Page 78 - Protagonist 108

PROTAGONIST / RACE HOURS

H e says “Time is a curious thing. Look at result, he enjoyed a long career as his own manager: “I have
this car; I can recall the frenzy then as i always tried to interpret what I was looking at, as well as my
think of my life today. A life in which past, own feelings. Above all I think I was lucky, and somehow the
present and future time have very different fact I am having a chat with you here, between a fifty-year-
values.” Talking with Jackie Stewart is always old Formula 1 car and the single-seaters of today, proves

a privilege. His intelligence and experience combine with it. I was born in Scotland and I’ve covered countless miles

his naturally corteous manner and his proverbially analytical driving racing cars, not to mention the miles I’ve travelled

and clear-minded approach. He is just a metre away from by air: I’ve got a beautiful house in Switzerland and a house

the Brm P261 that gave him the first victory of his career at in England. I have a beautiful family. And a collection of

Monza in 1965; the start of a long, wonderful journey. He images I can enjoy remembering without any regrets. Not

looks like a kid thrilled to find his favourite toy bad, don’t you think?”

once again: “In many respects, fifty years is no } We had grease, Absolutely. “I can clearly remember every single
time at all. I gripped that steering wheel and felt oil, screws and race, every second of my career. And I recall the
the same thrill I felt then, all the same emotions, mechanics with faces of every person I have lost. If there is one
even the smells. Everything. Perhaps the Monza dirty hands thing that still saddens me to this day, it’s my
track, which still has all its old atmosphere, friends who died on the track. An incredible

helps. Anyway, I was 26 in 1965. Today I’m 76. number of them. I started counting them one

At times memories are pure pleasure, a joyful privilege.” day, but I stopped after a while because there were too

The fact is that Stewart has maintained a rare freshness, many. It’s no coincidence that I stopped after the accident

something that allows him to continue racing with the same that carried off François Cévert at Watkins Glen in 1973. He

elegance that rewarded him with three world championships was my companion, a wonderful guy and a talented driver.

(1969, ’71 and ’73), 27 wins, 43 podiums, 17 pole positions I had been thinking about stopping for a while, but his

and 15 fastest laps. And the role of a true leader on the death was decisive. I keep seeing all the faces of the people

circuit, the ability to change the rules in terms of safety. As a who left us, their passion, their boundless courage, that

Jackie Stewart won world F1 championships along with major sponsorship contracts, like the multi-million deal with Rolex which began
over 40 years ago. He was one of the first racing drivers to achieve such a sponsorship. Above, some of the adverts featuring
the Scots champion: left, the 1972 ad for the Oyster Day Date; right, the Datejust campaign with the watch worn by the renowned driver.

78 PROTAGONIST / N. 108