John Watson (racing driver)

John Marshall Watson, MBE (born 4 May 1946) is a British former racing driver and current commentator from Northern Ireland. He competed in Formula One, winning five Grands Prix and was third in the 1982 championship. He also competed in the World Sportscar Championship finishing second in the 1987 championship. After his retirement from motorsport, he became a commentator for Eurosport's coverage of Formula One from 1989 to 1996. He currently commentates on the GT World Challenge Europe and commentated on the 2022 Miami F1 Grand Prix for F1TV.

John Watson
MBE
Watson at the 1982 Dutch Grand Prix
Born (1946-05-04) 4 May 1946
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
Active years19731983, 1985
TeamsBrabham, Surtees, Lotus, Penske, McLaren
Entries154 (152 starts)
Championships0
Wins5
Podiums20
Career points169
Pole positions2
Fastest laps5
First entry1973 British Grand Prix
First win1976 Austrian Grand Prix
Last win1983 United States Grand Prix West
Last entry1985 European Grand Prix

Early Formula One career

Watson at a Formula Two race at Hockenheim in 1971

John Watson was born in Belfast and educated at Rockport School, Northern Ireland. Watson's Formula One career began in 1972, driving a customer March-Cosworth 721 for Goldie Hexagon Racing in a non-Championship event: the World Championship Victory Race at Brands Hatch.[1] Watson's first World Championship events came in the 1973 season, in which he raced in the British Grand Prix in a customer Brabham-Ford BT37, and the US Grand Prix, where he drove the third works Brabham BT42. Neither was particularly successful, as in the British race he ran out of fuel on the 36th lap and his engine failed after only seven laps in the United States event.

Watson scored his first World Championship point in the 1974 Monaco Grand Prix, while driving for Goldie Hexagon Racing. He went on to score a total of six points that season, driving a customer Brabham BT42-Ford modified by the team.[2] He failed to score Championship points the following year, driving for Team Surtees, Team Lotus and Penske Cars. At the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix he had the chance to score his first win. He was in second position, behind Mario Andretti, until he had to stop in the pits for checks after his car started to suffer vibrations. Andretti retired later, and after rejoining the race Watson finished in eighth, his best Championship result in 1975. In non-Championship races he fared somewhat better, taking second place in the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch, and fourth at the International Trophy race at Silverstone.

Rise to prominence

He secured his first World Championship podium with third place at the 1976 French Grand Prix. Later that season came his first victory, driving for Penske in the Austrian Grand Prix having qualified second on the grid. After the race he shaved off his beard, the result of a bet with team owner Roger Penske. In a June 2023 interview with F1Weekly podcast Watson said the team flew to London Sunday evening after the race, and Penske did not recognize him in the hotel lobby Monday morning.

In the third race of the 1977 Formula One season, the South African Grand Prix, he managed to complete the race distance, scored a point, and took his first ever fastest lap. His achievements were overshadowed, however, by the deaths of driver Tom Pryce and a track marshal, Jansen Van Vuuren. His Brabham-Alfa Romeo let him down throughout the season but, despite this, he gained his first pole position in the Monaco Grand Prix and qualified in the top ten no fewer than 14 times, often in the first two rows. Problems with the car, accidents, and a disqualification meant that he raced the full distance in only five of the 17 races. The closest he came to victory was during the French Grand Prix, where he dominated the race from the start only to be let down by a fuel metering problem on the last lap which relegated him to second place behind eventual winner Mario Andretti.

In 1978, Watson managed a more successful season in terms of race finishes, even out-qualifying and out-racing his illustrious teammate Niki Lauda on occasion. He managed three podiums and a pole, and notched up 25 points to earn the highest championship placing of his career to that point.

Move to McLaren and championship challenge

Watson driving the McLaren MP4/1

For 1979, Watson moved to McLaren where he gave them their first victory in over three years by winning the 1981 British Grand Prix[3] and also securing the first victory for a carbon fibre composite monocoque F1 car, the McLaren MP4/1. Later in the 1981 season, the strength of the McLaren's carbon fibre monocoque (designed by John Barnard) was demonstrated when he had a fiery crash at Monza during the Italian Grand Prix. Watson lost the car coming out of the high speed Lesmo bends and crashed backwards into the barriers. Similar accidents had previously proven fatal, but Watson was uninjured in an accident he later recalled as looking far worse than it actually was.[4] After James Hunt's abrupt retirement after the Monaco Grand Prix in 1979, Watson was the only full-time competitive British F1 driver up until the end of his career.

Watson during practice for the 1985 European Grand Prix, his last F1 race.

His most successful year was 1982, when he finished third in the Drivers' Championship, winning two Grands Prix. In several races he achieved high placings despite qualifying towards the back of the grid. At the first ever Detroit Grand Prix in 1982, he overtook three cars in one lap deep into the race on a tight, twisty track that was difficult to pass on; working his way from 17th starting position on the grid, he charged through the field and scored a victory in the process.[5] Watson went into the final race of the season at Caesars Palace in with an outside chance of the title, but he was to finish five points adrift of Keke Rosberg and level on points with Didier Pironi.

A year later in 1983, he repeated the feat of winning from the back of the grid at the final Formula One race in Long Beach; another street circuit, starting from 22nd on the grid, the farthest back from which a modern Grand Prix driver had ever come to win a race. Watson's final victory also included a fight for position with teammate Niki Lauda, who had started the race 23rd, though Watson ultimately finished 27 seconds ahead of his dual World Championship winning teammate.

At the end of the 1983 season however, Watson was dropped by McLaren and subsequently retired from Formula One. Negotiations with team boss Ron Dennis reportedly broke down when Watson asked for more money than dual World Champion Lauda was earning, citing having won a GP in 1983 where Lauda did not. Dennis instead signed Renault refugee Alain Prost for comparatively little (since he was already under contract to Renault but was fired for 1984). He did return for one further race two years later, driving for McLaren in place of an injured Lauda at the 1985 European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, in which he qualified 21st and placed seventh in the race (Lauda had injured his wrist in qualifying for the previous race at Spa, forcing him to miss that race also). Watson raced with Lauda's race number of "1" (the Austrian having won the 1984 World Championship).[6] This was only the second occasion since 1973 that a driver other than the reigning World Champion has raced car number 1 in a World Championship race, the other being Ronnie Peterson when the system first began, as reigning World Champion Jackie Stewart had retired upon the conclusion of the 1973 season.

Sportscar career

In 1984 Watson turned to sports car racing, notably partnering Stefan Bellof to victory at the Fuji 1000 km during Bellof's 1984 Championship year. He was also part of the driver lineup for Bob Tullius' Group 44 Jaguar team at the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans driving an IMSA spec Jaguar XJR-5 powered by a 6.0 litre V12 in the IMSA / GTP class. In what was Jaguar's first appearance at Le Mans since 1959, Watson briefly took the lead of the race towards the end of the first hour when the faster Porsche 956s and Lancia LC2s pitted. Driving with American Tony Adamowicz and Frenchman Claude Ballot-Léna, they failed to finish the race due to engine trouble though they were classified in 28th place.[7]

Watson also finished second in the 1987 season alongside Jan Lammers in the TWR Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-8 when they won a total of three championship races (Jarama, Monza and Fuji). Watson competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times over the course of his career between 1973 and 1990, finishing 11th, a career best, in his last start in 1990 driving a Porsche 962C for Richard Lloyd Racing alongside fellow Grand Prix drivers Bruno Giacomelli and Allen Berg.

Other work

After retiring from active racing, he worked as a television commentator, ran a race school at Silverstone and managed a racetrack. He also became the first man to ever test a Jordan Formula One car in 1990.[8]

From 1989 to 1996 he worked as a Formula One commentator for Eurosport alongside Andrew Marriott (1989-1990), Richard Nicholls (1990–1992), Allard Kalff (1992–1994) and Ben Edwards (1995–1996). The last Grand Prix Eurosport broadcast live in the UK was the Japanese GP in 1996. The contracts for Formula One live broadcasts were shifted to private TV stations for 1997. In 1997 Watson worked as a Formula One commentator for ESPN.

From 1998 to 2001 he was Charlie Cox's sidekick in commentating on the British Touring Car Championship for the BBC.

During the 2002 F1 season, Watson co-commentated on Sky Sports' Pay Per View F1+ coverage alongside Ben Edwards. However, this was fairly unpopular and it was axed for the 2003 season.

In 2005–2009, Watson worked as an expert commentator for BSkyb during their broadcasts of the A1 Grand Prix series.

In 2010, Watson commentated on some rounds of the FIA GT1 and GT3 Championship as well as the entire 2014 Blancpain GT Series.

Watson currently provides expert commentary on the GT World Challenge Europe alongside regular Blancpain television commentator David Addison.[9]

Legacy

In 2016, in an academic paper that reported a mathematical modelling study that assessed the relative influence of driver and machine, Watson was ranked the 25th best Formula One driver of all time.[10]

Racing record

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1969 European Formula Two Team Ireland 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1970 European Formula Two John Watson 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1971 European Formula Two John Watson 6 0 0 0 0 5 15th
1972 European Formula Two Allan McCall Team Tui 6 0 0 0 0 4 23rd
British Formula Two 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Chevron Racing Team 1 0 0 0 0
World Sportscar Championship William Tuckett 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1973 World Sportscar Championship Gulf Research Racing 4 0 0 0 0 18 NC
European Formula 5000 Hexagon Racing 2 0 1 0 1 24 6th
European Formula Two Chevron Racing Team 2 0 1 0 1 4 20th
Motor Racing Developments 1 0 0 0 0
Formula One 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Hexagon of Highgate 1 0 0 0 0
1974 Formula One Goldie Hexagon Racing 15 0 0 0 0 6 15th
European Formula Two Bang & Olufsen Team Surtees 5 0 0 0 1 6 11th
World Sportscar Championship Chevron Cars 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1975 Formula One Team Surtees 11 0 0 0 0 0 NC
John Player Team Lotus 1 0 0 0 0
Penske Cars 1 0 0 0 0
World Sportscar Championship GELO Racing Team Mirage 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1976 Formula One Citibank Team Penske 16 1 0 0 3 20 7th
1977 Formula One Martini Racing 17 0 1 2 1 9 13th
World Sportscar Championship Autodelta SpA 1 0 1 0 0 0 NC
1978 Formula One Parmalat Racing Team 16 0 1 0 3 25 6th
1979 Formula One Marlboro Team McLaren 15 0 0 0 1 15 9th
1980 Formula One Marlboro Team McLaren 13 0 0 0 0 6 10th
BMW M1 Procar Championship GS Team 1 0 0 0 0 3 23rd
1981 Formula One Marlboro McLaren International 15 1 0 1 4 27 6th
1982 Formula One Marlboro McLaren International 15 2 0 1 5 39 3rd
1983 Formula One Marlboro McLaren International 14 1 0 1 3 22 6th
1984 World Sportscar Championship Rothmans Porsche 3 1 1 0 1 26 23rd
Jaguar Group 44 1 0 0 0 0
1985 Formula One Marlboro McLaren International 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
24 Hours of Le Mans Rothmans Porsche 1 0 0 0 0 0 DNF
1987 24 Hours of Le Mans Silk Cut Jaguar 1 0 0 0 0 0 DNF
1988 24 Hours of Le Mans Silk Cut Jaguar 1 0 0 0 0 0 DNF
1989 24 Hours of Le Mans Toyota Team Tom's 1 0 0 0 0 0 DNF
1990 24 Hours of Le Mans Richard Lloyd Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 11th
Sources:[11][12]

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pos. Pts
1969 Team Ireland Lotus 48 Cosworth FVA THR
Ret
HOC NÜR JAR TUL PER VAL NC 0
1970 John Watson Brabham BT30 Cosworth FVA THR
Ret
HOC
DNQ
BAR
Ret
ROU
DNS
PER TUL IMO HOC NC 0
1971 John Watson Brabham BT30 Cosworth FVA HOC
Ret
THR
DNS
NÜR
12
JAR
11
PAL
DNQ
ROU
DNQ
MAN
5
TUL
5
ALB VAL
6
VAL 15th 5
1972 Allan McCall Team Tui Leda-Tui AM29 Ford BDA MAL THR HOC PAU PAL
Ret
HOC
10
23rd 4
Leda-Tui BH2 ROU
5
ÖST
8
IMO
8
MAN
Ret
PER SAL ALB HOC
1973 Motor Racing Developments Brabham BT40 Ford BDA MAL
Ret
HOC THR NÜR PAU KIN NIV HOC ROU MNZ 20th 4
Chevron Racing Team Chevron B25 MAN
3
KAR PER SAL NOR ALB
10
VAL
1974 Bang & Olufsen Team Surtees Surtees TS15 Ford BDA BAR HOC
2
11th 6
Surtees TS15A BMW M12 PAU
Ret
SAL
10
HOC MUG
Ret
KAR PER
Ret
HOC VAL
Source:[12]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Pts
1973 Hexagon of Highgate Brabham BT37 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR
Ret
NED GER AUT ITA CAN NC 0
Motor Racing Developments Brabham BT42 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 USA
Ret
1974 Goldie Hexagon Racing Brabham BT42 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG
12
BRA
Ret
RSA
Ret
ESP
11
BEL
11
MON
6
SWE
11
NED
7
FRA
16
GBR
11
15th 6
Brabham BT44 GER
Ret
AUT
4
ITA
7
CAN
Ret
USA
5
1975 Team Surtees Surtees TS16 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG
DSQ
BRA
10
RSA
Ret
ESP
8
MON
Ret
BEL
10
SWE
16
NED
Ret
FRA
13
GBR
11
AUT
10
ITA NC 0
John Player Team Lotus Lotus 72F Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 GER
Ret
Penske Cars Penske PC1 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 USA
9
1976 Citibank Team Penske Penske PC3 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 BRA
Ret
RSA
5
USW
NC
ESP
Ret
BEL
7
MON
10
7th 20
Penske PC4 SWE
Ret
FRA
3
GBR
3
GER
7
AUT
1
NED
Ret
ITA
11
CAN
10
USA
6
JPN
Ret
1977 Martini Racing Brabham BT45 Alfa Romeo 115-12 3.0 F12 ARG
Ret
BRA
Ret
RSA
6
USW
DSQ
ESP
Ret
MON
Ret
BEL
Ret
SWE
5
FRA
2
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
AUT
8
NED
Ret
ITA
Ret
USA
12
CAN
Ret
JPN
Ret
13th 9
1978 Parmalat Racing Team Brabham BT45C Alfa Romeo 115-12 3.0 F12 ARG
Ret
BRA
8
6th 25
Brabham BT46 RSA
3
USW
Ret
MON
4
BEL
Ret
ESP
5
FRA
4
GBR
3
GER
7
AUT
7
NED
4
ITA
2
USA
Ret
CAN
Ret
Brabham BT46B SWE
Ret
1979 Marlboro Team McLaren[lower-alpha 1] McLaren M28 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG
3
BRA
8
RSA
Ret
USW
Ret
9th 15
McLaren M28B ESP
Ret
BEL
6
McLaren M28C MON
4
FRA
11
McLaren M29 GBR
4
GER
5
AUT
9
NED
Ret
ITA
Ret
CAN
6
USA
6
1980 Marlboro Team McLaren McLaren M29B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG
Ret
BRA
11
RSA
11
11th 6
McLaren M29C USW
4
BEL
NC
MON
DNQ
FRA
7
GBR
8
GER
Ret
AUT
Ret
NED
Ret
ITA
Ret
CAN
4
USA
NC
1981 Marlboro McLaren International McLaren M29F Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 USW
Ret
BRA
8
6th 27
McLaren MP4 ARG
Ret
SMR
10
BEL
7
MON
Ret
ESP
3
FRA
2
GBR
1
GER
6
AUT
6
NED
Ret
ITA
Ret
CAN
2
CPL
7
1982 Marlboro McLaren International McLaren MP4B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 RSA
6
BRA
2
USW
6
SMR BEL
1
MON
Ret
DET
1
CAN
3
NED
9
GBR
Ret
FRA
Ret
GER
Ret
AUT
9
SUI
13
ITA
4
CPL
2
3rd 39
1983 Marlboro McLaren International McLaren MP4/1C Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 BRA
Ret
USW
1
FRA
Ret
6th 22
Ford Cosworth DFY 3.0 V8 SMR
5
MON
DNQ
BEL
Ret
DET
3
CAN
6
GBR
9
GER
5
AUT
9
NED
3
McLaren MP4/1E TAG TTE PO1 1.5 V6t ITA
Ret
EUR
Ret
RSA
DSQ
1985 Marlboro McLaren International McLaren MP4/2B TAG TTE PO1 1.5 V6t BRA POR SMR MON CAN DET FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA BEL EUR
7
RSA AUS NC 0
Sources:[11][13]

Complete Formula One non-championship results

(key) (races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6
1972 Goldie Hexagon Racing March 721 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC BRA INT OUL REP VIC
6
1973 Motor Racing Developments Brabham BT42 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC
Ret
INT
1975 Team Surtees Surtees TS16 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC
2
INT
4
SUI
5
1976 Citibank Team Penske Penske PC3 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC
Ret
INT
1977 Martini Racing Brabham BT45 Alfa Romeo 115-12 3.0 F12 ROC
3
1979 Marlboro Team McLaren McLaren M28 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC
Ret
GNM DIN
1980 Marlboro Team McLaren McLaren M29C Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ESP
Ret
1981 Marlboro McLaren International McLaren M29F Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 RSA
5
1983 Marlboro McLaren International McLaren MP4/1C Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC
Ret
Source:[14]

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1973 United Kingdom Gulf Research Racing United Kingdom Mike Hailwood
Australia Vern Schuppan
Mirage M6 Ford S 3.0 112 DNF DNF
1984 United States Jaguar Group 44 United States Tony Adamowicz
France Claude Ballot-Léna
Jaguar XJR-5 IMSA / GTP 212 DNF DNF
1985 West Germany Rothmans Porsche United States Al Holbert
Australia Vern Schuppan
Porsche 962C C1 299 DNF DNF
1987 United Kingdom Silk Cut Jaguar
United Kingdom Tom Walkinshaw Racing
Netherlands Jan Lammers
United Kingdom Win Percy
Jaguar XJR-8LM C1 158 DNF DNF
1988 United Kingdom Silk Cut Jaguar
United Kingdom Tom Walkinshaw Racing
Brazil Raul Boesel
France Henri Pescarolo
Jaguar XJR-9LM C1 129 DNF DNF
1989 Japan Toyota Team Tom's United Kingdom Geoff Lees
United Kingdom Johnny Dumfries
Toyota 89C-V C1 58 DNF DNF
1990 United Kingdom Richard Lloyd Racing Italy Bruno Giacomelli
Canada Allen Berg
Porsche 962C C1 335 11th 11th
Sources:[11][15]

Notes

  1. McLaren entered round 4 as "Löwenbräu Team McLaren".

References

  1. "1972 Non-World Championship Grands Prix"
  2. Henry, Alan (1985) "Brabham, the Grand Prix Cars" p. 143 – 145 Osprey ISBN 0-905138-36-8
  3. Winner's Circle British Grand Prix, John Blakemore Photograph Collection, Revs Institute, Revs Digital Library.
  4. John Watson shunts at Monza 1981
  5. Winner's Circle United States Grand Prix, John Blakemore Photograph Collection, Revs Institute, Revs Digital Library.
  6. John Watson, Don Morley Photograph Collection, Revs Institute, Revs Digital Library.
  7. Racing Sports Cars – Le Mans 1984
  8. Smith, Damien (20 September 2021). "The forgotten F1 comeback that began Jordan's odyssey". Autosport.
  9. Blancpain GT Series
  10. Hanlon, Mike (12 May 2016). "The Top 50 F1 drivers of all time, regardless of what they were driving". New Atlas. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  11. "John Watson Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  12. "John Watson". Motor Sport. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  13. Small, Steve (2000). "John Watson". Grand Prix Who's Who (Third ed.). Reading, Berkshire: Travel Publishing. pp. 599–601. ISBN 978-1-902007-46-5. Retrieved 31 August 2023 via Internet Archive.
  14. "John Watson – Involvement Non World Championship". StatsF1. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  15. "John Watson". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

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