fifth to seventh in the last six laps.

Classification

Notes

• This was the 200th race in which an American driver participated. In those 200 races, American drivers won 22 Grands Prix, achieved 99 podium finishes, 22 pole positions, 28 fastest laps, 4 Grand Slams and won 1 World Championship.
• This was also the 100th race in which an Argentinian driver participated. In those 100 races, Argentinian drivers won 29 Grands Prix, achieved 65 podium finishes, 34 pole positions, 28 fastest laps, 9 Grand Slams and 5 World Championships.
• This race also marked the 10th Grand Prix win for an Austrian driver.
• This race was the 6th win of the Belgian Grand Prix for Ferrari, breaking the previous record set by Lotus at the 1972 Belgian Grand Prix.
• It was also the 6th win of the Belgian Grand Prix for a Ferrari-powered car, equally breaking the previous record set by Coventry Climax at the 1965 Belgian Grand Prix.

Championship standings after the race

;Drivers' Championship standings

;Constructors' Championship standings

• Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

References

Name_of_race = Belgian Grand Prix | Year_of_race = 1975 | Previous_race_in_season = 1975 Monaco Grand Prix | Next_race_in_season = 1975 Swedish Grand Prix | Previous_year's_race = 1974 Belgian Grand Prix | Next_year's_race = 1976 Belgian Grand Prix

References

1. Lang, Mike. (1983). "Grand Prix! Vol 3". Haynes Publishing Group.
2. Lang, Mike. (1983). "Grand Prix! Vol 3". Haynes Publishing Group.
3. "Belgian Grand Prix 1975". motorsport-stats.com.
4. "1975 Belgian Grand Prix Entry list".
5. "1975 Belgian Grand Prix". formula1.com.
6. "Belgium 1975 - Championship • STATS F1".