Unlike the current Grand Prix season, the 1969 World Championship proved to be a somewhat more predictable affair.
Jackie Stewart, driving the Ford-powered Matra machine, cruised to the title, winning six of the eleven championship events along the way.
On this occasion, Jacky Ickx proved to be Stewart’s nearest rival throughout the year – one mentions the word “rival”, but realistically Stewart was not far from having double of Ickx’s points tally come the season end, such was his dominance.
Monte Carlo was always something of a happy hunting ground for Stewart, having triumphed there on three separate occasions; however even his achievements pale into insignificance when compared the success achieved in the principality by the likes of Ayrton Senna and Graham Hill.
Having won the opening two rounds at Kyalami in South Africa and Spain’s Montjuic Park, Stewart already possessed 18 points – some ten more than next man Bruce McLaren.
Reigning champion Denny Hulme was a further point adrift in 3rd spot, while Hill and Jean-Pierre Beltoise coveted 4th and 5th respectively.
So then onto round three at Monaco. Would Stewart make it three in a row, or would the famed casino’s guide someone to a precious win, or would the King of Monaco – Graham Hill – pounce for more success on the city streets..?
