Jim Clark special: Foreword by Dario Franchitti, MBE

I have a huge passion for racing history – and a special fascination with Jim Clark. I was born five years after he died, but his was one of the names regularly discussed in our house when I was growing up. My real interest started in 1993, though, when I was driving in Formula Vauxhall Lotus for Jackie and Paul Stewart. That year there was a dinner in Edinburgh, to commemorate 25 years of Jim’s passing, and Jackie said he’d like me to attend.

I sat next to Eric Dymock, one of Jim’s biographers, and all night I heard fantastic stories from absolutely everyone I met. It was only then that I began to appreciate just what an incredible man he had been, which inspired me to find out as much about him as I could. From that point on, it was a mission that has morphed into a bit of an obsession.

I bought his 1964 British Saloon Car Championship-winning Lotus Cortina and in Scotland I have a room that’s full of his old stuff, including race suit, driving shoes, documentation for some of his aeroplanes, all kinds of things. I guess my favourite piece is the pitboard from his winning drive in the 1965 Indy 500.