THE ARGENTINIAN F2 TEMPORADA OF 1968

THE ARGENTINIAN F2 TEMPORADA OF 1968
The quick dash of the Cavallino Rampante in the Argentinian Pampas

By Lorenzo Baer

PART 3
RACE N° 3
GRAN PREMIO EMPRESAS AGUA Y ENERGIA ELETRICA (SAN JUAN, ZONDA)

The Temporada now landed in the unique Zonda circuit, in the heart of the province of San Juan. Inaugurated just a year earlier, the track had become one of the main centers of Argentine motor racing, having already hosted some touring and carretera races.

But perhaps more than the track itself, the biggest highlight of the circuit was its unique location. Encrusted in the foothills of the Andes, the scenery was something that amazed both the audience and the drivers.
The first on-track session took place on Wednesday – and the drivers didn´t take long to get the hang of the track. The Ferraris were quite in form, with both pilots managing to finish the session in the top-5: De Adamich in 2nd, Brambilla in 4th. But the fastest was Swiss Jo “Seppi” Siffert, in a factory team Tecno PA68.
And the following days were marked by the unpredictability common to the Andes region: strong winds swept the circuit, causing track conditions to become extreme. The situation became even more alarming on Saturday, when all activities were canceled on the circuit due to the wind!

While for some this was very welcome news, for others it was the worst thing that could have happened: Jochen Rindt, who had delayed its travel from Córdoba, had not been able to arrive in time for the session that took place in the middle of of the week in Zonda, believing that he could set a great time on Saturday. But, because of the cancellation of the Saturday session, the shot ended up backfiring, and the Austrian driver, who had been the main challenger for Scuderia Ferrari during the first two races, would start in the last position of the grid.
As if a miracle had befallen in the circuit, the conditions were ideal on the race day. The wind was gone and a beautiful sun shone over the mountains of the Quebrada de Zonda. The flag dropped and the 21 cars that made up the grid took off, lighting up the San Juan valley with the sound of Cosworths and Dinos engines. As had become a pattern, the Ferraris shot into the lead; but this time, in the company of Beltoise’s Matra.

The Quebrada de Zonda mountain range was a beautiful backdrop for another Ferrari win in the Temporada, again by the hands of Andrea De Adamich. Credits Andrew Marriott

The Frenchman had taken Rindt’s place in the operetta: of being the nuisance of the Maranello duo. Getting the most out of his Matra, Beltoise, in the early stages of the race, managed to overtake both Ferraris. But that joy was short-lived, as the Ferraris didn’t take long to answer the daring Frenchman. Soon, he was back to the 3rd spot.
Behind the trio, a fight between the Swiss Regazzoni and Siffert developed, with no margin of advantage between one and the other driver: it is worth remembering that both drivers were members of the official Tecno team, and the cars, therefore, were practically identical. The skirmish between the teammates had become so tight that it allowed Jackie Oliver and his sneaky Lotus to close in and quickly get between the two Tecnos.

But if Regazzoni and Siffert didn’t even see Oliver’s approach, the one made by Rindt was even quicker and sneakier. The Austrian made a fulminating charge through the grid, and, due abandonments and his own skill, he managed to climb up to fourth place.
And as was Rindt´s nature, the driver would not satisfy himself being one step away from the podium. This time, with a bit of luck, fourth place became third, when Brambilla’s Ferrari made a definitive stop in the pits, with engine valve problems, on the 37th lap.

Because of this, the battle between the front trio of Ferraris and the Matra became an old-fashioned duel, with each driver looking for the best position to deal a definitive blow to his opponent. And so it was, when De Adamich managed to create a small advantage, which gave the driver the peace of mind to cross the finish line first, 18 seconds ahead of the brave Beltoise, who made his best presentation so far in the Argentine F2 Temporada. Rindt came in third, having snatched the best lap time of the race as a consolation prize: 1m08.300, with an average speed of 170.247 km/h.

Also read:

Part 1: Introduction: Gran Premio Gas Del Estado
Part 2: Gran Premio Líneas Marítimas Argentinas
Part 4: Epilogue: Gran Premio Aerolineas Argentinas

De Adamich’s Ferrari-Dino 166 in the foreground. In the background, the Brabham BT23C of the Argentine driver Jorge Cupeiro can be seen. Credits Archivio Ferrari

The Ferraris lead the way in the Tango land. Credits Archivio Ferrari

San Juan proved to be a place not very friendly to Brambilla. A fourth place in qualifying and a retirement on the 36th lap summarized this melancholic weekend of the Italian. Credits LAT Photographics