Friday February 11th, 2000

By Michele Lupini, South Africa

Tomas Scheckter, son of South African Ferrari Formula One world champion Jody, has signed a testing contract with Jaguar Racing for 2000. The deal combines Tomas’ Stewart Racing British Formula Three championship campaign with at least of 25 days performance testing for Jaguar Racing.

Tomas’ open-ended contract with Stewart Racing will run for three years, with the team having an option to put him into Grands Prix in 2001.

Tomas’ record-breaking success in the EFDA Euroseries last year included seven race wins, seven second places, eight pole positions and eight fastest laps, making him the most successful driver in that series’ twelve year history.

Jackie Stewart is ecstatic about his new signing: "Tomas is not in the team because of his surname, but because of his performance," he said.

Tomas is set to be the first South African to find himself in a Formula One car since his father Jody won Ferrari’s last World Drivers’ Championship in 1979. Commenting on his Tomas’ big break this week, Jody said: "Tomas has what it takes and in some ways - I believe that he could be better than I was."

With Jackie Stewart and father Jody behind him, the nineteen-year old East London rising star seems set to follow in their footsteps.

Scheckter's Stewart Racing teammate Narain Karthikeyan has also signed a similar deal.