A Word or Two with Jacky Ickx

Left is Jacky Ickx, here with Uwe Meissner, head of Modena
Motorsport.

Interview and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

Jacques-Bernard Ickx was born into motor racing. His father was a famous Belgian motoring journalist and his brother was a successful motorcycle racer. Fathers, take heart; despite, or because of, being surrounded by cars and racing, young Ickx found it boring. Bored himself and living on his families farm in Braine l'Alleud, he finally decided to try his hand at motorcycle racing. The DNA factor was just too strong and young Jacky Ickx was drawn into the sport. Still a teenager, Ickx went from racing a BMW 700 coupe to being a tank instructor during his stint in the national service. With more maturity and focus, in 1965 at the age of 20, Ickx again raced BMWs, winning the Spa 24 hours touring car race with an 1800. His calculated driving style caught the attention of Ken Tyrrell, who had also discovered Jacky Stewart; Tyrell put both Jackys behind the wheel of the Matra F3 and F2 cars, and both headed for stardom.

The Ferrari 312 B 2 S/N 005 at the Retromobile Show in Paris in 2007. This was the car with which Ickx won the 1972 German Grand Prix.

By 1968 after finishing 5th at the 1967 Monza Grand Prix driving a Cooper Maserati, he was signed to Ferrari for the 1968 season. Ickx would win eight Formula One events from 1968 to 1972, and two World Manufacturer's Championships in sports cars. Ickx was also known as 'Mister Le Mans' for his six wins in the famous 24 hours race-four of them driving for Porsche.

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The 312 PB S/N 0888 in which Ickx-Redman won the Nürburgring
1000 kms in 1973

For this correspondent, it was particularly gratifying to be able to interview Jacky Ickx, a hero from my homeland, at the Modena Track Day event on the weekdays of June 29-30th. It was also a good occasion to have some impressions from the Belgian Champion, especially here at the Nürburgring where he had so much success in the past. Ickx won two times the German Grand Prix, on the terrifying Nordschleife (old circuit); in 1969 with a Brabham and in 1972 with a Ferrari. He also won the 1000 Kilometres twice, the first time in 1973 with Brian Redman and the 312 PB. Our questions, of course, centered around his years with Ferrari.

Vanhoolant: Jacky, was this 312 PB the best Ferrari sportscar you ever drove ?
Ickx: Yes, definitely, until the French Matras took the upper hand in terms of performance and reliability.

The 312 PB S/N 0888 having a run at the Modena Track Day.

Vanhoolant: What was lacking in this car to win at Le Mans ?
Ickx: Reliability. In 1973, we were in the top three at the end of the race but we knew that something would break as there were so many vibrations on the car. It was the clutch that let go with one hour to go.

Vanhoolant: Do you have any regret not to have won Le Mans with a Ferrari?
Ickx: No, not at all. I've never thought about it! Really. That's the least of my worries.

Vanhoolant: Can you give us a few words about one of your team mates on the 312 PB, Mario Andretti ?
Ickx: The most polyvalent of all!

Vanhoolant: But you were too !
Ickx: Yes, but Mario has done everything, he won in every series he took part. Yes, definitely the most polyvalent.

Jacky is too modest on that. He won in Formula One, Sportscar racing, Can-Am, Touring cars, even in African rallies like the Paris-Dakar and was perhaps even more polyvalent (a term from biology meaning effective on many levels) than Andretti.

The Ferrari 312 B 2 S/N 005 at the 2008 Monaco Historic GP.
However, it is not Ickx at the wheel.

Vanhoolant: Another Ferrari in which you won here, in 1972 was the 312 B2 of Formula One. How was this car ?
Ickx: The best F1 Ferrari I have ever driven but also the most unreliable. The 312 B2 was not competitive in 1971 but it improved well for 1972 and I won here (with his teammate Clay Regazzoni coming second, making it a Ferrari 1-2). But it was the only win of the year.

Vanhoolant: Some words about Mauro Forghieri, who was the chief engineer at this time ? Ickx: An artist, with all what it means …

Vanhoolant: What can you say about Enzo Ferrari ?
Ickx: I am probably one of the few who can say that I have never had to complain about Enzo Ferrari. He has always treated me magnificently. He gave me the best cars, he never put me under pressure. And I was always very welcome when I came back to Maranello, even after I left the team.

Sadly, I already had to conclude this conversation as some fans were waiting to take a picture with Jacky, something that he always do with a big smile. Jacky Ickx was and remains a champion and a gentleman.