Jody Scheckter belongs to the category of sentimental pilots.
Crowned Formula 1 world champion in 1979, the South African made a point of owning most of the single-seaters he had driven in grand prix racing.
At the age of 74, this pilot who hung up his helmet, gloves and suit at the end of the 1980 season has decided to part with his collection.
RM Sotheby's has been commissioned to disperse it on May 10 and 11.
Quite a symbol, it is in Monaco that the collection of the South African world champion will be offered.
The most important piece of the collection is nothing less than the Ferrari 312 T4 which allowed Scheckter to win the 1979 world championship and at the wheel of which he won the Monaco Grand Prix the same year.
At the wheel of the Maranello car, he also won the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder and the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
When it came time to count, Scheckter was 4 points ahead of his teammate Gilles Villeneuve, winner twice in 1979.
Ferrari 312 T4 from 1979. Tom Wood ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's
Scheckter put his title back on the line the following season but came up against the rise of Alan Jones' Williams and Nelson Piquet's Brabham.
At the end of 1980, Scheckter retired from sports at age 30.
It was in 1982 that he acquired the Ferrari 312 T4 which allowed him to appear on the Formula 1 world championship list. The red single-seater was never driven by any other champion than Scheckter.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of its title, he brought it out of retirement to perform a few laps at Monza in 2019. This sacred monster of F1 history is estimated between 5,250,000 euros and 6,500,000 euros.
McLaren M23.
Tom Wood ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's
The South African's career has been dazzling.
She started with the McLaren team when he was only 22 years old.
An impetuous driver, Scheckter was quick to attract the wrath of his rivals and the media.
At the 1973 French Grand Prix, in his third grand prix, he clashed with reigning world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.
The following week, he caused a huge pile-up after losing control of his car.
His team manager advises him to hide in the motor home to avoid being lynched by the other drivers.
He was excluded from the following four races.
From his McLaren period, he owns the M19A single-seater at the wheel of which he made his grand prix debut at the American round at Watkins Glen.
His collection also includes a 1972 McLaren M21 and the McLaren M23 which allowed Peter Revson to win the 1973 British Grand Prix.
Simon Clay ©2024 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's
From the 1974 season, Scheckter joined the English team Tyrrell, replacing Jackie Stewart.
The driver has calmed down and thanks to a new approach to competition, he is obtaining results.
He scored his first two victories and in 1975, he became the first South African to win his country's grand prix.
In 1976, he scored a victory driving the never-before-seen six-wheeled Tyrrell P34.
The example from the Scheckter collection was manufactured in 2008 from chassis number 8 and a preserved stock of parts.
It is estimated between 450,000 and 650,000 euros.
Simon Clay ©2024 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's
To everyone's surprise, Scheckter left Tyrrell at the end of the 1976 season to go to Wolf.
The South African achieved the feat of imposing his new car during the first grand prix of the young Austrian team.
He won two more races in 1977: Monaco and Mosport in Canada.
At the end of the season, Scheckter finished second in the championship standings.
The Wolf WR1 is estimated between 450,000 and 650,000 euros.
The Scheckter collection also offers a 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ at the wheel of which Ignazio Giunti began his sporting career.
1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ. Tom Wood ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's