Jacky Ickx emerged as an impressive talent, blending Jochen Rindt’s passion with Jackie Stewart’s meticulous precision and excelling in wet conditions. His natural talent suggested a future World Championship was inevitable, yet his dream remained unfulfilled due to progressively less competitive cars. Son of a renowned motorsport journalist and a three-time Belgian motorbike trials champion, Ickx dominated in his Lotus Cortina, winning the national saloon car championship in 1965.
| Nationality | Belgian |
|---|---|
| Born | Jacques Bernard Edmon Martin Henri Ickx 1 January 1945 Brussels, Belgium |
At just 21, he transitioned to Formula 2 in 1966 under Ken Tyrrell’s mentorship, showcasing his potential. By next year’s German Grand Prix, the young Ickx made headlines by qualifying third fastest in a Matra despite starting from the back. He climed to fourth before a suspension failure ended his run. His performance caught the attention of Cooper, where he earned his first championship point at Monza, leading to a contract with Ferrari in 1968. His first significant victory came shortly after, mastering the wet conditions at Rouen.
Despite a competitive streak that kept him in the title race until an accident in Canada, Ickx was already a top contender in sports car racing, winning multiple events. In 1969, he joined Brabham, scoring a victory over Jackie Stewart at the German GP and later securing a dramatic win at Le Mans. Returning to Ferrari in 1970, he narrowly missed beating Jochen Rindt to the title despite winning three Grand Prix. His subsequent seasons included wins in both Formula 1 and sports car races across the globe, but consistent success eluded him, leading to his departure from Ferrari in 1973. Ickx’s later years in Formula 1 saw diminishing returns, but he excelled in sports car racing, achieving three consecutive Le Mans victories and winning the World Championship of Makes.
Ickx briefly returned to Formula 1 in 1979, but his style clashed with the era’s technological demands. He then shifted focus to endurance racing, claiming more victories and a record sixth Le Mans win, culminating in a triumphant retirement in 1985.
Jacky Ickx Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1966–1979 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Cooper, Ferrari, Brabham, McLaren, Lotus, Wolf–Williams, Ensign, Ligier |
| Entries | 122 (116 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 8 |
| Podiums | 25 |
| Career points | 181 |
| Pole positions | 13 |
| Fastest laps | 14 |
| First entry | 1966 German Grand Prix |
| First win | 1968 French Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1972 German Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1979 United States Grand Prix |
Sources: Wikipedia.com and historicracing.com
