VIENNA.- Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Jochen Rindt's death WestLicht is showing an exhibition honouring the great achievements of this Austrian sports hero, whose personality fascinated the country. As one of the most enigmatic racing drivers of his generation, he was awarded the Formula 1 world champion title in 1970 posthumously.

Jochen Rindt has triggered euphoria for racing sports and has paved the way for following generations of drivers.

This force, this charisma, this fascination will find an aesthetic echo in the upcoming show.

Photographers: Ferdi Kräling, Alois Rottensteiner / Archiv McKlein, Max Scheler, Milan Schijatschky, Rainer Schlegelmilch, Kristian Bissuti, Peter Coeln, Robert Häusser, Josef Mayrhofer, Gino Molin-Pradel, Kurt Pinter, Franz Hruby.

Karl Jochen Rindt (April 18, 1942 Mainz, Germany - September 5, 1970 Monza, Italy) was a German racing driver who represented Austria during his career. He is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship (in 1970), after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix. Away from Formula One, Rindt was highly successful in other single-seater formulae, as well as sports car racing. In 1965 he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, driving a Ferrari 250LM in partnership with Masten Gregory from the United States of America. He was a close friend to Jackie Stewart, and was a neighbour to the Scotsman in Switzerland.

At the time he died Rindt had won five of that year's ten Grands Prix, which meant that he had a strong lead in the World Championship. At that stage he theoretically could have been overtaken by Ferrari driver Jacky Ickx. However Rindt's Lotus team mate, Emerson Fittipaldi, won the penultimate Grand Prix of the year at Watkins Glen, depriving Ickx of the points he needed to win the title, and so Rindt became motor racing's first posthumous World Champion. The trophy was presented to his Finnish widow Nina Rindt nee Lincoln, daughter of famous Finnish racer, Curt Lincoln. In a tragic twist of irony, it was learned that Jochen had already promised Nina he would retire from F1 if he won the world championship.


with information from wikipedia.org