Jackie Pretorius

Jacobus 'Jackie' Pretorius (22 November 1934 - 30 March 2009): South African racing driver whose family were direct descendants of Andries Pretorius, one of the earliest Dutch settlers who helped found the Transvaal Republic, and whose son Martinus became the first president of the South African Republic and founded Pretoria. Growing up with a reputation as a hellraiser, in his 20s he befriended Doug Serrurier and formed a stunt driving act called the Dunlop Hell Drivers Team. After numerous injuries he turned to the safer world of motor racing, starting with a Cooper in Formula Junior. He participated in four Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 1 January 1965 and scoring no championship points.

In 1964 he drove the Doug Serrurier-built LDS-Alfa Romeo 1.5 in national and international events. He competed in Formula One at national level in South Africa, enjoying success throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1968 he raced a Team Pretoria Brabham-Repco BT11, finished second to Jean-Pierre Beltoise at Killarney, took his first win at the False Bay 100, and ended as championship runner-up to John Love by 13 points.

After racing a Lotus and Lola, he won two races in 1971 driving a 3-year-old Brabham BT26A. In 1973 he raced a 1972 Formula 2 Brabham BT-38 against more powerful machinery, finishing on the podium twice and 7th overall. Jackie Pretorius died in Johannesburg aged 74 on 30 March 2009, after being in a coma for three weeks following an attack in his home by burglars.