Jacky Ickx

Of course, Ickx was one of the great sportscar drivers of all time, but it is often forgotten what a successful F1 career he had. In the period 1968-1972 he was undoubtedly one of the men to beat, twice finishing runner-up in the World Championship.

It strikes me that his F1 career started to unravel in mid-1973 when Ferrari decided to re-group and revamp their racing programme. Even then, he could step into a third McLaren at the Nurburgring and finish on the podium, behind the dominant Tyrrells.

A move to Lotus for 1974 did not work out (his personality appeared to be incompatible with that of Colin Chapman), and after that it was a question of midfield drives at best.

Does anyone have any thoughts on Jacky Ickx, the Grand Prix driver?

I was too young to have saw him race, but as you implied, I feel that there should have been more stories about him than what I have ever come across, whether years ago in books/mags or currently on the net.

I know that in open-wheel racing, he's had 3 standout performances:

1) Nurburgring 1967 he was combined in a mixed field of GP regulars and a few F2 aces for the German GP, in which he was driving a F2 Matra. He did remarkably well, climbing to as high as 4th overall. How he finished I'm not certain, as I would have to look that up at the moment.

2) German GP 1969 was regarded where he exhibited his skills to match Stewart by pushing his Brabham past the Matra, during another one of Stewarts blazing bids for victory.

3) German GP 1971, again at the 'Ring (I guess perhaps that's why he was considered the 'Ringmeister for that period in racing), he managed to fight off the B.R.M. of a determined Pedro Rodriguez, to win the event. Which was a rain-soaked event btw.


One of the first things that comes to my mind whenever his name comes up is the 1969 Le Mans 24 Hour race, in which he protested the "standing start" procedures of drivers running across the roadway to their appointed cars, jumping in and starting up the engine. I believe he felt it was too risky.

Anyways, at the start, while everyone else dashed to their cars, he simply walked across the track (there's a famous photo of this somewhere - been years since I last saw it though)... only to win the thing by a mere 100 meters from the 2nd place Porsche (Hans Hermann/ ...... ?). There's a famous print of that too.

In many ways, Ickx can count himself unlucky not to have been the 1970 world champion (as can his previous season's boss Brabham, of course) — if, in the aftermath of Rindt's death, he would have wanted to be.

It was a shame that Ickx's F1 career didn't continue past 1973 in a very worthwhile fashion. His Race of Champions win the following year, his only Lotus victory, is often cited as stunning, but that was pretty much it. The move to Ligier to replace the injured Patrick Depailler in 1979 was the end for him in single-seaters, as he was uncompetitive in a car that won two races that year. However, he had been a great F1 driver, proved himself a terrific all-rounder, and, by winning Le Mans in 1969 alongside Jackie Oliver (whose part in that victory is often undervalued, I think) I believe he won one of the greatest motor races of all time.

For those interested about Ickx there is a superb site all about him - http://www.jacky-ickx-fan.net/

Ickx was certainly a complex character, who spoke his mind, particularly on safety matters.

For much of the time he was not a member of the GPDA, and during the crisis at the 1975 Spanish GP, he went out on the track on his own at one point, whilst the others protested about the safety arrangements.

Ickx was also lucky to survive a massive shunt at Watkins Glen in 1976.

Thanks for the linkage, Arrows!

Privileged to see JI race at Brands several times. Immaculate with Redman in the GT40 at the 68 BOAC 500. Let down by his car in the 3 way fight for the lead in the 70 GP (Stewart and Fittpaldi also fell by the wayside leaving Brabham to almost win. He ran out of fuel on the last lap and was passed at Clearways by Rindt). But the RoC 74 is the most memorable, starting a way back behind Lauda and Reggazoni he nailed them both, being quicker that anyone in the wet. Taking the lead by going round Reggazoni on the outside at Paddock. In Stirling's words, a real racer.

I often wonder what would have been the verdict had the 1969 Le Mans result gone the other way! ;)

Certainly a driver who falls below the horizon of those who consider motor racing to comprise only formula 1.