In association with

The 2011 inductees

Sir Jack Brabham
To be the Formula 1 World Champion twice – in 1959-60 – is impressive, but Brabham went on to found a new team of his own and become the only driver ever to win the title (his third, in ’66) in a car bearing his own name, as well as take two Constructors’ Championships. Brabham was still racing at the top level aged 44, winning the 1970 South African GP. Yet his legacy, from the MRD/Brabham team to his racing family, has made his name one which still resonates around the motor sport world.

Sir Frank Williams
His statistics are impressive: nine constructors’ World Championships, seven drivers’ titles, 113 Grand Prix wins – all scored in the past 32 years. Ferrari and McLaren have more wins – but then both have been going a lot longer. Yet for Frank Williams – who joins Enzo Ferrari, Ron Dennis and Jack Brabham in our roll of great team principals – it doesn’t matter. You know the most important stats to him are the ones that can still be written.

Jody Scheckter
A driver who was known for being erratic, wild and – most importantly – fast. He traveled to Britain in the 1960s to make his name and by 1973 he was a Grand Prix driver after impressing McLaren in the US GP the previous year. It was at Ferrari in 1979 that he really made his mark on history though. Alongside his great friend Gilles Villeneuve, he took the Prancing Horse to World Championship glory. He was the last Ferrari World Champion for a barren 21-year spell that ended with Schumacher in 2000.

Dario Franchitti
An avid enthusiast of the history of the sport, a true admirer of fellow Scot Jimmy Clark and a collector of memorabilia and images of the double Formula 1 World Champion. Sounds like a member of Motor Sport’s staff doesn’t it? The similarities end there. Dario Franchitti is a true enthusiast, but he also happens to be a man who has won the IndyCar Championship an impressive four times and the Indianapolis 500 twice. In terms of achievers in modern day sport, he is at the pinnacle.

Review of the evening

By associate editor Ed Foster

Two years down, and the Motor Sport Hall of Fame has grown to include 16 racing heroes.

Having decided to honour members of the sport by inducting them into a Hall of Fame, Motor Sport hosted an evening to do just that in February 2010, with four inductees announced alongside eight founder members. The occasion was a huge success and was lauded as “an indispensable part of the winter season” by inductee Tony Brooks. Twelve months later and we were back at the Roundhouse in Camden on February 15 to induct four more racing icons.

At this year’s event, run in association with TAG Heuer, Sir Jack Brabham OBE, Sir Frank Williams CBE, Jody Scheckter and Dario Franchitti were all honoured with specially-made awards and TAG Heuer timepieces. However, before any of them were asked on stage, Lady Susie Moss presented her husband and founding HoF member Sir Stirling with a lovingly inscribed helmet for the 2011 racing season. Inside the traditional open-face helmet were the words, ‘Have fun, all my love, Susie’, complete with luck horseshoe. All went well on stage, but leading up to the event things hadn’t been quite so relaxed…

Lady Susie had been keen to get the helmet inscribed without Stirling’s knowledge, and a man for the job was soon found in America. The helmet was duly sent over, but then came the job of persuading Sir Stirling that he didn’t need a new lid for the year ahead – no easy task.

Stirling Moss’ enthusiasm for the sport 63 years after becoming a professional racing driver is staggering

The shop where Sir Stirling usually goes was warned and so when the 1955 Mille Miglia winner arrived at its doors he was told that they’d get a helmet made. When this didn’t arrive Stirling, who had no knowledge of the one on the way over from the States, was – to put it mildly – quite cross. Thankfully he was calmed until the great unveiling. His enthusiasm for the sport 63 years after becoming a professional racing driver is staggering and we are honoured that Lady Susie chose the Hall of Fame for her special presentation.

By the time triple Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jack Brabham and Williams team boss Sir Frank Williams had been inducted, the crowd had more than warmed up. It’s well known that if you put a group of motor racing people in a room and supply some drinks, no one will draw breath. And so it proved at the Roundhouse…

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner joined us, as did BBC F1 pundit Eddie Jordan

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner joined us, as did BBC F1 pundit Eddie Jordan. Five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell regaled people with stories about the ice Land Speed Record bid he had just attended, where Juha Kankkunen managed 205.48mph in a Bentley Continental Supersports convertible. Five-time Grand Prix winner John Watson was on hand to present Jody Scheckter with his award, as was ex-commentator Murray Walker to present another to Sir Frank. Karun Chandhok, Tony Brooks, David Richards, Paddy Hopkirk and racer-musicians Chris Rea and Nick Mason were among the guests, as were five raffle-winning MS readers.

Following a short break in proceedings Jake Humphrey returned to the stage to welcome two more racers to the Hall of Fame. Joining John Watson on stage to induct Jody Scheckter was TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Christophe Babin, who was clearly delighted to present a Monaco TAG Heuer timepiece to the 1979 World Champion, an ambassador for the company during the golden years of his career in the ’70s.

Once Dario Franchitti had been made the 16th member of the Hall of Fame, Humphrey handed over to DJ Robbie Duncan, who kept the Roundhouse rocking into the night.

Thank you to everyone who made it on the night – without you it wouldn’t have been such a great success. See you all again on February 16, 2012!

Motor Sport would like to thank our sponsors TAG Heuer, BMW and the Bahrain International Circuit. We also thank Debbie Beale and Tony Jardine of Jardine International, Jon Kelly of Canyon production and event management, Pitlane Productions, Speedmasters, Patrick Morgan, Patrick Crew, Claire Williams, Sophie Eden, Mickey Ryan, Emma Spearing, BAM Media, Sir Stirling and Lady Moss, Murray Walker, John Watson, Audi.