John Watson

John Marshall Watson (4 May 1946 - Present): British racing driver from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who competed in Formula One from 1973 to 1985. Watson's 15-year career spanned 152 races with Brabham, Surtees, Lotus, Penske, and McLaren, achieving five Grand Prix victories across 12 seasons. His breakthrough victory came at the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix driving for Penske, marking both Watson's first F1 win and Penske's maiden Grand Prix victory. Watson joined McLaren for 1979, giving them their first victory in over three years by winning the 1981 British Grand Prix, also securing the first victory for a carbon fiber composite monocoque F1 car, the McLaren MP4/1.

His most successful year was 1982, when he finished third in the Drivers' Championship with two victories. Watson is particularly remembered for remarkable comeback drives: he won at Detroit from 17th on the grid in 1982, and achieved an even more improbable triumph at Long Beach in 1983 from 22nd position, the lowest qualifying position from which a Grand Prix has ever been won. Despite strong performances in 1982-1983, McLaren dropped Watson at the end of 1983 in favor of Alain Prost, leading to his retirement. He scored 5 wins, 2 pole positions, 5 fastest laps, and 20 podiums during his career.

After retiring, Watson became a respected Formula One commentator.