The name Jackie Stewart needs no particular introduction for anyone passionate about Formula 1. Jackie is simply one of the greatest and most charismatic racing champions in the entire history of motorsport, capable of dominating Formula 1 between 1968 and 1973 with Ken Tyrrell’s team and the legendary Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 engine. Even after his retirement, his good relationship with Ford allowed him to become a consultant for the American manufacturer, while also continuing in the Formula 1 world as a television commentator for American and Australian networks. So, it comes as no surprise that when, in 1988, his son Paul decided to establish a racing team, Paul Stewart Racing, to compete himself in the British Formula Ford Championship, Sir Jackie became directly involved in the venture, using all his influence to attract financiers and sponsors. The team quickly grew, eventually reaching the International Formula 3000 Championship, gaining increasing importance and attracting future high-profile drivers such as David Coulthard and Allan McNish. In 1994, Brazilian driver Gil De Ferran achieved the team’s best results, winning three races and finishing third in the standings.
 |
| STEWART SF01, Rubens Barrichello Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1997 |
The idea of making the big leap into Formula 1 kept growing, but the disastrous experiences of Simtek, Pacific, and Forti Corse, who had followed a similar path, dissuaded the Stewarts from attempting entry into the premier class without a solid technical and financial foundation. Work behind the scenes continued for another two years until sponsorship agreements were secured with the gigantic banking group HSBC and the Malaysian government, interested in promoting the Malaysia brand worldwide. Sir Jackie’s excellent relationship with Ford Motor Company was also crucial to the birth of the team, leading to a five-year development contract and official support from the American manufacturer, which, through the trusted Cosworth division, would supply the advanced V10 JD Zetec-R engines. Thus, Paul Stewart Racing was renamed Stewart Grand Prix, and despite the Scottish origins of the Stewart family, the chosen location for the factory was Milton Keynes, a town in southeast England and now home to the Red Bull Racing team.
 |
| STEWART SF01, Rubens Barrichello Buenos Aires, Argentinian GP 1997 |
For their Formula 1 debut in 1997, the Stewarts entrusted the design to Alan Jenkins, an experienced engineer with a long tenure at McLaren during the 1980s, later moving to Arrows-Footwork in the 1990s. Also joining from Arrows-Footwork was Dave Amey, supported by young Andy Flamming, while the new English team’s aerodynamic department was led by Eghbal Hamidy, a man with deep knowledge of modern single-seaters thanks to his recent experience at Williams under Newey’s direction. On December 19, 1996, the new Stewart SF01 was presented to the press, a fairly conventional car designed primarily to give the team experience in its debut season, without excessive risks or financial exposure.
 |
| STEWART SF01, Jan Magnussen Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 1997 |
The color scheme chosen for the new SF01 was white, with a stripe running from the nose to the rear of the car, featuring the classic Scottish tartan colors, paying homage to the Stewart family’s heritage. The chassis was a classic carbon-fiber monocoque with honeycomb structure; the suspension followed the most popular design of the time, using double wishbones in push-rod configuration; the engine, as mentioned, was the Ford-Cosworth JD Zetec-R V10 capable of delivering 710 hp at 15,000 rpm, paired with a longitudinal semi-automatic gearbox derived from X-Trac and modified by Stewart’s own technicians. From the first pre-season tests, the Scottish car proved to be highly competitive, but in the opening races no notable results were achieved due to frequent retirements of both drivers: the established Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and the young Dane Jan Magnussen, father of current F1 driver Kevin, practically a rookie with only one previous race in 1995 driving a McLaren as a substitute for Mika Häkkinen.
 |
| STEWART SF01, Rubens Barrichello Hockenheimring, German GP 1997 |
The first real highlight for the SF01 came courtesy of Barrichello, who managed to clinch an incredible second place in Monaco, the fifth race of the season, in a race heavily influenced by torrential rain in the Principality. This gave the Brazilian the team’s first points in Formula 1, even though he finished nearly one minute behind race winner Michael Schumacher in his Ferrari. Throughout the season, the SF01 proved to be a fast and high-performing car, thanks also to the excellent Bridgestone tires fitted to the Scottish team’s single-seaters, but poor reliability of the engine and gearbox department severely limited the team’s overall performance. In fact, only 8 out of 34 race finishes were completed by the two drivers, and Barrichello’s second place in Monaco, while prestigious, remained the only valid result of the season. The 6 points earned were the team’s sole tally in the 1997 championship, which ended with Stewart Grand Prix ninth in the Constructors’ standings. At the end of the season, Jackie Stewart himself got to relive the feeling of driving a modern Formula 1 car, taking the SF01 out on track during a private test session at the Silverstone circuit in England.
Comments
Post a Comment