( CNN ) -- In September 1970 , a 28-year-old Jochen Rindt led the Formula One World Championship heading into the Italian Grand Prix at Monza . A crash during the final practice session ahead of the race took the life of the man in pole position for the title , whilst at the same time providing him with a unique position in sporting history . Rindt 's supremacy in the drivers ' championship was such that , despite his death , none of his fellow racers could overhaul his lead in the standings , making Jochen the only posthumous world champion in Formula One . In a strange twist of fate , the Austrian lost his life in almost the same place on the Monza track as his childhood icon , German driver Wolfgang von Trips -- after a brake failure on his Lotus saw him crash into the famous Parabolica curve at nearly 150 mph . Author of `` Jochen Rindt : Der erste Popstar der Formel 1 , '' Herbert Völker recalls a man who , prior to his fatal crash , boosted the profile of the entire sport . `` Motorsport , at least in Europe , stayed in a quiet corner , '' Völker told CNN . `` It took a new type of personality to give it broader attendance . There were only two guys who fit that picture ; the Scotsman Jackie Stewart and Jochen Rindt . '' Völker believes Jochen -- who was orphaned as an infant when his parents were killed in a bombing raid -- had a star quality that transcended the sport . `` He did have a very special face that you would n't forget easily , '' he said . `` He married a beautiful girl from Finland and he was outspoken in a way that had nothing to do with the identical phrases of sports champions . `` And of course he was a spectacular driver . He had a sense for car control that allowed him to master situations that had rarely been seen before , not to mention afterwards . '' Fittingly , Völker believes Rindt 's finest victory was his last , the first F1 grand prix to be held at Hockenheim in 1970 . The track had taken the life of the legendary Scottish racer Jim Clark two years previously , and the German Grand Prix was only switched to the new venue on the insistence of the drivers , who believed it was a safer alternative to the Nurburgring . Heading into the race , Rindt lead Australian Jack Brabham by 11 points in the drivers ' championship , but both were behind Ferrari 's Jacky Ickx on the grid , with the Belgian driver starting in pole position . `` [ Rindt ] in the Lotus , and Jacky Ickx were close , '' recalls Völker . `` In their top speed and everything . They overtook each other 30 or 40 times , and in such a fair manner that they used their fingers to show which the side the other one could overtake safely . `` To point out which side was safer was a fine , fine way of racing . It was perfect for the spectators and they loved it . In the end Jochen won by tenths of a second and it was just fantastic . '' Such acts of sportsmanship were typical of a golden generation of drivers such as Jack Brabham , Bruce McLaren , Stewart , Ickx and Rindt according to Volker . And between Rindt and Stewart 's there was friendship to accompany the rivalry : `` He was a great friend and he had a great sense of humor , '' Stewart told CNN . `` We traveled together a lot , to and from races because we were both living in Switzerland from 1968 . We were living 300 meters apart [ on Lake Geneva ] , so Jochen was a close friend , and Nina ( Jochen 's wife ) still is . '' Despite the highly competitive arena in which they dueled , Stewart believes the dangers in F1 during that time contributed to respect between drivers . `` Motor racing in those days was very dangerous , '' he said . `` During my period , if you raced in Formula One for five years there was only a one in three chance you were going to live . `` The respect you had for other drivers was absolutely paramount , and that relationship extended from our friendship to our respect of each other on the track . `` I can not think of one occasion when Jochen and I were racing hard together and conducted ourselves in anything other than the correct and appropriate fashion . '' One of those occasions was the British Grand Prix in 1969 , where Jochen was on pole , with his close friend right behind him . `` We had 30 lead changes between him and I , in one race . That 's not even heard of today . `` It was slipstreaming , it was passing . We used it intelligently ; we were using the track correctly and behaving correctly . That does n't mean we were old fashioned at all , it means we were intelligent and respectful . '' At the end of race , Stewart beat off the challenge from Rindt who eventually settled for fourth place . `` One of my great memories is being able to race as close as we did that day with someone who was also my close friend . That 's a lasting memory for me . '' It was Stewart who lost his title to Rindt in 1970 , a for the Scot there was no more deserving opponent . `` The combination of Jochen Rindt and the Lotus in 1970 was , in my opinion unbeatable . In his time , Jochen was one of the top two or three drivers in the world , '' he said . Lotus -- who are sponsored by CNN -- re-entered Formula One at the start of the 2010 season , following a 16-year break from the sport . Team principal Tony Fernandes said his team owe a debt to Rindt 's talent . `` Jochen Rindt holds a very special place in the hearts of all Formula One and Lotus fans , '' said Fernandes . `` He showed his God-given skills in F1 , winning and doing so with style . `` At Lotus Racing we know we are standing on the shoulders of giants when racing with the Lotus name . We are all very proud to play our part in helping keep his memory alive . ''
Jochen Rindt won the the Westlicht Gallery in today . Rindt became the 40th driver to win the title posthumously . An exhibition at the Westlicht Gallery commemorated the 40th anniversary of his death . Jackie Stewart : `` Jochen Rindt was one of the top three or three drivers in the world ''