Ian Scheckter (born 22 August 1947 in East London, South Africa, and educated at Selborne College) is a former racing driver. He participated in 20 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 30 March 1974. He scored no championship points.

Biography

The elder brother of 1979 Formula One champion Jody Scheckter and uncle of IRL racer Tomas Scheckter, his first F1 races were in the South African Grand Prix, first driving a Lotus 72 for locals Team Gunston in 1974. The following year and also in 1976, he drove a Tyrrell 007 for Lexington Racing, either side of a couple of European outings for Williams.

In domestic racing Scheckter came close to ending the run of Dave Charlton of titles in the South African National Drivers Championship in 1975, but in his two spells as a full-time competitor dominated the championship winning 49 races and equalling John Love and Charlton's tally of 6 championships.

Securing enough funds for a full season with the March works F1 team in 1977, he turned in some poor performances, aided in great part by the fact that, in some races, Team March had up to five drivers signed; lacking resources to provide adequately for them all. This situation spelled the end of his F1 career. Scheckter's final grand prix would have been the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix but he was detained and then expelled from Japan due to only having a tourist visa in his South African passport and Japanese objections to the South African apartheid regime.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Points 1974 Team Gunston Lotus 72E Cosworth V8 ARG BRA RSA
13 ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER NC 0 Hesketh Racing Hesketh 308 Cosworth V8 AUT
DNQ ITA CAN USA 1975 Lexington Racing Tyrrell 007 Cosworth V8 ARG BRA RSA
Ret ESP MON BEL NC 0 Frank Williams Racing Cars Williams FW03 Cosworth V8 SWE
Ret NED
12 FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA 1976 Lexington Racing Tyrrell 007 Cosworth V8 BRA RSA
Ret USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN NC 0 1977 Team Rothmans International March 761B Cosworth V8 ARG
Ret BRA
Ret RSA USW ESP
11 MON
DNQ BEL
Ret SWE
Ret FRA
NC GBR
Ret GER
Ret AUT
Ret NC 0 March 771 Cosworth V8 NED
10 ITA
Ret USA
Ret CAN
Ret JPN