Stewart Grand Prix

Stewart Grand Prix is a former Formula One constructor and racing team. The team was formed by three times Formula One champion Jackie Stewart and his son Paul Stewart in 1996. The team competed in F1, as the Ford works-supported team, for only three seasons, from 1997 to 1999. The 1999 season was by far its strongest, yielding one win (Johnny Herbert at the European Grand Prix) and one pole position (Rubens Barrichello at the French Grand Prix).

At the end of 1999, Ford bought the team outright and it was renamed Jaguar Racing. In 2004 Jaguar Racing was sold to energy drink company Red Bull and it became Red Bull Racing.

Origins

Although the new team was formed from scratch, a considerable amount of previous experience went into it. Three times world champion Jackie Stewart had both a wealth of experience in Formula One and excellent connections high up in the Ford Motor Company that helped the new team gain the works engine deal for its first season. Paul Stewart had a moderately successful driving career in Formula 3000 and lower categories and had experience in running Paul Stewart Racing, which by the time the Formula One team was created was a well established and respected outfit in Formula Three and Formula 3000.

While in late 1995, Stewart Racing (like top competitor DAMS) expressed disinterest in moving up to F1,^[2] considering short-lived entries Simtek, Pacific and Forti either had folded or looked to fold,^[2] this decision was reversed in January 1996 when Jackie Stewart secured a five-year development deal with Ford to make it a factory team.^[3] Ford had been in a deal as a factory engine supplier to Sauber before this.^[3]

Racing History

1997

With backing from Ford, Stewart GP entered the 1997 Australian Grand Prix with drivers Rubens Barrichello and Jan Magnussen. The only success of their first year came at the rain-affected Monaco Grand Prix where Barrichello finished an impressive second. Magnussen in the second car finished just outside the points in 7th after losing his front wing at the chicane. Elsewhere, the cars were consistent midfield runners and Barrichello was often in a position to challenge for points. Overall, it was an impressive first season from Stewart in terms of competitiveness, as new teams often struggle badly with the pace of Formula One. However, Stewart's reliability was poor, as the Ford Zetec-R V10 engine installed in the SF01 chassis proved to be extremely fragile. This restricted the team to just eight classified finishes out of a possible thirty-four.

1998

1998 was a great struggle for the team, with neither driver able to step onto the podium. Indeed, points were hard to come by, and after a number of poor drives Jan Magnussen was replaced by Dutchman Jos Verstappen, ironically the race after Magnussen scored his first and only Formula One points at the accident-laden Canadian Grand Prix.

In the end the driver change did not seem to make a great difference as Jos also struggled with the car, but he did push Barrichello harder than Magnussen . Verstappen left the team at the end of the season after Johnny Herbert joined but was less than happy with the set up of Stewart and blasted it for its favoritism to Barrichello and accused it of being unable to run more than one car .

At the end of the 1998 season, technical director Alan Jenkins left Stewart Grand Prix, and was replaced by Jordan's Gary Anderson.^[4]

1999

After Ford acquired Cosworth in July 1998, they risked designing and building a brand-new engine for 1999. It paid off. The SF3 was quick out of the box, however embarrassingly for Ford both cars over-heated on the grid of the first race, the Australian Grand Prix, after qualifying competitively. This put Herbert out instantly and made Barrichello start from the pit lane. Barrichello drove an excellent race and was unfortunate not to win, as all the cars who were ahead of him on the grid failed to finish the race. Had he not started from the pit lane and gained a stop-go penalty during the race it is likely that he would have finished considerably higher than in 5th place. The car was consistently competitive throughout the season, however the engine initially proved fragile as both cars blew their engines at the Brazilian race which meant the engine was rarely run at full power. Stewart's competitiveness was affirmed by running first in Brazil for a long spell of the race and qualifying on pole for the French Grand Prix with Barrichello. Johnny Herbert won a popular victory at the rain soaked 1999 European Grand Prix at the new Nürburgring after other leading contenders crashed off the track or lost time in the pits changing tyres.^[5] Barrichello finished third, in a result most observers indicated that Stewart deserved given their strength over the season. Johnny Herbert also became unwittingly influential in the championship at the next and penultimate race, the Malaysian Grand Prix. Running 3rd behind the Ferraris of Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine, a mistake in the closing laps allowed Mika Häkkinen to slip past and claim the final podium position which gave the championship contender vital points. The Ferraris were disqualified for car irregularities and the win allowed Häkkinen to gain his second championship. The Stewarts as a result finished 2nd and 3rd in the race. However Ferrari won an appeal and the initial result was reinstated. Häkkinen however went on to win the championship and Stewart came 4th in the Constructors Championship beating illustrious teams such as Williams and Benetton. Stewart's last race was the 1999 Japanese Grand Prix.

After Ford increased its commitment by buying the team out, it became known as Jaguar Racing for the 2000 season. Poor results however, led to the team being sold for the 2005 season, becoming Red Bull Racing.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

References