History against McLaren
History dictates that McLaren will have a tough time defending its World Championship if its drivers fail to finish the Brazilian Grand Prix. Only three drivers have gone on to win the title after failing to finish the opening two races of the season
In 1970, Jochen Rindt retired from the first two races before winning the next one, in Monaco. A mid-summer run of four victories followed before the Austrian was killed at the Italian GP. He had built up enough of a lead to become Formula 1's only posthumous World Champion.
Ten years earlier, Jack Brabham retired from the first Grand Prix and was disqualified from the second. He then won the next five events, to win his second consecutive title.
Alberto Ascari was the first man to achieve the feat. In 1952, he missed the Swiss GP, to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, which was a round of the world championship. He retired at Indy, but went on to win all the remaining races.
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