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About Jackie Stewart - |
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Jackie Stewart was born in Dumbartonshire, Scotland, on June 11, 1939. Jackie's involvement in cars started early as his family ran a Garage where he worked as an apprentice mechanic as well as having his brother Jimmy gaining a reputation as a racing driver. Subscribe to our free RSS Feed and get all the latest Formula 1 information. |
Natural Born RacerIt was only natural that Jackie would soon become involved in motor racing like his older brother. In 1953 he competed in the British Grand Prix with limiting success as he crashed out at Copse in the wet. A life in motor racing nearly didn't happen as his brother was injured in a crash at Le Mans. This made the whole family reassess the sport. Test DriveHowever, it did not take Jackie Stewart long before he got back into the seat of a car as he was asked by a friend to test a number of cars at Oulten Park. Jackie Stewart impressed all who were in attendance that day. As a result Ken Tyrrell who was running the Formula Junior team offered Jackie 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. Jackie's Begins At BRMIn 1964 he drove F3 where he won his first race at Snetterton. F1 soon followed as Jackie joined Graham Hill at BRM in 1965. On his debut in South Africa he scored his first Championship point. However, by the end of the year he had 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. Accident At SpaBefore the Spa Grand Prix the entire world seemed to be at Jackie's feet. But due to a sudden downpour made the course treacherous and cars were sliding off the track at an alarming rate. Jackie Stewart was unfortunately one of them as he lost control his car and crashed into a ditch. As a result he was in considerable pain, trapped by the side of the car covered with petrol. Even with help from fellow drivers Graham Hill and Bob Bondurant it took twenty-five minutes before Jackie could move. Jackie's True LegacyWith this experience Jackie together with Louis Stanley began a campaign to improve safety standards and medical facilities in the case of injury, which is evident in today's Formula One racing. A Winning BreakthroughWhen Tyrrell moved up in class to Formula 1, Jackie Stewart joined him. In 1969 at the wheel of a Matra-Ford he won his first World Championship, which was followed by his second in 1971. 1972 saw Jackie Stewart miss a number of races due to illness brought upon by stomach. 1973 his final year, was marked by triumph and tragedy. His third and final World Championship was marred by the death of his friend and protégé Francois Cevert. As a result, Jackie retired from racing. His 27 Grand Prix wins were not equaled for another 20 years. Formula 1 RetirementIn 1997 Jackie returned to Formula 1 not as a driver but team owner in partnership with his son and Ford Motor Company. During the companies three years in F1 Jackie achieved minimal success. The most notable result came at the European Grand Prix in 1999 where his cars finished 1st and 3rd. This result helped contribute to the teams' overall 4th position in the Constructor's Championship that year. Forever GreatfulDespite having a win record that places him as one of the most successful of F1 World Champions, it is Jackie's crusade to improve safety throughout the sport that he will be dearly remembered for. |
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