Jackie Stewart’s retirement at the end of the 1973 season created a power vacuum that sucked a host of racers, old and new, into the battle for the drivers’ title.

And what a season! Predicting the outcome of each race was impossible as the drivers battled to come to terms with closer racing in faster cars with better tyres.

It was reliability as much as driving skill that kept the leaderboard in a state of constant flux.

By the final race of the season McLaren’s Emerson Fittipald, Clay Regazzoni for Ferrari and Tyrell’s Jody Scheckter were locked in a fascinating three-way battle for the title. It went right down to the wire.

Previously sold as Formula One 1974 Down To The Last Race