Jaguar has a famous racing history although the manufacturer has never been involved in F1 before. The team took famous victories at Le Mans in the Fifties with its legendary C and D-types.

In the Eighties TWR boss Tom Walkinshaw resurrected the marque for racing as he built competition versions of Jaguar's XJS to use in the European Touring Car Championship. He then took on Le Mans again, winning the race for Jaguar in 1988 and 1990.

The Jaguar F1 team is of course born of Stewart Grand Prix which made its debut in 1997 after being set up by Jackie and Paul Stewart. The drivers in that first season were Rubens Barrichello and Dane Jan Magnussen.

Barrichello scoring an emotional second place in only Stewart's fifth race at the Monaco Grand Prix.

1998 was a difficult year for the team as a team's second season often is. The Stewart SF2 was not a quick car and only a few points were scored. Magnussen left the team half-way through the season to be replaced by Jos Verstappen.

Last season saw a massive improvement in performance as the team's new SF3 proved to be one of the best cars in field. The team scored its first pole in the French Grand Prix and Johnny Herbert went on to take a first victory against all the odds in last season's European Grand Prix.