Ronnie Peterson

Ronnie Peterson, the "SuperSwede," was one of the fastest and most spectacular drivers of the 1970s, a racer whose flamboyant car control made him a favourite of fans and fellow drivers alike. Born in Örebro, Sweden, on 14 February 1944, he combined blistering raw pace with a generous, sportsmanlike nature that earned him universal affection in the paddock.

Peterson took 10 wins, 26 podiums and 14 pole positions from 123 starts, driving most notably for March, Lotus and Tyrrell. He twice finished runner-up in the World Championship, in 1971 with March and again in 1978 with Lotus, often qualifying on pole and leading races through sheer speed even when reliability or circumstance denied him the title. At Lotus he found himself in a supporting role to team-mate Mario Andretti during the dominant 1978 season.

His life ended in tragedy on 11 September 1978, when he died from complications following a startline crash at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the day after Andretti had clinched the title. He was 34. He remains the most successful Swedish driver in Formula 1 history.

Peterson was the great stylist of his generation, throwing his car into corners in lurid, opposite-lock slides that looked impossibly fast yet were utterly controlled. Blindingly quick over a single lap and fearless in a wheel-to-wheel fight, he was admired as much for his modesty and loyalty as for his speed. Though the championship eluded him, he is remembered as one of the most naturally gifted and best-loved drivers ever to grace Formula 1.