Olivier gendebien racing driver

Olivier gendebien was a belgian racing driver, called one of the greatest. Fluent in the english language, he served as the liaison with the british agents being parachuted into belgium. With the german driver wolfgang seidel, he finished fifth in an rs 550. Len duncan born 25 jul 1911 new york city, new york. This list does not include drivers who raced ferrari cars that were entered by teams other than ferrari. A driving life has been signed by some of the people closest to phil who were important phils career and in his life. Ron flockhart 16 june 1923 12 april 1962 was a british racing driver. Regardless of lineage, gendebien was in the wwii belgian resistance in his home country and holland. Although every effort has been made to ensure the data is accurate and up to date, gp racing stats does not accept.

He and gendebien would go on to win the famous endurance race again in 1961 and 1962. Olivier gendebien b all results racing sports cars. Phil hill was an american racing driver who won the 1961 formula one championship and scored three overall victories at 24 hours of le mans 1958, 1961 and 1962. Urbane and well educated gendebien was the heir to the solvay chemical fortune. He began rallying in 1955 with his friend charles fraikin. However duncan served the us army with great courage prior to that, working. At 38 years of age, in 1962 olivier gendebien retired following his fourth victory at le mans. One of the most successful sports car drivers ever.

And there are also phils recollections of other great drivers he drove with and against, including juan manuel fangio, stirling moss, olivier gendebien, and dan gurney. Belgian driver olivier gendebien finished second in a cooperclimax entered by the british racing partnership, while new zealander bruce mclaren was third in the other works cooperclimax. Whether hes writing about a rare vintage race car, a hardfought victory, or an old friend, phils essential qualities of intelligence, curiosity, and integrity always. In 1956 olivier gendebien and pierre stasse finished in third place driving a ferrari 250 gt europa nr 0373. Holding company a company under dutch law, having its official seat in amsterdam, the netherlands and its corporate address at via abetone inferiore no. Olivier gendebien was a belgian racing driver who was called one of the greatest sportscar racers of all time. Acted, during world war two, as president trumans chauffeur on one incredibly historic occasion. Gendebiens success in rally competitions brought him to the attention of enzo ferrari, who offered him a contract to drive a ferrari in sports car events and selected grands prix.

He also served as a test and reserve f1 driver in 2014. Oct 29, 2014 olivier gendebien in the ferrari 250 testa rossa 59 he shared with phil hill to second place in the nurburgring km in 1959. Portraits of auto racing legends the class of 1960 cars. Of aristocratic background, olivier was a qualifed engineer who served as a paratrooper in the second world war. With over 40 starts in formula 1, nasr finished fifth in his firstcareer f1 race in the australian grand prix in 2015. Gendebiens success in rally competitions brought him to the attention of enzo ferrari, who offered him a contract to drive a ferrari in sports car events and selected grands. Olivier gendebien ferrari happenings the ferrari owners club. Road racing drivers whose names begin with e,f,g barcboys. Olivier gendebien born january 12, 1924 in brussels, october 2, 1998 in tarascon, france was a belgian racing driver in the late 1950s and early 1960s, winning the 24 hour race of le mans four times alone was and is considered one of the best sports car racers of that era. Championship event for the belgian driver, who made his singleseater and racing debut driving a.

Olivier gendebien 12 january 1924 2 october 1998 was a belgian racing driver who was called one of the greatest sportscar racers of all time. Olivier gendebien, the belgian gentleman race driver whose successes at the. To get an idea of how special these recordings are, look at. In an era when racing fans would find out race results days and sometimes even weeks after the events were over, the ability to listen to idolized drivers and their cars on repeat was exciting and quite novel. The driver gets points if he finishes in the first six positions of every race. In the formula one, gendebien was never among main drivers for scuderia ferrari, mostly serving as a reserve driver. So, after their journey back to belgium and racing a veritas in the gp des frontieres at chimay, finishing sixth, gendebien joined fraikin, initially to drive a jaguar in rally events. The 20 greatest sportscar drivers motor sport magazine.

Accidents count as a driver mistake,so the driver loses points when heshe has an accident,collision or spin. However duncan served the us army with great courage prior to that. Olivier was an interesting driver, born in belgium in 1924 he fought the germans as part of the belgian resistance movement, joined the britsh army and became a paratrooper. Contentsshow background born into a wealthy family, an heir to the industrial holdings of the solvay family, olivier gendebien.

Married with three children, gendebiens wife pressured him to get out of the dangerous sport of automobile racing where more than two dozen of his competitors had died at the wheel. In 1956 olivier gendebien and pierre stasse finished in third place driving a ferrari. Gendebien won the reims 12 hours twice, the targa florio three times, le mans four times and sebring three times in a glittering career. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. He did still try to make as many appearances at historic events as he could, however.

Former formula 1 driver felipe nasr joins action express racing fulltime in 2018. It was the best ever result for a brazilian driver making a grand prix debut. Driver olivier gendebien 1956 formula one results racing. Gendebien entered a veritas sports car in the 1955 grand prix des frontieres at chimay. Formula one record italic text donates as nonchampionship entries. That same year, paired with belgian teammate olivier gendebien, hill became the first americanborn winner of the 24 hours of le mans with hill driving most of the night in horrific rainy conditions. In the fall, many of the worlds best drivers came to riverside, california, for two races. Think of all the great drivers who drove all those great ferrari prototypes and gts that illuminated its golden age of sports car racing. They stayed together until 1955, but by then gendebien had full well proven himself as a driver in his own right. Brought up in brussels in a wealthy family, gendebien was a passionate and very successful horseman. Olivier gendebien, sports car great motor sport magazine.

If the championship is more important, the driver gets more points 3. Born into a wealthy family, an heir to the industrial holdings of the solvay family, olivier gendebien studied engineering at university. When one thinks of belgian race drivers, the name of olivier gendebien, paul frere and jacky ickx whose daughter, vanina, is also a race driver naturally come to mind. Up to this day, phil hill is the only united statesborn driver to have won the f1 title and also the first american to celebrate at le mans.

The commendatore enzo ferrari called him piloti, che gente as he was so consistent over hours and took great care of the cars. Riverside records captured the sounds of racing in the. Always immaculately dressed and aristocratic by birth, he had an uncanny mechanical sympathy which helped him excel in endurance racing. He drives evenly, looks after the car and can be counted upon for clockwork precision in all those races that call for steadfastness, character and common sense. Two great competition alfa romeos to round up this week. An inductee into the international motorsports hall of fame, he won 212 of the 529 races he entered across several categories of competition and has been described as the greatest driver never to win the world championship. Aug 14, 2016 len duncan born 25 jul 1911 new york city, new york. Olivier gendebien was an allround sportsman sprinting, skiing, tennis and equestrianism and during his racing career he achieved four overall wins at le mans 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, all with scuderia ferrari, numerous wins in other endurance races, including three times in the sebring 12 hrs, three times in the targa florio, twice in the. The reward was one of his greatest drives, chasing down the ferrari 250 tr59 of phil hill and olivier gendebien after fairman had slid off the road but somehow manhandled the aston out of a ditch. Wing wednesday with porsche 934 and apollo intensa emozione. Sportscar great who suffered from a long, dehabilitating illness since the mid 80s which claimed his life. He has been cited as one of the greatest sportscar racers of all time.

Gendebien s success in rally competitions brought him to the attention of enzo ferrari, who offered him a contract to drive a. This was the third championship event for the belgian driver, who made his singleseater and racing debut driving a veritas in the race won by frere at chimay. It was a great year for the cars, as well, brands like aston. He had a solid record in f1 but not as good as in the long distance races. The driver gets points if he finishes in the first six positions of every race 2. Driver olivier gendebien career statistics racingreference. Olivier gendebien is a gentleman who never forgets that noblesse oblige and, when he is at the wheel, he translates this code of behaviour into an elegant and discerning forcefulness. This belgian was a fine grand prix driver, but when he got the chance, he concentrated his energies on endurance racing. He participated in 14 world championship formula one grands prix, achieving one podium finish and won the 24 hours of le mans sportscar race twice. Olivier gendebien 12 january 1924 2 october 1998 was a belgian racing driver who was called one of the greatest sportscar racers of all time rally racer. Sports car racing archives list of results of olivier gendebien b all results. Olivier gendebien autopedia fandom powered by wikia.

Ignoring his lack of experience, ferrari gave gendebien a formula one car for. Click on the site to see olivier gendebien s career results at that track glossary. He clinched four overall wins at 24 hours of le mans 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, all four with scuderia ferrari. View career statistics for olivier gendebien tweet. Olivier gendebien racing results,statistics and team mates. Olivier gendebien in the ferrari 250 testa rossa 59 he shared with phil hill to second place in the nurburgring km in 1959 olivier was an interesting driver, born in belgium in 1924 he fought the germans as part of the belgian resistance movement, joined. Who was the most successful is an openandshut case though its contents might surprise.

Expert in the major road marathons of the fifties liegeromeliege, targa florio, mille miglia, olivier gendebien was truly built for the 24 hours of le mans and another major endurance race, the 12 hours of sebring which he won three consecutive years 19596061. The belgian won lemans 4 times and sebring and the targa florio 3 times as well as the nurburgring. When world war ii erupted and the nazis occupied belgium, he joined the belgian resistance movement. When the war came he fought with distinction with the belgian resistance. The son of a belgian government official, he was born in le havre where that institution was based during world war i. Talbot lago t26c, wearing the yellow color devoted to belgian teams, was driven by gentleman driver johnny claes in the grand prix races between 1948 and 1951. Full details of racing driver olivier gendebien s record. Olivier gendebien 12 january 1924 2 october 1998 was a belgian racing driver who was called one of the greatest. After winning a number of leading rallies he was chosen for the ferrari sportscar team and became one of the eras greatest drivers. Motor racing driver, former world war 2 paratrooper and resistance fighter, gendebien was a belgian aristocrat born in brussels. Rm sothebys palm beach results with mclaren senna and shelby cobra. Len was the driver for the president at potsdam, germany, in july 1945, where truman was to meet churchill, atlee and stalin. This palegreen 1960 lotus 19 tasted victory with graham. Olivier gendebien racing career profile driver database.

Olivier gendebien was a belgian racing driver who was active between 1952 and 1962, becoming one of the worlds best sports car racers ever. See more ideas about oliver, grand prix, ferrari racing. Oct 29, 2014 olivier gendebien in the ferrari 250 testa rossa 59 he shared with phil hill to second place in the nurburgring km in 1959 olivier was an interesting driver, born in belgium in 1924 he fought the germans as part of the belgian resistance movement, joined the britsh army and became a paratrooper. One of sports car racings most successful drivers, olivier gendebien was a multiple winner of the le mans 24 hours, sebring 12 hours and targa florio.