Sir Jackie Stewart on Safety in F1, the 2012 Season and More

There are few individuals who have enjoyed an association with Formula One as lengthy as that which Sir Jackie Stewart can lay claim to. The personable Scot is one of the best known figures in motor racing, and is not afraid to express his often forthright views. A three times world champion – in 1969, 1971 and 1973, each time with Tyrrell - he is also known for his campaigns for increased safety in the sport during his career and afterwards, something that as not always met with approval by others in the sport. During the 1960’s, when Sir Jackie first drove in Formula One, the circuits were often out of date and, in many cases, downright dangerous for the then modern breed of F1 car. Fatalities and injuries were not uncommon, a far cry from the super-safe world of F1 today.

It was on that note that I began our recent chat to Sir Jackie, who generously agreed to spare some time to answer our questions on F1, then and now. As someone who has followed F1 very closely for 40 years I was interested in how Sir Jackie views today’s on-track ethics, and whether the amazing levels of safety that we see know are leading to complacency among the drivers. This is what he had to say on the matter:

“There is a lethargic attitude to safety that has come about thanks to modern run-off areas. Take Abu Dhabi: Alonso went off track four times in one race, and was able to simply drive back on to the track. Rather than being a deterrent, they provide opportunity. There should be some form of obstacle – nothing that could be a hazard to health – to prevent this from being possible. Of course, there are accidents in other categories, but we have not lost anyone in F1 for 18 years. That is incredible, and a tribute to the safety factors in F1 right now. But it can lead to a false sense of reality. So yes, there is a sense of drivers being complacent.”

Interesting thoughts from a man who is known for his inherent belief in safety in the sport, and clearly he believes that something is wrong. It is easy to see where he is coming from with the Abu Dhabi comments; Alonso would not have been able to finish the race had those incidents happened at Monaco, say, or Canada.

In relation to the above I went on to ask him about the level of stewarding in F1 these days: was there, I asked, notable inconsistency in penalties awarded, and was there a need for a permanent ex-driver steward?

“There should be a permanent F1 steward who is an ex-driver with some experience. At the moment the steward is unpaid: he might get a business class ticket, he may be able to take his wife with him, but he is giving his time and expertise for nothing. It is odd that a sport as rich as F1 cannot afford to pay a permanent steward what he is worth. The other stewards, those appointed by the FIA, have not enough experience or knowledge. The problem is that decisions affect the constructor’s championship, so more experience is needed.”

It is interesting that Sir Jackie should point out the unpaid nature of the stewards; surely this should be a professional job, with professional rates of pay? Also, the lack of experience of the FIA stewards is something that has been raised many times before, by various commentators on the sport.

Staying with the subject of safety, I asked Sir Jackie what the single most satisfying achievement in his safety campaigning had been. Here’s what he said:

“I think changing the attitude of so many different people. There were many people who were against what I was trying to do, but I was offering constructive suggestions. We had to threaten the circuits in some cases as they would not do what was needed. We closed the Nurburgring, we closed the old Spa. It simply had to be done.”

It is difficult for today’s younger F1 fans to understand just how dangerous those old circuits were. A 14 mile circuit clearly presents problems in terms of getting first aid to an injured driver – remember, the compulsory safety helicopter is a relatively new addition to the scene – and that they were still racing at the Nurburgring as recently as 1976 seems faintly ludicrous today. Sir Jackie’s campaigning went a long way to getting people to see the true picture.

Still on the historical points, I asked him about something that has always fascinated me. Many younger fans will likely not realise that until quite recently it was the norm for F1 drivers to take part in other forms of racing. I’m not talking about a one off race in the Le Mans 24 hours, but regular competitive rides in categories other than F1. Formula Two in the 1960’s was not a ‘feeder’ category as its contemporary GP2 is today; rather, it featured works tams from some of the biggest names in the sport. That Jim Clark was killed in an F2 race at Hockenheim in 1968 is testament to this. Are today’s drivers too wrapped up in cotton wool, I asked?

“The sport was structured differently then. It was a different culture. The modern F1 driver doesn’t need to race elsewhere as he is so well paid. We didn’t have that luxury. Now, there may be 20 races a year but there is no testing, so maybe they could do something else? They would benefit from working with different engineers, different people and different teams. But then there are the commercial problems, the sponsors, to consider. Younger fans might not realise but in 1971, when I won the World Championship, I was still racing in Can Am in the USA. I crossed the Atlantic 86 times that year!”

The difference between today’s F1 driver and a racing driver from the 50’s, 60’sor 70’s is perfectly explained by that comment. I remember looking at Jim Clark’s career one time and noting how he drove F1, F2 and Saloon cars in competitive races over just one weekend. It really was a different world. Which is why I wanted to ask Sir Jackie’s views on the 2012 season so far; could he predict the champion?

“I think this is the best season we have had; we have seen drivers struggling with tyre temperatures and managing tyre wear. The 2012 driver has to be more complete to be successful. He has to understand and have great knowledge in car set up, and that comes from experience. [Fernando] Alonso has more experience than most, and clearly has the best mental tool kit of them all. If Ferrari can keep giving him the car I think he can deliver the goods. His biggest threat comes from Red Bull still, and you should never write off Vettel and Webber. Lewis (Hamilton) is the raciest driver in the field, and that sometimes has its advantages. Don’t count them out.”

No surprise to see a seasoned observer pick the man who has been the best in the field this year, without a doubt. Alonso delivers without question, and it is a fair call to predict him as possible 2012 champion. No onto the subject of America: we have the US Grand Prix art Austin, Texas this year and a proposed – but not certain at the moment – race in New Jersey for 2013. That’s two Grands Prix in the USA: can the sport break America?

“The car manufacturers, whether it is Mercedes Benz or Ferrari, need America. In fact it’s fair to say that if Ferrari did not have the US market it has, it would not exist. It’s wrong that there has not been a protracted F1 presence in the USA for the past years, but can it succeed? Nobody in North America knows what F1 is! It would help if there was an American driver in F1, but there are none that stand out at the moment.”

This has always been the problem with F1 in the USA, and Sir Jackie is right to pick up on the need for American drivers. Older fans may remember that there were Grands Prix in the USA throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, with Long Beach being a mainstay on the calendar from 1976 to 1983. Others, such as Dallas, Detroit and Phoenix – where a local Ostrich race famously drew more spectators than the F1 race in 1991 – made fleeting appearances, not forgetting the recent Indianapolis races.

It is inevitable that any interview about the past, present and future of F1 will include reference to Bernie Ecclestone, the man who has been at the helm for so long. How does Sir Jackie see the future of F1, beyond Bernie?

“Bernie has done an incredible job with F1. Nobody in sport has done a more complete job than he has. It’s an amazing achievement and I take my hat off to him. However, nobody is irreplaceable: Steve Jobs was a genius, but Apple will go on without him. F1 is the best show of any sport in the world, and that is down to Bernie Ecclestone. He’s had his moments of anxiety – not least with the British Grand Prix – but he handles them well. You only need to look at F1 now, compared to where it was when Bernie first got involved.”

Ecclestone is not without his detractors, but it is impossible to disagree with Sir Jackie’s assessment. It is interesting that he uses the Steve Jobs analogy, as he clearly believes that F1 will continue beyond Bernie’s reign. Ecclestone is a consummate businessman, without a doubt.

Finally I wanted to ask Sir Jackie about his time as a team owner: Stewart Grand Prix was founded by Sir Jackie and his son Paul, who had many years experience running Paul Stewart Racing in lower categories. It existed for three seasons and, as Sir Jackie points out, won a race within 31 races of its foundation (with Johnny Herbert at the Nurburgring in 1999, a year in which Rubens Barrichello took a pole position for the team at the French Grand Prix). Did he wish he had stayed on longer as a team owner?

“No, I thought my time was up. We were proud to have created what we did in the time we did and with the budget we had. Everything has its shelf life. To take on Ferrari, McLaren and Williams and to achieve the success we did was a fantastic achievement, and huge financial commitment. As it happened we didn’t want to sell – we would have stayed on – but that would have meant enlarging the factory, and more financial commitment. The Red Bull factory today is where we were based, but whereas they have over 600 people, we had between 200 and 300. To achieve what we did – a win within 31 races and a pole position – was satisfying, for me and for Paul. We were offered a satisfactory financial package by the buyers (Ford, who re-branded the team as Jaguar) that allowed me to continue to be involved in many ways in the sport I still love.”

It is those last few words that are the most poignant for me: talking to the man it is clear that he still lives for F1, and that his enthusiasm for racing is still as strong as ever. Thank you Sir Jackie Stewart for taking the time to talk to Pitlane Magazine, it has been a pleasure.

Interview conducted by Steve Turnbull on behalf of Pitlane Magazine