Retirement and Formula One
The pressures of racing and designing the car took their toll on Donohue. By 1973, the "Captain Nice" nickname he had earned earlier in his career was being supplanted by the nickname "Dark Monohue". Donohue announced that he would retire from racing after the 1973 Can-Am season. In addition, the horrific events at the 1973 Indianapolis 500 and the subsequent death of his friend, Swede Savage, pushed him to quit. His retirement was short-lived, however, as he was lured back to full-time competitive driving by Roger Penske when Penske formed a Formula One team, Penske Cars Ltd, to compete in the final two events of the 1974 Formula One World Championship, and to continue competing in 1975 with the new Penske PC1.
| Born | (1937-03-18)March 18, 1937 |
|---|---|
| Died | August 19, 1975(1975-08-19) (aged 38) |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality | American |
| Active years | 1971, 1974 – 1975 |
| Teams | Penske and Penske-entered McLaren and March chassis |
| Races | 16 (14 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 1 |
| Career points | 8 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First race | 1971 Canadian Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1975 Austrian Grand Prix |
Donohue previously had debuted in Formula One on September 19, 1971 with a Penske-sponsored McLaren at the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park, finishing on the podium in third place. After being lured out of retirement by his former boss, Penske, Donohue returned to Formula One, entering into the final two races of the 1974 Formula One season. Donohue finished in 12th place at the Canadian Grand Prix, but failed to finish at the United States Grand Prix.
A full-on assault of the 1975 Formula One season was planned. The 1975 season turned out to be a difficult one for Donohue and Penske. Donohue was able to muster 5th place finishes at the Swedish Grand Prix and the British Grand Prix, but the new Penske PC1 chassis proved problematic, as evidenced by three retirements in the first six races. At the Austrian Grand Prix, Donohue's career, along with Roger Penske's Formula One aspirations, would take a tragic turn.
Read more about this topic: Mark Donohue
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