| rdfs:comment | - Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.937,0.937,0.937) id:linemark value:gray(0.8) id:linemark2 value:gray(0.9) BackgroundColors = canvas:canvas PlotData = mark:(line,linemark) from:start till:1 color:red shift:(20,-5) text:Chris Amon (Lap 1) from:1 till:10 color:white shift:(20,-5) text:John Surtees (Laps 2-10) from:10 till:11 color:orange shift:(20,-5) text:Denny Hulme (Lap 11) from:11 till:14 color:purple shift:(20,-5) text:Jackie Stewart (Laps 12-14) from:14 till:15 color:orange shift:(20,-5) text:Denny Hulme (Lap 15) from:15 till:27 color:purple shift:(20,-5) text:Jackie Stewart (Laps 16-27) from:27 till:end color:black shift:(20,-5) text:Bruce McLaren (Lap 28)
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| abstract | - Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.937,0.937,0.937) id:linemark value:gray(0.8) id:linemark2 value:gray(0.9) BackgroundColors = canvas:canvas PlotData = mark:(line,linemark) from:start till:1 color:red shift:(20,-5) text:Chris Amon (Lap 1) from:1 till:10 color:white shift:(20,-5) text:John Surtees (Laps 2-10) from:10 till:11 color:orange shift:(20,-5) text:Denny Hulme (Lap 11) from:11 till:14 color:purple shift:(20,-5) text:Jackie Stewart (Laps 12-14) from:14 till:15 color:orange shift:(20,-5) text:Denny Hulme (Lap 15) from:15 till:27 color:purple shift:(20,-5) text:Jackie Stewart (Laps 16-27) from:27 till:end color:black shift:(20,-5) text:Bruce McLaren (Lap 28) The 1968 Belgian Grand Prix, officially known as the XXVIII Grote Prijs van Belgie, was the fourth round of the 1968 FIA Formula One World Championship, staged at Spa-Francorchamps on the 9th of June, 1968. The race would be won by Bruce McLaren on the penultimate lap, after race leader Jackie Stewart ran out of fuel while holding a thirty second lead. Qualifying/practice had seen Chris Amon put an updated Ferrari through its paces, claiming pole by almost four seconds over Stewart. There was a shock as the Lotus-Ford Cosworths of Graham Hill and Jackie Oliver failed to break the four minute barrier, leaving the privateer entry of Jo Siffert as the only representative of the Norfolk manufacturer in the top ten. It was a dull but otherwise dry day in the Ardens forest for raceday, and it would be Amon who leapt into the lead, joined at the front of the field by Belgian teammate Jacky Ickx. Their time in charge of the race would, however, be short lived as John Surtees barged his way into the lead on the second lap, just before a series of retirements culled the field. A nasty accident on lap seven saw Brian Redman escape with a broken arm and minor burns, after a suspension failure in his Cooper-BRM caused his car fly over a concrete wall and smash into a parked car. Back out front and Amon dropped out of the race with radiator damage, while Surtees retired with suspension failure. As the retirements struck the leaders, Denny Hulme and Stewart had been busy working their way through the order, and when Surtees dropped out it was Hulme who inherited the lead. An excellent battle with Stewart lasted for seven laps until the New Zealander tumbled out of the race with a driveshaft failure, leaving Stewart to lead by over half a minute. It looked to be a certainty that the Scot was going to win the race as the field started the penultimate lap, only for the Matra-Ford Cosworth to splutter and cough around the back of the circuit. Stewart had to pit for fuel, and it was McLaren, having fended off a challenge from Pedro RodrÃguez for most of the race who swept home to victory. The Mexican finished a few seconds back in second while Ickx claimed a maiden podium, leaving Stewart to cruised home to a disappointing fourth. Just before the start of the race, the drivers were informed of the death of Ludovico Scarfiotti, who had missed the race to take part in a hill climb. Sadly, the Italian crashed his car heavily during the event and died, just as the Formula One drivers were practising for the Grand Prix.
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