Thumbs up from Emerson Fittipaldi as he's reunited with title-winning Lotus 72
Emerson Fittipaldi drove the Lotus 72 that he drove to his first grand prix win, and his 1972 title at Goodwood SpeedWeek
Familiar feeling: Emerson Fittipaldi back in the Lotus 72 chassis 72/5
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With drivers arriving from around the world, SpeedWeek was a place for reunions. Not just friends seeing each other for the first time since lockdown began, but partnerships that dated back decades.
Emerson Fittipaldi was back behind the wheel of his championship-winning Lotus 72 last raced in 1973. Chassis 72/5 took him to his first grand prix triumph at Watkins Glen in 1970, which posthumously confirmed Jochen Rindt as world champion.
Fittipaldi also drove it to victory twice in 1972: at the Osterreichring and then Monza, which clinched his own title.“It was very special,” said Fittipaldi. “It even smelled the same. A fantastic feeling – it all came back.”
Earlier, the most successful Le Mans driver in history had said much the same thing. Tom Kristensen’s eyes were twinkling after driving the Porsche WSC-95 for the first time since winning his first Le Mans 24 Hours in 1997.
“I was signed four days before the race,” he said. “They took a chance and it paid off.”