Complete calendar with 12 races
The 1968 Formula 1 season was forever marked by tragedy, as the sport lost its greatest driver when Jim Clark was killed in a Formula Two race at Hockenheim in April. Graham Hill rose from the depths of grief to win his second World Championship, providing Team Lotus with an emotional title that served as both tribute and testament to the team's resilience. Hill's championship with 48 points, twelve ahead of Jackie Stewart, represented a triumph of determination and professionalism during Formula 1's darkest period.
Clark's death at age 32 devastated the racing world and left Lotus reeling from the loss of their talismanic leader. The two-time World Champion had won the season-opening South African Grand Prix in commanding fashion, his 25th and final victory demonstrating he remained at the peak of his powers. Clark's passing in a minor Formula Two race at Hockenheim on April 7th shocked the sport, as many considered him invincible. The loss of the sport's greatest natural talent created a void that would never be filled, fundamentally altering the trajectory of both Lotus and Formula 1.
Graham Hill assumed leadership of a grieving Lotus team and carried them to both championships through sheer willpower and consistent performance. Hill won three races at Spain, Monaco, and Mexico, demonstrating his versatility across different circuit types and conditions. His Monaco victory represented his fifth triumph at the principality, cementing his status as the undisputed master of the street circuit. Hill's championship provided Colin Chapman's team with purpose and direction in the aftermath of Clark's death, offering redemption through sporting success even as nothing could replace their fallen champion.
Jackie Stewart emerged as Formula 1's new standard-bearer, winning three races for Matra-Ford including a dominant display in torrential rain at the Nürburgring that many consider his greatest drive. The Scot's mastery of treacherous conditions at the Nordschleife, where he won by over four minutes, demonstrated that a new generation was ready to inherit Clark's mantle. Stewart finished second in the championship with 36 points, establishing himself as the favorite for future titles while beginning his influential campaign to improve safety standards in the wake of Clark's death.
Bruce McLaren's eponymous team achieved their maiden victory when the New Zealander won at Spa, establishing McLaren as a serious constructor and validating years of development work. Denny Hulme, the defending champion, joined McLaren and contributed to their constructors' championship campaign, finishing third in the drivers' standings with 33 points. The McLaren-Ford combination demonstrated the advantages of the customer Cosworth DFV engine, which now powered multiple competitive teams and democratized access to winning machinery.
The Cosworth DFV engine dominated the season, powering all but one race victory and demonstrating its complete superiority over rival powerplants. The availability of the Ford-funded engine to customer teams fundamentally altered Formula 1's competitive landscape, allowing smaller operations to compete with factory efforts on equal terms. This technological democratization created the most competitive era in Formula 1 history, with victories spread across multiple teams and championships determined by chassis design, driver talent, and team execution rather than engine superiority alone.
Lotus-Ford won the constructors' championship with 62 points, a bittersweet triumph achieved through Hill's leadership and the efforts of a team processing profound grief. The championship provided some measure of consolation for Chapman and the Lotus organization, though nothing could fill the void left by Clark's absence. Jackie Ickx emerged as a rising star with Ferrari, winning the French Grand Prix in torrential rain to demonstrate his exceptional wet-weather skills and marking himself as a future championship contender.
The 1968 season represented Formula 1's coming of age in terms of safety consciousness, with Clark's death finally forcing the sport to confront its casual acceptance of driver fatalities. Stewart led the charge for improved safety standards, using his growing influence to demand better circuit design, medical facilities, and car construction. Graham Hill's championship, won in the shadow of immeasurable loss, demonstrated that the sport would continue despite tragedy, even as it began the long process of making itself safer for those who risked their lives for racing glory.