1979 World Champion Jody Scheckter revealed that his driving licence has expired, and there is a major stumbling block to getting a new one.

And that is a language barrier. The South African former F1 star has recently moved from England to Italy, but his “very poor Italian” means he sees no hope of passing the test to get his Italian driving licence. However, he has reached out to Ferrari and a lawyer in hope of a breakthrough.

Jody Scheckter: Can Ferrari help get him a new driving licence?

Scheckter reached the pinnacle of Formula 1 in 1979, winning his sole World Championship with Italy’s iconic Ferrari team in a Formula 1 career which produced 10 grand prix wins overall.

Scheckter retired from Formula 1 after the following season, finding success in business with his Firearms Training Systems (FATS) weapons simulation firm – which he sold to aid the racing careers of his sons Tomas and Toby – while he also became an organic farming expert as he settled in the UK.

But a year and a half ago, Scheckter decided to call Italy home, moving to Liguria, a north-western region of the nation.

And while this is the country where he wants to live, Scheckter revealed that has come with the expiration of his UK driving licence, and difficulties getting a new one.

“I have chosen Italy as my country, I want to live here,” he told Italian publication Corriere della Sera.

“I was able to drive with my license for a year, but now it has expired.

“The problem is that I speak very poor Italian, I can’t possibly pass the test.”

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Scheckter was the most recent Ferrari Drivers’ Champion until Michael Schumacher won the first of his five consecutive Drivers’ titles in 2000.

But Ferrari now find themselves in a fresh title drought, with Kimi Raikkonen’s rise to 2007 World Championship glory serving as their latest Drivers’ Champion, while Ferrari has not tasted F1 title glory of any form since winning the 2008 Constructors’ title.

The arrival of seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton for F1 2025 it was hoped would be a further boost after Ferrari pushed McLaren to a 2024 Constructors’ title-decider in Abu Dhabi, but the Scuderia has been unable to keep pace with McLaren, who are stretching clear at the top of the 2025 Constructors’ standings.

McLaren’s lead over second-placed Ferrari is already 197 points, Ferrari having made the podium only three times so far this season, courtesy of Charles Leclerc.

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