This race was to determine the World Drivers' Championship, contested between Britons Graham Hill in the Lotus 49B-Ford and Jackie Stewart in the Matra MS10-Ford, and defending champion, New Zealander Denny Hulme in the McLaren M7A-Ford. The race was moved back a week so as not to clash with the Mexico City Summer Olympics, which ended on October 26.
Hulme started with a mathematical chance of becoming world champion, but his McLaren broke a rear suspension member early, crashed, and caught fire.[1]Jo Siffert took the lead, but had to pit with a broken throttle cable.[citation needed] Stewart fell back when his engine started to misfire, his car's handling began going off, and had a fuel-feed problem.[citation needed] Hill won this race and his second Drivers' Championship, after Stewart fell back to seventh after an engine problem with his Matra.[2]
The Mexican government's effort to curb civil unrest led to a switch from military police to unarmed policemen and track marshals for crowd control; by race end, spectators were encroaching on the track itself.[2] This was one reason for the ultimate cancellation of future Mexican Grands Prix.[2]
Coming into this race, 3 drivers had a chance to win the title.
Graham Hill (39pts) needed either
A podium place, with Stewart 2nd or lower
4th or 5th, with Hulme 2nd or lower and Stewart 3rd or lower
6th, with Hulme 2nd or lower and Stewart 4th or lower
Hulme 2nd or lower and Stewart 5th or lower
Jackie Stewart (36pts) needed either
1st
2nd, with Hulme 3rd or lower and Hill 4th or lower
3rd, with Hulme 2nd or lower and Hill 6th or lower
4th, with Hulme 3rd or lower and Hill 7th or lower
Denny Hulme (33pts) needed
1st with Hill 4th or lower
Notes
This was the first pole position for Jo Siffert and for a Swiss driver.
This was the eleventh Grand Prix win of the season for a Ford-powered car. It set the record of the most Grand Prix wins in a season (11) and the highest percentage of Grand Prix wins in a season (92%)
Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.
References
^Kettlewell, Mike. "Grand Prix Racing South of the Border", in Ward, Ian, executive editor. World of Automobiles (London: Orbis, 1974) Volume 12, p.1332.
