A driver with impulsive temperament: Jody Scheckter, South African with Lithuanian origin, didn’t have a natural passion for motorsports, but his ascent was extraordinary. After only eighteen months from his arrival in Europe, McLaren hired him in 1972 to race in F1. A debut which got him noticed, he came third behind his teammate, Hulme. In 1974, he moved on to Tyrrell. He was confirmed by the team, without disappointment, as the first driver for the season of ’75 and ’76. In the latter, at the Swedish racetrack of Andertrop, he won with a six-wheel car. In 1977 he chose to bet on the Wolf team. It seemed like a very imaginative adventure, but it turned out to be something serious, with some luck.

Piero Ferrari wanted him at the Cavallino team and, in 1979, with his loyal partner Gilles Villeneuve, they both won three Gran Prixes. The season ended all in red colours: Scheckter as a driver’s world champion and Ferrari with the constructor’s world championship. In 1980, at the end of a difficult year with the Ferrari 312 T5, Scheckter left the races. Initially, he had been considered as irresponsible, impetuous and foolish, very fast but blind. His taciturn personality didn’t help him at all. He was able to make his talent stand out, and his driving style was refined after years of experience in F1.