Jackie Stewart Talks Offices & Big-Power Qualifying in 1986

BMW Power in 1986, thanks to the Cahier Archive

This brilliant footage comes from Channel 9’s Wide World of Sports pre-show for the 1986 Australian Grand Prix. In it, Jackie Stewart talks us through Alan Jones’ office and takes us into the Lotus pits to learn the difference between blasting out a blistering qualifying lap, and surviving a Grand Prix at race pace.

In a delicious irony, naturally aspirated engines were struck from Formula 1’s 1986 rulebooks, making turbo engines compulsory. Those turbos were unrestricted as well, producing some of the most powerful motors of the sport’s history.

For three or four laps, at least.

Things would all go a bit pear shaped in 1987 when the sport introduced pop-off valves that limited boost to 4.0 bar and reigned in the engine’s peak power somewhat, but it was fun while it lasted.

This video is from Channel 9’s coverage of the 1986 Adelaide Grand Prix, which saw Williams drivers Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet and McLaren’s Alain Prost dice for the ’86 drivers’ title. We catch up with Jackie Stewart touring us through the cockpit of Alan Jones’ Lola before heading into the Lotus pits to talk peak performance in qualifying.