Is Jackie Stewart still 'relevant'?

[John K]

First of all I have the hugest respect for Jackie and all the drivers of his era, they drove cars when cars needed driving and drivers had testes the size of space hoppers.

What I am referring to is the pit lane walk / interviews, they ask Jackie for his opinion on the drivers and strategy.

IMHO the current environment for the drivers and cars is as different back to the 60's as the difference between the Wright Brothers and an F22 pilot.

In Jackie's day a good pre-race breakfast was whisky and black pudding and a packet of Rothmans whilst fueling the cars. A bit different to the mango and quinoa juice and pre-race yoga they go in for now.

Sure he has EVERY right to be at the pit lane, but is he still relevant..?

[Steve (sdh2903)]

As much as I find his tartan obsession amusing I enjoy listening to the older generation f1 driver. The principals are the same of getting the car round the quickest, getting all the temps of brakes and tyres in the correct window and racecraft is still the same. So yes I do think he's very relevant.

Yes the drivers today are almost a different species and have to have a degree in computer science to operate the steering wheel but still have the same job in effect.

[stephenh]

Don't forget that it was Jackie Stewart who more than anyone else was responsible for the drive to make racing cars, and particularly the circuits, safer. I don't think that he was really part of the "fags and booze" school of race preparation.

Also, it isn't so long ago that Jackie owned and managed a formula 2 (or was it 3!) team, and that his son Henry was a sucessful up and coming single seater racing driver. So yes, I think he is still relevant.

When did he give up the presidency of the British Racing Drivers' Club?

[John K]

5 minutes ago, stephenh said:

Don't forget that it was Jackie Stewart who more than anyone else was responsible for the drive to make racing cars, and particularly the circuits, safer. I don't think that he was really part of the "fags and booze" school of race preparation.

To my shame, I had forgotten - the BBC documentary on 'F1 the Killer Years (?)' did highlight his involvement there.

[DonPeffers]

4 hours ago, stephenh said:

Also, it isn't so long ago that Jackie owned and managed a formula 2 (or was it 3!) team, and that his son Henry was a sucessful up and coming single seater racing driver.

You're thinking of his son Paul in F3.

I hadn't heard until recently his wife Helen has dementia. Really tough.

Nice to get old timers' perspectives on sport and Webber and DC can give a more recent focus.

 

[stephenh]

47 minutes ago, DonPeffers said:

You're thinking of his son Paul in F3.

 

 

I was, and getting muddled up between Paul Stewart and Henry Surtees, I think!

Definitely a senior citizen moment!

[andy665]

I think Jackie Stewart is still entirely relevant - he has never really left the motorsport arena since his retirement and is incredibly knowledgeable

[DonPeffers]

4 minutes ago, stephenh said:

I was, and getting muddled up between Paul Stewart and Henry Surtees, I think!

Definitely a senior citizen moment!

We all have them Stephen. My most recent trick is to put the filter coffee in the machine then FORGET to add water, go away for 10 minutes and then return and moan that there is no brewed coffee---luckily I haven't burnt the device out yet.

[jeff oakley]

Jackie Stewart and his son ran an FI team as well and had a win with Johnny Herbert.

I think because he has always kept up to date with the way the sport has developed and has a keen sense of what is happening with drivers, owners and the rule makers, his view is totally relevant. He is also able to articulate his views in a lot fewer words than others seem able to do.

As an individual, he is up there with the best, as a driver, team owner, safety advocate, clay pigeon shooting champion and above all a decent man.

When his son got cancer he threw everything into helping him get the right treatment and now his wife has dementia which I have no doubt he will deal with it with the fortitude he has in spades.

And just a final thing that marks him as a good guy, he was employed as a sports consultant with RBS, when the bank lost Millions in the crash, he still did the work but waved his fees, cannot thing of anyone else who did the same.

[Blatman]

4 hours ago, jeff oakley said:

Jackie Stewart and his son ran an FI team as well and had a win with Johnny Herbert.

He Ran Stewart Racing which he sold to Ford who turned it into Jaguar F1 which was bought by Red Bull. 

Don't much care for him myself. Not really sure why but I never warmed to him. However, I will back him to the full with his charity Race Against Dementia. 

 

7 hours ago, stephenh said:

I was, and getting muddled up between Paul Stewart and Henry Surtees, I think!

I think so too. Henry Surtees was killed at Brands a few years ago. John Surtees was my boyhood hero and remains so to this day. He should have had a knighthood.

[jeff oakley]

I agree with you about John Surtees, Blatman. It is a mystery why so many less deserving people were knighted yet the only man ever to win a world championship on two wheels and four, a man who ran his own race team, a man who turned the tragedy of losing a son into a foundation that has help a lot of people wasn't given this honour yet "celebrities" have.

He always struck me as a gentleman but with such focus that is rare these days.