Kammala jumla mai zuwa: An kaddamar da mota na farko mai suna Stewart SF01 a ranar 19 ga Disamba, 1996. Tare da goyon bayan Ford, Stewart GP ya shiga cikin
1997 Australian Grand Prix tare da direbobi Rubens Barrichello da Jan Magnussen. Nasararsu ta farko a shekarar farko ta zo ne a ruwan sama inda Barrichello ya gama na biyu. Magnussen a cikin mota na biyu ya gama a waje da maki a 7th bayan ya rasa fuka-fuki na gaba a chicane. A wasu wurare, motocin sun kasance masu tsere na tsakiya kuma Barrichello ya kasance a cikin matsayi don kalubalanci maki. Stewart ya kasance mai aminci, kamar yadda Ford Zetec-R V10 engine da aka shigar a cikin SF01 chassis ya tabbatar da cewa yana da matukar damuwa. Wannan ya iyakance ƙungiyar zuwa kawai takwas da aka kammala daga cikin yiwuwar talatin da huɗu.