AUTOSPORT relives the legendary races: Nilsson wins superbly for JPS – Lauda second for Ferrari – Peterson's first points for Tyrrell – poleman Andretti and Watson collide on first lap

Gunnar Nilsson enjoyed the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder last weekend and he may have been the only one. On a day when the dingy circuit was made even more gloomy by appalling weather, the Swedish JPS Lotus driver scored a magnificent, if somewhat unexpected, victory after taking the lead from Niki Lauda's Ferrari with 20 laps to go. It was one of those wet-dry-wet races where fortunes fluctuate constantly and lap charts are a joke, but Nilsson made no mistakes all afternoon and thoroughly deserved his first grand prix win.

Lauda, after leading for 30 laps, had to be content with second place, being followed in by Ronnie Peterson's Tyrrell P34, the best finish Ronnie has so far achieved for Ken. A good drive by Vittorio Brambilla brought Team Surtees its first points this year, the Italian taking fourth place, ahead of Alan Jones's Shadow and Hans Stuck's Brabham-Alfa Romeo.

To continue reading this feature...

You must have an AUTOSPORT subscription. Prices start from just $1.43 per week and give you full unrestriced access to all PLUS features. View package options? Magazine subscriber?

Online subscription

from just

$1.43

per week

• Unrestricted access to all PLUS features
• View website in ad-free environment
• Full F1 stats since 1950 in FORIX

View all package options