“Thank you, Jackie”

Jackie Stewart’s domination in the 1971 Formula One season was such that he clinched his second Drivers’ Championship with three races remaining, but the final round, the US Grand Prix held at Watkins Glen, belonged to his Tyrrell teammate, François Cevert (picture-above, crossing the line, both arms in the air).

The Frenchman, who had qualified in sixth, his teammate being on pole, took the lead from Stewart on lap 14 – the Scot had noticed that Ceverts tires were holding the distance better than his and let him through – and Cevert went on to claim his only career win, the first Grand Prix victory for a French driver since Maurice Trintignant in 1958.

After taking the checkered flag, 40 seconds ahead of Jo Siffert’s BRM, Cevert gave a nod to his teammate. “I feel pretty good with a 50,000$ win. I followed Stewart in the beginning of the race… Jackie is a very sensible driver and a very good teacher. He let me through. Thank you, Jackie.” A lesson in camaraderie from two teammates-friends.