Ian Scheckter

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Ian Scheckter bigraphy, stories - South African racing driver

Ian Scheckter : biography

22 August 1947 –

Ian Scheckter (born 22 August 1947 in East London, South Africa) is a former racing driver. He participated in 20 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 30 March 1974. He scored no championship points.

The elder brother of 1979 Formula One champion Jody Scheckter and uncle of IRL racer Tomas Scheckter, his first F1 races were in the South African Grand Prix, first driving a Lotus 72 for locals Team Gunston in 1974. The following year and also in 1976, he drove a Tyrrell 007 for Lexington Racing, either side of a couple of European outings for Williams.

In domestic racing Scheckter came close to ending the run of Dave Charlton of titles in the South African National Drivers Championship in 1975, but in his two spells as a full time competitor dominated the championship winning 49 races and equalling John Love and Charlton’s tally of 6 championships.

Securing enough funds for a full season with the March works F1 team in 1977, he turned in some poor performances, spelling the end of his F1 career. Scheckter’s final grand prix would have been the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix but he was detained and then expelled from Japan due to only having a tourist visa in his South African passport and Japanese objections to the South African apartheid regime.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Points
1974 Team Gunston Lotus 72E Cosworth V8 ARG BRA RSA13 ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER NC 0
Hesketh Racing Hesketh 308 Cosworth V8 AUTDNQ ITA CAN USA
1975 Lexington Racing Tyrrell 007 Cosworth V8 ARG BRA RSARet ESP MON BEL NC 0
Frank Williams Racing Cars Williams FW04 Cosworth V8 SWERet
Williams FW03 Cosworth V8 NED12 FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA
1976 Lexington Racing Tyrrell 007 Cosworth V8 BRA RSARet USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN NC 0
1977 Team Rothmans International March 761B Cosworth V8 ARGRet BRARet RSA USW ESP11 MONDNQ BELRet SWERet FRANC GBRRet GERRet AUTRet NC 0
March 771 Cosworth V8 NED10 ITARet USARet CANRet JPN