Austria 1975 – F1’s most chaotic and dramatic GP: Lauda’s missed chance and Brambilla’s only win. Relive the chaos of the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix, marked by Lauda’s missed title chance.

As the Austrian Grand Prix approaches this weekend, let’s revisit its most dramatic and chaotic edition ever: the 1975 race.

Niki Lauda’s missed opportunity, Mark Donohue’s death, and Vittorio Brambilla’s only joy
By the seventeenth weekend of that season, Niki Lauda had the chance to become world champion in front of his home fans.

On the Österreichring track, now known as the Red Bull Ring, the Ferrari driver “simply” had to win or finish ahead of both his title rivals, Carlos Reutemann and Emerson Fittipaldi, in the points. On Saturday, the hero of the Austrian crowd took pole position ahead of the two McLarens of Hunt and Fittipaldi. Yet fate significantly complicated his plans on Sunday.

On race day, in extreme weather conditions, Penske’s American driver Mark Donohue was involved in a tragic accident during the warm-up session: he lost a tire, crashed into the guardrail, and went off the track into the advertising boards. Sadly, the impact led to his death after three days in a coma. Two track marshals, Richard Huttner and Manfred Schaller, also lost their lives in the incident.

Yet Formula 1 did not stop. Or rather, not before completing 29 laps in a torrential downpour. One of those responsible for the race being halted was Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, already a member of Ferrari at the time, though not yet its president.

The winner, for the first and only time in his career, was Italian Vittorio Brambilla in a March, ahead of James Hunt’s McLaren and Tom Pryce’s Shadow. There was nothing doing for Niki Lauda, who finished sixth—a result insufficient for the title due to the halved points (as the race lasted far less than the scheduled 54 laps).

There was considerable confusion at the finish line: many team members believed the race would restart shortly—which was never actually planned—while Brambilla spun off just a few hundred meters after crossing the line as winner. In short, the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix will always be remembered as one of the most dramatic and chaotic ever, in a very select group of Formula 1 stories.