312 F1-68

Four valves per cylinder engine and a few structural and aerodynamic modifications made it more competitive but less reliable. Sponsorship had by now officially entered Formula 1. The 312 F1-68 was the first single-seater to use wings. It debuted at Spa in Belgium and was improved and improved until even the incidence of the wing became cockpit-adjustable. This meant the driver could command extra down force on curves and less on straights where speed counts.

Other teams quickly followed Ferrari’s example, but after a dreadful accident at Barcelona in which three spectators died, wings were banned briefly, before being reintroduced with greater restrictions. Ferrari won one race – at Rouen in France – with Jacky Ickx and made pole four times. The title went to Englishman Graham Hill, who was driving a Lotus.