Jacky Ickx

Often our sporting heroes are not necessarily the ones who are statistically the most accomplished, or those who have bequeathed the most substantial legacy for the historians to mull over.

Rather, it is common for us to revere or respect those who have endeared themselves to us in other ways, by virtue of their charisma, sportsmanship, natural talent or originality. Such is the case with one of my heroes, the Belgian racing driver Jacky Ickx.

A cultured and debonair figure, Ickx was something of a prodigy in motorsport, cutting his teeth on motorcycles and in saloons, before embarking on the path which would make him arguably the greatest sportscar driver of all time.

Soon enough, Ickx made his mark on single-seater racing, becoming the European Formula 2 champion in 1967, and impressing everyone with his first outings in Grand Prix racing.

From 1968 to 1972 Ickx was without doubt in the top three of Formula 1 drivers, twice finishing runner-up in the title race. His career in the premier rank began to ebb in 1973, with Ferrari in the toils, although he reaffirmed his essential class with a podium finish in a one-off drive for McLaren at the Nurburgring.

A move to Lotus for 1974 seemed to augur well on paper at least, but it was not a happy relationship, and before 1975 was out Jacky had departed from the team. His subsequent F1 career was a spasmodic affair, culminating in his swansong with Ligier in 1979. The ground-effect cars did not seem to suit his driving style.

Although Ickx's Formula 1 prospects faded as the 1970s progressed, he continued to be supremely competitive in sportscar racing, and he remained so until his retirement from racing in the mid-1980s. By that time he had recorded six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.

With wins also in Can-Am and at Bathurst, as well as in rally-raids, Ickx must be counted as one of the great all-rounders. His economical and elegant driving style appeared to be particularly well suited to the classic "driver's circuits", and he was especially impressive on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, in both single-seaters and prototypes.

His prowess on the classic circuits is also consistent with Ickx's image as a traditionalist, who was ambivalent about some of the driver safety campaigns, and bemoaned the demise or emasculation of many of the historic venues.

In image and outlook, Ickx was something of a throwback to earlier days.