Bengt Ronnie Peterson (14 February 1944 – 11 September 1978) was a Swedish racing driver who competed in Formula One between 1970 and 1978.
Over the course of his Formula One career, Peterson competed in 123 Grands Prix, winning 10 races and achieving 26 podium finishes. He twice finished runner-up in the World Drivers’ Championship, in 1971 and 1978. Peterson’s career was cut short following a fatal accident at the 1978 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
He remains one of only two people to posthumously finish runner up in the championship, the other being Wolfgang von Trips.
Early life and career[]
Peterson was born in Örebro, Sweden. He began racing karts in his teens and quickly established himself as a prodigious talent, winning the Swedish Karting Championship in 1963. His aggressive but precise style earned him recognition across Europe, and he progressed into single-seater racing during the mid-1960s.
He entered Formula 3 in 1966 and soon became one of the leading competitors. In 1969, Peterson won the European Formula 3 Championship, a title that brought him to the attention of Formula One teams.
Formula One Career[]
March (1970–1972)[]
Peterson made his Formula One debut with March Engineering at the 1970 Monaco Grand Prix. He impressed with his raw pace, though the team was still developing its competitiveness. In 1971, he became a regular front-runner, securing second place in the Drivers’ Championship behind Jackie Stewart despite not winning a race. His consistency and speed made him one of the sport’s rising stars.
Lotus (1973–1976)[]
In 1973, Peterson signed with Lotus, partnering Emerson Fittipaldi. Driving the Lotus 72, he won four Grands Prix that season and finished third in the championship. His fearless style, particularly in qualifying, earned him a reputation as one of the fastest drivers in the field.
However, internal tensions at Lotus grew, as Peterson was sometimes expected to support Fittipaldi’s championship bid. After a less successful period in 1974–1975, Peterson left Lotus in 1976.
Return to March and move to Tyrrell (1976–1977)[]
Peterson rejoined March in 1976, achieving a surprise victory at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, his only win for the team. The following year, he signed with Tyrrell, but the team’s performance lagged behind the front-runners.
Return to Lotus (1978)[]
Peterson returned to Lotus for the 1978 season as teammate to Mario Andretti. Driving the Lotus 79, which revolutionised Formula One with its ground-effect design, Peterson accepted a clear role as the team’s number two driver. Despite this, he won two races (South Africa and Austria) and contributed significantly to Lotus securing both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.
At the 1978 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Peterson qualified fifth but was starting from the third row. At the race start, a multiple-car accident occurred on the approach to the first corner, involving several cars. Peterson’s Lotus was pushed into the barriers and burst into flames.
Peterson was extracted from the wreckage with severe leg injuries but was initially expected to survive. Tragically, complications set in overnight, and he died the following morning, 11 September 1978, due to fat embolism caused by his injuries. He was 34 years old.
Lotus teammate, Mario Andretti won the championship after the race. He said:
"Fangio, former world champion, waits to flag the winner. It is of course Andretti, however Fangio mistakes Peterson's black Lotus for Andretti's and gives him the chequered flag." - Harry Carpenter. BBC. 1978 Argentine Grand Prix.
"It was so unfair to have a tragedy connected with probably what should have been the happiest day of my career... I couldn't celebrate, but also, I knew that trophy would be with me forever. And I knew also that Ronnie would have been happy for me." - Mario Andretti
Formula One Statistical Overview[]
Formula One Record[]
| Year | Entrant | Team | WDC Pts. | WDC Pos. | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 |  Antique Automobiles Racing Team
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March-Ford Cosworth | 0 | NC | Report |
| Colin Crabbe Racing
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| 1971 | STP March Racing Team
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March-Ford Cosworth | 33 | 2nd | Report |
| March-Alfa Romeo | |||||
| 1972 | STP March Racing Team
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March-Ford Cosworth | 12 | 9th | Report |
| 1973 | John Player Team Lotus
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Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 52 | 3rd | Report |
| 1974 | John Player Team Lotus
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Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 35 | 5th | Report |
| 1975 | John Player Team Lotus
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Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 6 | 13th | Report |
| 1976 | John Player Team Lotus
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Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 11 | 10th | Report |
| March Engineering
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March-Ford Cosworth | ||||
| 1977 | Elf Team Tyrrell
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Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth | 7 | 14th | Report |
| 1978 | John Player Team Lotus
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Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 51 | 2nd | Report |
Career Statistics[]
| Entries | 123 |
| Starts | 123 |
| Pole Positions | 14 |
| Front Row Starts | 25 |
| Race Wins | 10 |
| Podiums | 26 |
| Fastest Laps | 9 |
| Points | 206 |
| Laps Raced | 5725 |
| Distance Raced | 26,759 km (16,627 mi) |
| Races Led | 28 |
| Laps Led | 707 |
| Distance Led | 3,313 km (2,059 mi) |
| Doubles | 3 |
| Hat-Tricks | 1 |
Race Wins[]
Career Results[]
| Complete Formula One Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Pts | Pos | ||||||
| 1970 | 
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0 | NC | ||||||||||
| 7th | NC | 9th | Ret | 9th | Ret | Ret | NC | 11th | |||||||||||||||||
| 1971 |
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33 | 2nd | ||||||||||||
| 10th | Ret | 2nd | 4th | Ret | 2nd | 5th | 8th | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | |||||||||||||||
| 1972 | 
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12 | 9th | |||||||||||
| 6th | 5th | Ret | 11th | 9th | 5th | 7th | 3rd | 12th | 9th | DSQ | 4th | ||||||||||||||
| 1973 |
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52 | 3rd | ||||||||
| Ret | Ret | 11th | Ret | Ret | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 11th | Ret | 1st | 1st | Ret | 1st | |||||||||||
| 1974 |
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35 | 5th | ||||||||
| 13th | 6th | Ret | Ret | Ret | 1st | Ret | 8th | 1st | 10th | 4th | Ret | 1st | 3rd | Ret | |||||||||||
| 1975 |
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6 | 13th | |||||||||
| Ret | 15th | 10th | Ret [1] |
4th | Ret | 9th | 15th | 10th | Ret | Ret | 5th [2] |
Ret | 5th | ||||||||||||
| 1976 |
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10 | 11th | |||||||
| Ret | Ret | 10th | Ret | Ret | Ret | 7th | 19th | Ret | Ret | 6th | Ret | 1st | 9th | Ret | Ret | ||||||||||
| 1977 |
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7 | 14th | ||||||
| Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 8th | Ret | 3rd | Ret | 12th | Ret | 9th | 5th | Ret | 6th | 16th | Ret | Ret | |||||||||
| 1978 |
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51 | 2nd | |||||||
| 5th | Ret | 1st | 4th | Ret | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | Ret | Ret | 1st | 2nd | Ret | ||||||||||||
| Key | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | Meaning | Symbol | Meaning | ||
| 1st | Winner | Ret | Retired | ||
| 2nd | Podium finish | DSQ | Disqualified | ||
| 3rd | DNQ | Did not qualify | |||
| 5th | Points finish | DNPQ | Did not pre-qualify | ||
| 14th | Non-points finish | TD | Test driver | ||
| Italics | Fastest Lap | DNS | Did not start | ||
| 18th† | Classified finish (retired with >90% race distance) | NC | Non-classified finish (<90% race distance) | ||
| 4thP | Qualified for pole position | [+] More Symbols | |||
Notes[]
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