The cockpit of Emerson Fittipaldi's Copersucar Formula One car at the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1976. In just his fourth Formula 1 race, Fittipaldi had won the 1970 United States GP at Watkins Glen at age 24, and he claimed two F1 World Championships by age 27. However, at the height of his F1 success, Fittipaldi shocked everyone by leaving McLaren to race for older brother Wilson Fittipaldi's Copersucar-sponsored Fittipaldi Automotive team. It was hardly a world-class organization and the double champion regularly struggled, failing to qualify in three races in his time there. Despite this, he remained with the team for five seasons but only managed a best finish of second. Emerson Fittipaldi decided to retire from racing at the end of 1980. But three years later he was enticed to come back and to run the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Fittipaldi then moved to the American CART series, achieving successful results winning 22 races, the 1989 CART title and two wins at the Indianapolis 500 in 1989 and 1993, the final one when he was 46 years old.
Niki Lauda's mechanics finish putting the rain tires on his car just before the start of the 1977 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in what would be his last drive for Ferrari. The day of the race began cold but dry, with a crowd over 100,000. Before the warmup it began to drizzle, and by the five-minute signal, it had picked up enough that only one car was willing to gamble on starting with slicks. Lauda led the championship at this time and only needed to score one point in any of the final three races to clinch the title. The race was mostly run in the rain with James Hunt winning by just a few seconds over Mario Andretti. With a cautious fourth place finish Lauda won his second World Championship title. It was the culmination of a comeback from the life-threatening injuries he had sustained at the Nürburgring in 1976. Lauda and Ferrari team management had been at odds for much of the year and upon winning the championship he quit Ferrari with two races left on that year's schedule. He had already announced his intention to move to Brabham for 1978. This photo appeared in the book "Formula One at Watkins Glen - 20 Years Of The United States Grand Prix, 1961-1980," by Michael Argetsinger. It was the lead full page photo in the chapter on the 1977 race.
Colin Chapman is in decision mode with Mario Andretti after a warm-up wreck has destroyed the pole winning car for the 1978 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. Andretti, Chapman and Team Lotus came to Watkins Glen having clinched the 1978 World Championship a few weeks earlier at Monza. After Friday's qualifying, Andretti had been so pleased with his car that he said, "We don't know any more that we can do." A massive crowd had come to the track to celebrate the Championship with great hopes for an Andretti win on home turf. Sunday morning, with the record crowd lining the circuit, Andretti’s day began badly. On the last lap of the morning warm-up, the rear stub axle on Andretti's Lotus broke in the left-hander entering The Anvil. The car spun several times and then hit the barrier, knocking off a rear wheel. Faulty material in part was blamed and with no time to test the spare car a decision had to be made. Should Andretti start the race in the backup or take over the car that had been qualified eighth by teammate Jean-Pierre Jarrier? This photo was made during an intense meeting Chapman held with Andretti and the crew on pit road surrounded by the cars. See photo Colin Chapman 2 for the next step.
