1976 Spanish Grand Prix

Summary

As the European season began, new cars were launched as organisers were due to start enforcing new regulations for 1976 having allowed an easing in period over the first three races. There was a big talking point as the Tyrrell team entered a new P34 six-wheeler for Patrick Depailler. Depailler was on the pace and qualified third, behind Hunt and Lauda. Lauda, driving with broken ribs after an accident driving a tractor once again beat Hunt off the line at the start and led for the first third of the race. Depailler, after a slow start, was running fourth behind Mass when he spun off and crashed with brake problems. Just before mid-race, the McLarens of Hunt and Mass found another gear and drove past Lauda, but towards the end of the race, Mass had to retire with an engine failure. Hunt took his first win of the season, with Lauda second and Gunnar Nilsson's Lotus third.

After the race, scrutineers examined the bulk of the field and Hunt was disqualified because his McLaren was found to be 1.5 cm too wide and Lauda was declared the winner. One of the new rules which came into force on 1 May 1976 defined how wide a Formula One car could be. McLaren appealed the decision. Two months after the race, McLaren's appeal was successful as the tribunal considered that the 1.5 cm difference was "minimal" and Hunt was reinstated as the winner of the Spanish Grand Prix.

On the same day in the US, McLaren's USAC team won the Indy car race at Trenton Speedway with driver Johnny Rutherford in an M16-Offenhauser, thus accomplishing the rare feat of winning both a Formula 1 Grand Prix and an Indy car race on the same day.

Chris Amon's 5th place made him the last driver from New Zealand to score points in Formula One until Brendon Hartley finished 10th in the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix some 42 years later.

Classification

Qualifying

*Drivers with a red background failed to qualify

Race

Notes

• This was the Formula One World Championship debut for Swiss driver Loris Kessel and Spanish drivers Emilio Zapico and Emilio de Villota.
• This was the Formula One World Championship debut for Dutch constructor Boro - the first constructor from the Netherlands to participate in Formula One.
• This was the 50th Grand Prix start for French engine supplier Matra.

Championship standings after the race

Points shown represent points standings after the race when Hunt was disqualified. His nine points for winning the race were not re-instated until much later in the season. ;Drivers' Championship standings

;Constructors' Championship standings

• Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.
• Note 2: Results as shown are before any changes due to decision of stewards.

References

| Previous_year's_race = 1975 Spanish Grand Prix | Next_year's_race = 1977 Spanish Grand Prix

References

1. "1976 Spanish GP".
2. Lang, Mike. (1983). "Grand Prix! Vol 3". Haynes Publishing Group.
3. Lang, Mike. (1983). "Grand Prix! Vol 3". Haynes Publishing Group.
4. (6 July 1976). "Hunt Wins Appeal, Spanish Grand Prix". The Indianapolis Star.
5. Brown, Allen. "Trenton International Speedway, 2 May 1976 « Indy Car".
6. [https://results.motorsportstats.com/results/1976-spanish-grand-prix/classification/2391b446-bd4b-4619-b6f0-583eaa665eaf Formula One 1976 Spanish Grand Prix Classification. Motorsport Stats]
7. "1976 Spanish Grand Prix". formula1.com.
8. "Spain 1976 – Championship • STATS F1".