Jackie Stewart

Sir John Young Stewart OBE (born June 11, 1939 in Milton, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland), better known as Jackie Stewart, is a three-time Scottish Formula One racing champion. He is well-known as a commentator of racing television broadcasts where his Scottish accent made him a distinctive presence.

Related Topics:
OBE - June 11 - 1939 - West Dunbartonshire - Scotland - Formula One - Commentator

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Jackie's early involvement with cars was in the family business, Dumbuck Garage, in Dumbarton, Scotland, where he worked as an apprentice mechanic. His family were Jaguar dealers and had built up a successful practice. Jackie's brother Jimmy was a racing driver with a growing local reputation. He drove for Ecurie Ecosse and actually competed in the British Grand Prix of 1953, or at least he did until he went off at Copse in the wet. It was only natural that Jackie would soon become involved in motor racing like his older brother. After his brother was injured in a crash at Le Mans the sport was discouraged by their parents and Jackie took up shooting. In target shooting Stewart made a name for himself and almost made it to the Olympics only just missing the team for 1960.

Related Topics:
Dumbuck - Dumbarton - Jaguar - Ecurie Ecosse - British Grand Prix - 1953 - Copse

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But he took up an offer from Barry Filer, a customer of his family business, to test in a number of his cars at Oulten Park. Jackie Stewart impressed all who were in attendance that day. Ken Tyrrell who was running the Formula Junior team for Cooper heard of this young Scotsman from a track manager and called up his brother Jimmy to see if his younger brother was interested in a tryout. Jackie came down for the test and took over a car that Bruce McLaren was testing. McLaren at that time was already an experienced Formula One driver and the new Cooper F3 was a very competitive car in its class. Soon Stewart was besting the times of McLaren causing McLaren to return to the track for some quick laps. Again Stewart was faster and Tyrrell seeing the obvious, offered Stewart a spot on the team. This would be the beginning of a great partnership that would see them one day at the pinnacle of the sport. But this was still 1963 and Jackie Stewart still had a lot to learn. In 1964 he drove F3 for Ken Tyrrell and won his first race at Snetterton. Since Tyrrell did not compete in Formula One at that time he joined Graham Hill at BRM in 1965. His first contract netted him £4,000! On his debut in South Africa he scored his first Championship point. Before the end of the year he won his first race at Monza. 1966 saw him almost win the Indianapolis 500 on his first attempt only to be denied by a broken scavenge pump with eight laps to go.

Related Topics:
Ken Tyrrell - Bruce McLaren - Formula One

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Also, in 1966, a crash triggered his fight for improved safety in racing. In lap one of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, where a sudden rain caused many wrecks, he found himself trapped in his BRM, getting soaked by leaking fuel. Any spark could cause a disaster. The marshalls had no tools to help him, and it took his team mate Graham Hill to get him out. Since then, a main switch for electrics and a removeable steering wheel became standard. Also, noticing the long and slow transport to a hospital, he brought his own doctor to future races, while the BRM team supplied a medical truck for the benefit of all.

Related Topics:
Belgian Grand Prix - Spa - Graham Hill

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In Formula One, he switched to Ken Tyrrell's team where he drove Matra chassis during the 1968 and 1969 seasons. This winning drive during the rain and fog of the 1968 German Grand Prix at Nürburgring, where he won with an incredible 4 minutes ahead of the second, is considered as one of the finest ever, even though his rain tires were probably better than the ones of the competition.

Related Topics:
Formula One - Ken Tyrrell - Matra - German Grand Prix - Nürburgring

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Stewart became world champion in 1969 driving a Cosworth-powered Matra MS80. Up until September 2005 when Alonso in a Renault became champion, he was the only driver to have won the championship driving a French car. For the 1970 season, Matra insisted on using their own V12 engines, while Tyrrell and Stewart wanted to keep the Ford engines. As a consequence, the Tyrrell team bought March chassis which Stewart drove with mixed success until Tyrrell built its own car later in the season.

Related Topics:
World champion - 1969 - Cosworth - Matra MS80 - French - March

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Stewart went on to win the Formula One world championship in 1971 and 1973 with Tyrrell cars. His last and record-setting 27th GP victory, came at the German Grand Prix at Nürburgring with a convincing 1-2 for Tyrrell. After the fatal crash of his teammate Francois Cevert in practice at Watkins Glen 1973, Stewart retired one race earlier than intended anyway and skipped what would have been his 100th GP. Subsequently he became a consultant for the Ford Motor Company while continuing to be a spokesman for safer cars and circuits in Formula One.

Related Topics:
1971 - 1973 - German Grand Prix - Nürburgring - Francois Cevert

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Stewart also received Sports Illustrated magazine's 1973 "Sportsman of the Year" award.

Related Topics:
Sports Illustrated - Sportsman of the Year

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In 1990, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Related Topics:
1990 - International Motorsports Hall of Fame

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In 1997 Stewart returned to Formula One, with Stewart Grand Prix, as a team owner in partnership with his son, Paul, and the Ford Motor Company. The team was later bought by Ford and became Jaguar Racing in 2000. More recently, Robbie Williams honored him in his song Supreme. Stewart received a knighthood in 2001.

Related Topics:
1997 - Stewart Grand Prix - Jaguar Racing - 2000 - Robbie Williams - 2001

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