As the Grand Prix ‘circus’ converged on the Nürburgring through the Eifel mountains, Ferrari from Italy, Matra from France, Lotus, BRM, Brabham, Cooper and McLaren from England, and BMW from Southern Germany, the rain and clouds headed the same way; and like the ‘circus’ they stayed for three days.

With the 1968 Grand Prix season over the halfway mark everyone was well prepared for a titanic battle, not only a battle against each other but a battle against the 22.8km of the Nürburgring, against the myriad of corners, the steep descents, the climbs up, the humps and the fast and slow straights.

Although he been back on track for a while, Stewart was still troubled by his Jarama F2 injury