Jody Scheckter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jody Scheckter
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Scheckter at the 1979 Monaco Grand Prix
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Jody David Scheckter
29 January 1950 East London, Eastern Cape, Union of South Africa
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| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 6, including Toby and Tomas |
| Relatives | Ian Scheckter (brother) |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  South African |
| Active years | 1972–1980 |
| Teams | McLaren, Tyrrell, Wolf, Ferrari |
| Entries | 113 (112 starts) |
| Championships | 1 (1979) |
| Wins | 10 |
| Podiums | 33 |
| Career points | 246 (255) |
| Pole positions | 3 |
| Fastest laps | 5 |
| First entry | 1972 United States Grand Prix |
| First win | 1974 Swedish Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1979 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1980 United States Grand Prix |
Jody David Scheckter (born 29 January 1950) is a famous South African former racing driver and businessman. He competed in Formula One races from 1972 to 1980. Jody Scheckter won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1979 while driving for Ferrari. He is still the only driver from Africa to have won a Formula One Grand Prix race or the World Drivers' Championship. He won 10 Grand Prix races during his nine seasons in Formula One.
Jody was born and grew up in East London, Cape Province, South Africa. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1970 and quickly became a top motor racing talent. He made his Formula One debut in 1972 at the 1972 United States Grand Prix with the McLaren team. He also raced for McLaren in British and European Formula Two that year.
Contents
Early Racing Days
Jody Scheckter was born on 29 January 1950 in East London, South Africa. He went to Vincent Primary School and Selborne College. He quickly moved up the ranks in Formula One after moving to Britain in 1970.
First Steps in Formula One
His first Formula One race was at Watkins Glen in 1972 with McLaren. He drove very fast and was in third place before spinning out. He finished ninth, but everyone knew he was a driver to watch. In 1973, he continued to improve, winning the 1973 SCCA L&M Championship in Formula 5000. He also raced five times in F1 that year.
Learning from Mistakes
In his early F1 races, Jody was known for being very aggressive. At the French Grand Prix, he almost won but crashed into Emerson Fittipaldi, who was the World Champion at the time. After this, Fittipaldi called Scheckter "a menace." In his next race, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Jody's spin caused a big accident that took out many cars. The Grand Prix Drivers Association wanted him banned, but McLaren agreed to rest him for four races.
Jody's McLaren M23 car had the number zero during the 1973 Canadian and American Grands Prix. He is one of only two F1 drivers to ever race with this number. During practice for the American race, another driver, François Cevert, had a terrible accident and died. Jody was behind Cevert when it happened. Witnessing this sad event deeply affected Jody. It made him change his driving style, becoming a more careful and thoughtful racer.
Racing with Tyrrell and Wolf
In 1974, Tyrrell gave Jody his first full-time drive in F1. He did very well, finishing third in the Drivers' Championship and winning two races in Sweden and Britain. He scored points in eight races in a row that year.
Home Grand Prix Win
In 1975, he became the only South African to win the South African Grand Prix. In 1976, he finished third in the Drivers' Championship again. That year, Tyrrell introduced a very unusual car: the six-wheeled Tyrrell P34. Jody later said the car was "a piece of junk," but he still managed to win its only race at Sweden's Anderstorp circuit. He is the only driver to ever win a Grand Prix on six wheels! He scored points in ten of his twelve races with the P34.
Moving to Wolf Racing
Jody moved to Walter Wolf's new team in 1977. He won the team's very first race and two more times that season, including the famous 1977 Monaco Grand Prix. He often finished on the podium and ended up second in the championship behind Niki Lauda. After a year without wins for Wolf in 1978, Jody decided to join Ferrari.
Championship with Ferrari
Many people thought Jody wouldn't get along with Ferrari's strong management, but he did much better than expected. He teamed up with Gilles Villeneuve and helped Ferrari win another Constructors' Championship. Jody's consistent finishes, including three wins, helped him win the Drivers' Championship in 1979. He secured the title with his victory at the 1979 Italian Grand Prix, becoming the first World Drivers' Champion from Africa.
In 1980, Ferrari's car, the 312T5, struggled, and Jody couldn't defend his title. He even failed to qualify for the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix. After scoring only two points that season, Jody announced his retirement from racing. He was the last driver to win a Drivers' Championship for Ferrari until Michael Schumacher did it twenty-one years later in 2000.
Life After Racing
Broadcasting Career
After retiring from motor racing, Jody Scheckter worked as a commentator for TV channels like CBS, ABC, and ITV. In 1981, he won the World Superstars competition, beating many other famous athletes.
Business Ventures
In 1984, Scheckter started a business called Firearms Training Systems (FATS). This company built training simulators for military, police, and security groups. By the early 1990s, his company was earning over £100 million.
Organic Farming
Later, Jody became a biodynamic farmer. He bought a 2,500-acre farm called Laverstoke Park Farm in England. He became an expert in organic farming and appeared on TV shows like Countryfile to talk about organic food. His farm was also featured on BBC's Escape To the Country, where he showed how Buffalo Mozzarella was made. In 2024, the farm stopped its dairy and buffalo operations, but it still hosts events like CarFest.
Charity Work
In 2004, Jody was reunited with his championship-winning Ferrari at a charity event in South Africa.
Family Life
Jody Scheckter is married and has six children. Two of his sons, Toby and Tomas, are also racing drivers. His older brother, Ian Scheckter, also raced in Formula One. Jody used the money from selling his business to help his sons with their racing careers.
Awards and Recognition
In 1983, Jody Scheckter was honored by being inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Scheckter in the iconic six-wheel Tyrrell P34 at the Nürburgring in 1976.
See also
In Spanish: Jody Scheckter para niños
