Jackie Stewart: The Modern Driver Revolution

During the 1960s, Formula 1 was not simply dangerous—it was lethal. Drivers who competed regularly faced grim odds, with statistics suggesting a two-in-three chance of death over a sustained career. In that single decade alone, 29 Formula 1 drivers lost their lives. Cars routinely erupted into flames, circuits lacked basic barriers, medical support was almost nonexistent, and raising concerns about safety was widely dismissed as a sign of weakness.

It was within this unforgiving environment that Jackie Stewart was forged.

Born in Milton, Scotland, Stewart’s path to greatness was anything but conventional. He struggled with severe dyslexia, a condition barely understood at the time, and found confidence instead in precision sports. As a teenager, he became a champion clay pigeon shooter, representing Great Britain—an experience that sharpened the focus and mental discipline that would later define his racing career.

Stewart entered Formula 1 with BRM in 1965 and made an immediate impact, winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in his rookie season. His reputation, however, was sealed three years later at the 1968 German Grand Prix. In torrential rain at the Nürburgring Nordschleife—one of the most dangerous circuits ever used—Stewart delivered a masterclass, winning by more than four minutes against the very best drivers of his generation.

Speed alone did not define him. Stewart approached Formula 1 with a level of professionalism previously unseen. He carefully managed sponsorships, controlled his public image, prioritized physical fitness, and understood the commercial value of a racing driver. In doing so, he created the foundation for the modern Formula 1 superstar—an approach later perfected by drivers such as Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, and Lewis Hamilton.

Yet Stewart’s most enduring legacy was born from trauma. In 1966 at Spa-Francorchamps, he crashed heavily and was trapped for 25 minutes in a fuel-soaked car. There were no trained rescue crews, no medical team, and no proper equipment. He was freed only by fellow drivers using borrowed tools. That moment changed him forever.

From then on, Stewart waged an uncompromising campaign for safety. He pushed relentlessly for seat belts, fire-resistant suits, full-face helmets, proper barriers, run-off areas, trained medical staff, ambulances, and rescue helicopters. He faced ridicule, resistance, and open hostility—but he never backed down.

The transformation of Formula 1 safety followed. Fatality rates declined sharply. Infamously dangerous venues like the old Nürburgring and Montjuïc were abandoned or redesigned. Modern safety elements—from survival cells to the HANS device and the halo—exist because Stewart refused to accept death as part of the sport.

On track, his success was equally remarkable. Stewart won three World Championships in 1969, 1971, and 1973, claiming 27 Grand Prix victories, including six wins in both 1969 and 1971 with Matra and Tyrrell. His final season ended in heartbreak when his close friend and protégé François Cevert was killed at Watkins Glen. At just 34 years old, Stewart chose to retire, proving that wisdom and courage are often inseparable.

After leaving the cockpit, Stewart remained deeply involved in Formula 1 as a commentator and later as a team owner with Stewart Grand Prix, founded in 1997. That team would evolve into Jaguar Racing and eventually Red Bull Racing. Knighted in 2001, Sir Jackie Stewart continues to be a global ambassador for the sport and an advocate for dementia awareness.

Today, every driver who walks away from a 200 mph accident does so because one man dared to challenge the culture of silence. Jackie Stewart taught Formula 1 that survival is not weakness—it is progress.

👉 Click on the video to watch the full documentary and discover the complete story of the man who changed Formula 1 forever.