World Champion Jody David Scheckter was born on January 29, 1950, in East London, South Africa. In 1970, he moved to Britain and realized his dream of racing when he won the Formula 5000 Championship. Debuting in Formula One earlier than he had expected, he made his first appearance at Watkins Glen in 1972. He came close to claim the third place in the United States Grand Prix but lost out after his McLaren spun off and thus finished ninth. He continued to progress in the Formula 500 series and the following year featured only in four F1 races.In 1974, Scheckter moved to the Elf Team Tyrrell who in contrast to McLaren offered him a place to become a full time driver. This was an offer he could not deny and it ensured that he could race for the whole season and utilize the chance for his benefit as well as showcase his talent. He cashed in 45 points to place himself third in the Drivers’ Championship. His driving materialized into an outstanding performance in Sweden and Great Britain with victories at both venues. Moreover, he was on podium on six occasions that season. The following year, a little slump in his form resulted in three podium finishes only including one victory in front of home crowd in South Africa. The first four races of 1976 season were just an ordinary affair for the Tyrrell team, until the Tyrrell P34 car was revealed in the Belgian Grand Prix. The car stunned one and all, flaunting six wheels instead of the mundane four. Other teams were left introspecting when he used the spectacular machine to earn points in straight six races including his victory in the Swedish Grand Prix. Another fine season for Tyrrell ended with Scheckter bagging 49 points and appearing third on the Drivers’ Championship.Walter Wolf’s newly formed Walter Wolf Racing team hired Scheckter, the youngster whose performance demonstrated considerable progress in 1977. The team gained its first ever points during its maiden race in Argentina, when the South African finished first past the chequered flag. His second place in the Drivers’ Championship with 55 points egged him on as well as the team to better their performances. But an underperforming engine in the next season denied them any remarkable race finishes and Scheckter managed a seventh position in the drivers’ standings.At several instances, many people associate Michael Schumacher with Ferrari when there is a mention of the Italian outfit. They are not to be blamed, for Schumacher has been superlative. But not many are aware that Scheckter was the Ferrari driver who preceded Schumacher in terms of winning championships. In 1979, Scheckter moved to Ferrari and was at his phenomenal best when he finished first with six podium finishes and three victories to win the World Championship title. His build up to this extraordinary event of his career was nothing short of brilliancy and his title winning efforts were certainly the most deserving. Like all good things come to an end, Scheckter’s 1980 season with Ferrari too did not end well and he retired from F1 soon after. But not before he made his mark at the ultimate level of motorsports.-Anup Pareek