Retired

Jacky Ickx

Belgian

  • Brussels, Belgium Place of Birth
  • 1 January 1945 Date of Birth
  • 1966 German Grand Prix F1 Debut
  • Ligier Current/Last Team

Jacky Ickx emerged as an impressive talent, blending Jochen Rindt’s passion with Jackie Stewart’s meticulous precision and excelling in wet conditions. His natural talent suggested a future World Championship was inevitable, yet his dream remained unfulfilled due to progressively less competitive cars. Son of a renowned motorsport journalist and a three-time Belgian motorbike trials champion, Ickx dominated in his Lotus Cortina, winning the national saloon car championship in 1965.

NationalityBelgian
BornJacques Bernard Edmon Martin Henri Ickx
1 January 1945
Brussels, Belgium

At just 21, he transitioned to Formula 2 in 1966 under Ken Tyrrell’s mentorship, showcasing his potential. By next year’s German Grand Prix, the young Ickx made headlines by qualifying third fastest in a Matra despite starting from the back. He climed to fourth before a suspension failure ended his run. His performance caught the attention of Cooper, where he earned his first championship point at Monza, leading to a contract with Ferrari in 1968. His first significant victory came shortly after, mastering the wet conditions at Rouen.

Despite a competitive streak that kept him in the title race until an accident in Canada, Ickx was already a top contender in sports car racing, winning multiple events. In 1969, he joined Brabham, scoring a victory over Jackie Stewart at the German GP and later securing a dramatic win at Le Mans. Returning to Ferrari in 1970, he narrowly missed beating Jochen Rindt to the title despite winning three Grand Prix. His subsequent seasons included wins in both Formula 1 and sports car races across the globe, but consistent success eluded him, leading to his departure from Ferrari in 1973. Ickx’s later years in Formula 1 saw diminishing returns, but he excelled in sports car racing, achieving three consecutive Le Mans victories and winning the World Championship of Makes.

Ickx briefly returned to Formula 1 in 1979, but his style clashed with the era’s technological demands. He then shifted focus to endurance racing, claiming more victories and a record sixth Le Mans win, culminating in a triumphant retirement in 1985.

Jacky Ickx Formula One World Championship career

F1 Career1966–1979
TeamsCooper, Ferrari, Brabham, McLaren, Lotus, Wolf–Williams, Ensign, Ligier
Entries122 (116 starts)
Championships0
Wins8
Podiums25
Career points181
Pole positions13
Fastest laps14
First entry1966 German Grand Prix
First win1968 French Grand Prix
Last win1972 German Grand Prix
Last entry1979 United States Grand Prix

Sources: Wikipedia.com and historicracing.com

Teammates

Driver Nationality Current/Last Team F1 Debut Status
Austrian Team Lotus 1964 Austrian Grand Prix Died, F1 Legend
New Zealander Frank Williams Racing Cars 1963 Monaco Grand Prix Died
Australian Brabham 1955 British Grand Prix Died, F1 Legend
American McLaren 1959 French Grand Prix Died
Swiss Ensign 1970 Dutch Grand Prix Died
American Ferrari 1968 United States Grand Prix F1 Legend
New Zealander McLaren 1965 Monaco Grand Prix Died, F1 Legend
Swedish Team Lotus 1970 Monaco Grand Prix Died
French Williams 1974 German Grand Prix Retired

Teams

Team Nationality Debut Season Status
Cooper British 1950 Historic
Ferrari Italian 1950 Current
Brabham British 1962 Historic
McLaren British 1966 Current
Team Lotus British 1958 Historic
Frank Williams Racing Cars British 1969 Historic
Ensign British 1973 Historic
Ligier French 1976 Historic