Having won the first race of the 1968 season, the racing fraternity was shocked by the death of Jim Clark in a minor F2 event at Hockenheim. Graham Hill carried the banner for Lotus in the Gold Leaf sponsored 49 model, first appearing in Spain. Hill gained 2 of the 5 Lotus pole positions in the season and won 3 races en route to his second Drivers Championship title. Jackie Stewart, in the Matra MS10, led for most laps and also won 3 races, came runner up in the drivers table with Denny Hulme in the Braham M7A third.

Lotus won the Constructors trophy with the combined efforts of Hulme and Bruce McLaren achieving second place for McLaren. It was the year that Cosworth started to dominate the Formula 1 scene with the 3 leading constructors using their DFV engines. The artwork features the Gold Leaf Lotus 49s of Graham Hill and Jackie Oliver, sandwiching Bruce Mclaren in his M7A at Mexico City.