Three-time Formula 1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart says modern Grand Prix drivers can race more aggressively because the sport’s safety standards have improved dramatically.
In an interview with his grandson, Lucas Stewart, the 87-year-old former driver reflected on his campaign to improve motorsport safety during the 1960s and 1970s. He said today’s drivers can make mistakes without facing the same fatal consequences that were common during his career.
“They are more preventive in safety, but at the same time, taking advantage of that has brought it to a level that it never existed in before, and they do make mistakes, but the mistakes don’t take lives as they did in the past,” Stewart said when asked how modern driving styles have changed as safety has improved.
“So it’s all gone better. It’s no more colourful, glamorous, or exciting. Formula 1 has always been like that. And it’s global. So, it’s now in a very good condition. There’s very little chance of death compared with previously. So, that’s a good thing.”
Crashes during Stewart’s driving career were frequently fatal. Pointing to memorial benches at his home, he described the dangers faced by drivers at the time.
“It was ridiculously dangerous. Most of my friends are dead. Almost every bench in this area in our home here is dedicated to a racing driver who’s lost their life.
“So, I had to do something about that to make it safer. Today, we have better safety in motorsport than we’ve ever had in the history of the sport.
“They’re all pals. You know, we didn’t even stop the race. We continued to drive while somebody was losing their life. It’s an amazing reality. And you knew who it was. Sometimes it was the terrible sight of only knowing because of his helmet that had been taken off in the accident. That type of thing doesn’t happen today.”
Stewart said Formula 1 has since developed more comprehensive safety and race-management systems, making driver fatalities far less likely.
“Today it’s managed more completely and we don’t lose drivers to the same extent. It’s not impossible for death to occur, but it’s certainly unlikely in comparison to years gone by.”
Asked how he would like to be remembered, Stewart highlighted his role in making motor racing safer.
“Making motor racing safer was one of the things that was able to be part of my life. The number of friends that died, in many cases totally unnecessarily, was taken down to a new level, and that’s been carried forth by many others,” the former driver said.
“But maybe I was the first because it wasn’t necessarily taken well when we were making race tracks change for us to continue to drive. All that had to take place because there was so much death taking place, and it was ridiculous to continue. And I was just part of that period.”
