On this Day 1971: Jackie Stewart

OTD, December 17th, 1971…

ATV Today reporter Bev Smith spoke with Jackie Stewart about his career, British motor racing tracks and safety during a visit to the Goodyear Tyre Factory in Wolverhampton.

During his chat with Bev the racing driver talks about tyre selection, safety in the sport, his plans for next season and meeting Princess Anne.

Stewart was born in Milton, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, a village located fifteen miles west of Glasgow. His family owned a successful Austin and later Jaguar car dealership. Stewart’s father was an amateur motorcycle racer, and his brother Jimmy had a local reputation as a racing driver, having driven for Ecurie Ecosse and competed in the 1953 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Known as “The Flying Scot,” Stewart was honoured with Sports Illustrated magazine’s Sportsman of the Year award in 1973, becoming the sole auto racer to receive the accolade. That year, he also secured the BBC Television Sports Personality of the Year award.

In 1964, Stewart commenced his professional racing career in Formula Three (F3) with Tyrrell. His first race, on a rainy day at Snetterton on March 15, was a display of dominance; he quickly built a 25-second lead within two laps and effortlessly maintained it, ultimately winning by 44 seconds.

After driving he became a commentator for broadcasters in America, Australia and Canada. Now 85, he is a promotor of the charity Race Against Dementia which he set up in 2018 – two years after his wife Helen McGregor, who he married in 1962, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Stewart is of the opinion that leveraging Formula 1’s technological advancements and innovative thinking could lead to more prompt solutions for society’s challenges in managing dementia.