Formula One drivers from South Africa none have competed in the sport since 1980. Jody Scheckter was the last person to enter a race having started the 1980 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. A total of 18 South African drivers have started in at least one race, but only three of them have ever scored any points. Some other drivers have entered Grand Prix events but did not qualify or otherwise make it through to start the race. That includes Desiré Wilson, one of the few female drivers in Formula One. Jody Scheckter's early career gave people cause to label him as a "fast
Formula One racing to compare stars of different eras owing to the changes in the sport and regulations. Despite having the highest budget in all of auto racing, Formula One racing has often been accused of being unexciting when compared to less expensive categories. The differences in driver ability are usually dwarfed when compared to the relative speed of the different makes of cars, and on-track overtaking is less common than other similar forms of racing, due to the aerodynamics of trailing cars being adversely affected by the car in front (making overtaking only possible by very risky and thus rarely taken chances,