German Grand Prix 1968 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Jackie Stewart delivered what many consider the greatest drive of his career, winning the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in torrential rain by over four minutes. The Scottish driver's mastery of the 14-mile Nordschleife in appalling conditions was nothing short of miraculous, with Stewart lapping the entire field except second-placed Graham Hill. The victory in the fog and rain of the Eifel mountains demonstrated Stewart's complete command of car control and racecraft, threading his Matra through the treacherous corners while his rivals struggled for grip and visibility. The performance established Stewart as the world's finest driver and cemented his status as championship favorite.

The race conditions were so terrible that Stewart later described it as suicidal, with visibility reduced to almost nothing and the track transformed into a river in places. Stewart's intimate knowledge of the Nordschleife, gained through countless practice laps and his analytical approach to learning circuits, allowed him to maintain exceptional pace even when he could barely see. His four-minute winning margin remains one of the most dominant victories in Formula 1 history, achieved through a combination of bravery, skill, and judgment that his contemporaries could not match. The triumph came despite Stewart's injuries from his Spa accident, demonstrating remarkable physical and mental resilience.

Graham Hill's second place kept him in championship contention, though even the Lotus driver was left over four minutes behind Stewart's devastating pace. Jochen Rindt secured third place for Brabham, salvaging points from a difficult weekend for the team. Stewart's Nurburgring victory became the defining performance of the 1968 season, a display of driving excellence that transcended mere competition to enter the realm of legend. The Scot's mastery in the rain reinforced his campaign for improved safety standards, as he recognized that such conditions at the world's most dangerous circuit represented an unacceptable risk. The victory left Stewart just 12 points behind Hill in the championship with three races remaining, setting up a tense finale to the season.