Jacky Ickx to tribute Chris Amon

Jacky Ickx, whose friendship with Chris Amon began when they were young Ferrari team mates, has been announced as the guest speaker at a Manfeild celebration of the Kiwi's life.

Former Formula 1 driver Jacky Ickx will be the guest speaker for an event celebrating the life of his former team mate and friend Chris Amon at the Grand Prix weekend in Manfeild on February 11 and 12.

The Bulls-born Chris Amon died two weeks after his 73rd birthday in August.
The two drivers had similar paths to the sport.

Both came in very young, had been plucked from near obscurity and were fast-tracked to the best teams of the day.

Manfeild chief executive Julie Keane says it is fantastic the Belgian superstar of Formula 1, sports car racing and endurance desert rallying is attending the Chris Amon Celebration.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Kiwis to meet and hear personally from one of 'greats' of the Amon period of Formula 1. "

"We are delighted Jacky has accepted our invitation to recount those days for us at the Chris Amon dinner."

Jacky Ickx's diverse career truly kicked off when he joined Chris Amon at Ferrari in 1968.
"Ferrari provided Jacky, at age 23, with his first full Formula 1 racing season. He'd only started seriously driving top formula cars a year prior."

The 71-year-old has recounted since that he regarded Amon as a hero and, though the 1968 championship outcome favoured the Belgian over the Kiwi, the freshman never doubted who was the true star that year.

"Jacky Ickx utterly admired Amon's driving. In a recent interview on this subject, he said that the only way to make a true comparison of drivers is if they are in the same car. In 1968 he knew Chris was better than he was."

"That's quite a salute from a man whose accomplishments now place him at the very pinnacle of the sport."

Chris' Wife Tish and the wider family are pleased one of the great characters of Amon's international years will be with them for the event.

"It is an honour that one of Chris' contemporaries is travelling so far to join us for this special event," said Tish Amon.