Jody Scheckter

Jody Scheckter was the South African who won the 1979 World Championship for Ferrari, the last drivers' title the Scuderia would claim for 21 years. Born in East London in 1950, he arrived in Formula 1 with raw, spectacular speed and matured into a measured racer who delivered Ferrari one of its most cherished crowns.

After early years with McLaren and a productive spell at Tyrrell, where he drove the famous six-wheeled P34, Scheckter joined the new Wolf team in 1977 and won on his debut for them in Argentina. He moved to Ferrari for 1979 and took the title alongside teammate Gilles Villeneuve, sealing it with victory at Monza. In total he scored 10 wins, 33 podiums and 3 pole positions across 112 starts before retiring at the end of 1980.

Scheckter walked away from racing while still in his prime and later built a hugely successful business career, including the founding of a major organic farming enterprise in England. His 1979 championship stood as Ferrari's last until Michael Schumacher in 2000.

Scheckter began his career as a wild, fast and sometimes reckless talent, but evolved into one of the most controlled and consistent drivers of his generation. That blend of natural pace and hard-won discipline carried him to a Ferrari title in a strong field, and his decision to retire at his peak left a legacy of a man who knew exactly when to stop. He remains the only South African to have won the Formula 1 World Championship.