|
John Marshall Watson, (born 4 May 1946) is a British former racing driver and commentator from Northern Ireland. He competed in Formula One, winning five Grands Prix and also in the World Sportscar Championship. After his retirement from motorsport, he became a commentator for Eurosport's coverage of Formula One from 1990 to 1996. He currently commentates on the Blancpain GT Series. ==Early Formula One career== John Watson was born in Belfast. Educated in 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.〔"(1972 Non-World Championship Grands Prix )"〕 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 championship point in Monte Carlo the following year, 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.〔Henry, Alan (1985) "(Brabham, the Grand Prix Cars )" p. 143 – 145 Osprey ISBN 0-905138-36-8〕 He failed to score points the following year, driving for Team Surtees, Team Lotus and Penske Cars. At the Spanish Grand Prix he had the chance to score his first win. He was in 2nd position behind Mario Andretti until he had a problem with his car because it suffered vibrations and had to enter the pit lane (Andretti retired later on). He still finished 8th which was his best result in 1975. ==Rise to prominence== He secured his first 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 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 , Watson managed a more successful season in terms of race finishes, even out-qualifying and out-racing his illustrious team mate 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. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「John Watson (racing driver)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|