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The Barcelona Boycott

After a weekend of bitter turmoil (and veiled threats from the organizers), the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix started despite driver concerns about the safe- ty of the track. However, havoc was just around the corner as the two leading Ferraris of Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni would take each other out at the first turn. Unfortunately, that was just the start of the race’s carnage.

One sunny spring day in Spain, twenty-three Grand Prix drivers shut themselves into a van in a race paddock, refusing to come out and drive their F1 cars. The event promoters threatened to seize the cars and all other team assets. Feelings escalated almost to the point of guns. Tragically, the dispute became seared into history when the weekend closed with an unrelated fatal accident.

If you’ve ever wondered how Bernie Ecclestone assumed such power over the sport, come back with me to Barcelona in 1975 and see the chaotic dearth of official control in those primitive days.

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