72 GP RACING JULY 2020
you could not have carried on. Back then racing was consid ered
a chival rous thing: you do– and y oudie – for thesport. When
someone was lost it was alwaysaccepted ina way. The pro gress
made in safety is wonderful, becausenow you’re almost atrisk z ero.
“Sometimes I wonder how I survived when so many others did
not. I remember an F2 race at Barcelona, where I tried to pass
Clark on the first lap – and hitthe back of his car.
We were both out, and it wasentirely my fault.
Jimmy was the best in the world, and could have been
very hard, but he just had a quiet talk to me. One week
later he wasdead.
“In my houseyou would not know I had ever been
a racing driver. No trophies on display, and just one
racing photograph on my wall – thewonderful picture
by Jesse Alexander of Jimmy’s face, completely drained,
after a race at Spa.”
In 1969 Ferrarireturned to sportscars, so Ickx –
wishing to continue with John Wyer’s sportscar team- left for Brabham, beating Jackie Stewart in a straight
fight at theNürburgring, and also winning at Mosport.
Following Amon’s departure, though, Enzo Ferrari was
keen to have Jacky back, and in 1970 – driving the new
flat-12 312B – he came within an ace of becoming world
Jacky Ickx was taken by his father Jacques, a
prominent journalist, to the Belgian Grand Prix
at Spa-Francorchamps, and was so boredthat he
asked to be taken home.
“Maybe I have always been abit unusual,”Jacky
smiled. “The truth is that I never wanted to be a racing
driver – never thought about it. Yes, I went to Spa, but I was
absolutelynot interested. I remember seeing Stirling [Moss]
and others at home in Brussels for acocktail party before the
race – even that didn’t impress me!”
Ultimately Jacques Ickx came to dislike motor racing, explaining
that he had lost too many friends.“Exactly,” said his son. “So many
had gone that it was hurting him, but still he supported me when
I started. I wasn’t good at school, but at 16 I wasgiven a trials
motorcycle, and for the first time was able to do something well,
and realised I could be a winner.”
Once into cars, Ickx’s rise was meteoric, success in touring cars
followed by startling Formula 2 performances for Ken Tyrrell in
1967, which led to a late-season full Formula 1 debut with Cooper,
then an offer from Ferrari.
Although the V12 engine was well down on power to Cosworth’s
DFV, Ferrari made a fine chassis in 1968, and though Chris Amon
was invariably the pacesetter, Ickx it was who scored
the team’s only victory, in the rain at Rouen.
“Chris was such a lovely guy – and such a
beautiful driver, for sure quicker than I was. He had
pole positions, led so many grands prix – but never
won one, always because of the car. I was new in
the team – and then Iwon the French Grand Prix.
It should have been him...”
As Ickx celebratedthat day – 7 Jul y – the paddock
mournedthe loss of Jo Schlesser.After JimClark ,
Mike Spence and Ludovico Scarfiotti, this was
the fourthconsecutive fatalityat this point in a
month.“This was my firstwin,” said Ickx, “and at a
wonderful circuit, but it was a terrible time. Ofcourse
I was young,and you th inknothing can happen
to you – to someoneelse, ma ybe, but not you.
Hone stly, that was how youhadto think –otherwise,NIGELROEBUCK’S
HEROES
FORMULA ONE
PICTURES
IN 1958...
JACKYICKX
After two F1 races inanF2Tyrrell-entered Matra, Ickxmade his ‘full’
F1 debut inthe 1967 Italian GP, finishingsixth in aCooper T81BIn 1970 Ickx returnedtoFerrari after
Chris Amon left the Italianteam72 GP RACING JULY 2020
you could not have carried on. Back then racing was consid ered
a chival rous thing: you do– and y oudie – for thesport. When
someone was lost it was alwaysaccepted ina way. The pro gress
made in safety is wonderful, becausenow you’re almost atrisk z ero.
“Sometimes I wonder how I survived when so many others did
not. I remember an F2 race at Barcelona, where I tried to pass
Clark on the first lap – and hitthe back of his car.
We were both out, and it wasentirely my fault.
Jimmy was the best in the world, and could have been
very hard, but he just had a quiet talk to me. One week
later he wasdead.
“In my houseyou would not know I had ever been
a racing driver. No trophies on display, and just one
racing photograph on my wall – thewonderful picture
by Jesse Alexander of Jimmy’s face, completely drained,
after a race at Spa.”
In 1969 Ferrarireturned to sportscars, so Ickx –
wishing to continue with John Wyer’s sportscar team- left for Brabham, beating Jackie Stewart in a straight
fight at theNürburgring, and also winning at Mosport.
Following Amon’s departure, though, Enzo Ferrari was
keen to have Jacky back, and in 1970 – driving the new
flat-12 312B – he came within an ace of becoming world
Jacky Ickx was taken by his father Jacques, a
prominent journalist, to the Belgian Grand Prix
at Spa-Francorchamps, and was so boredthat he
asked to be taken home.
“Maybe I have always been abit unusual,”Jacky
smiled. “The truth is that I never wanted to be a racing
driver – never thought about it. Yes, I went to Spa, but I was
absolutelynot interested. I remember seeing Stirling [Moss]
and others at home in Brussels for acocktail party before the
race – even that didn’t impress me!”
Ultimately Jacques Ickx came to dislike motor racing, explaining
that he had lost too many friends.“Exactly,” said his son. “So many
had gone that it was hurting him, but still he supported me when
I started. I wasn’t good at school, but at 16 I wasgiven a trials
motorcycle, and for the first time was able to do something well,
and realised I could be a winner.”
Once into cars, Ickx’s rise was meteoric, success in touring cars
followed by startling Formula 2 performances for Ken Tyrrell in
1967, which led to a late-season full Formula 1 debut with Cooper,
then an offer from Ferrari.
Although the V12 engine was well down on power to Cosworth’s
DFV, Ferrari made a fine chassis in 1968, and though Chris Amon
was invariably the pacesetter, Ickx it was who scored
the team’s only victory, in the rain at Rouen.
“Chris was such a lovely guy – and such a
beautiful driver, for sure quicker than I was. He had
pole positions, led so many grands prix – but never
won one, always because of the car. I was new in
the team – and then Iwon the French Grand Prix.
It should have been him...”
As Ickx celebratedthat day – 7 Jul y – the paddock
mournedthe loss of Jo Schlesser.After JimClark ,
Mike Spence and Ludovico Scarfiotti, this was
the fourthconsecutive fatalityat this point in a
month.“This was my firstwin,” said Ickx, “and at a
wonderful circuit, but it was a terrible time. Ofcourse
I was young,and you th inknothing can happen
to you – to someoneelse, ma ybe, but not you.
Hone stly, that was how youhadto think –otherwise,NIGELROEBUCK’S
HEROES
FORMULA ONE
PICTURES
IN 1958...
JACKYICKX
After two F1 races inanF2Tyrrell-entered Matra, Ickxmade his ‘full’
F1 debut inthe 1967 Italian GP, finishingsixth in aCooper T81BIn 1970 Ickx returnedtoFerrari after
Chris Amon left the Italianteam