United States Grand Prix 1968 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Jackie Stewart won a dramatic United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, but Graham Hill's second place secured the championship for Lotus in the most emotional circumstances imaginable. Hill's title triumph came racing in Jim Clark's shadow, carrying the hopes of a team devastated by the loss of their greatest driver. The championship represented both professional vindication and personal redemption for Hill, who had assumed leadership of the grieving Lotus team and guided them to both titles through sheer determination and consistent excellence. Stewart's victory demonstrated his class, though his championship challenge ultimately fell short by 12 points, leaving him to reflect on what might have been without his Monza mechanical failure.

The race at Watkins Glen's flowing road course provided a fitting stage for the championship climax, with Hill needing only to finish in the points to guarantee the title regardless of Stewart's result. The Lotus driver executed his strategy with characteristic professionalism, running a measured pace to secure second place while Stewart dominated at the front. Hill's championship was built on three victories and remarkable consistency, never finishing outside the points when he saw the checkered flag. The title validated Colin Chapman's decision to continue racing after Clark's death, providing purpose and meaning to a season defined by grief and loss.

John Surtees finished third for Honda in what would be the Japanese manufacturer's final podium finish before withdrawing from Formula 1. The 1964 World Champion's strong drive demonstrated his continued competitiveness despite racing for an underfunded team with an uncompetitive car. Hill's championship celebrations were muted by the absence of Clark, with the triumph bittersweet for a team that had lost its soul. The victory established Hill as one of the sport's great champions, a driver who combined speed with intelligence and who had delivered a title in the most difficult circumstances imaginable. The 1968 championship would forever be remembered as the season when Lotus raced on despite devastating loss, finding redemption through Hill's triumph.