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Famous Like Me > Racing driver > S > Jo Schlesser

Profile of Jo Schlesser on Famous Like Me

 
Name: Jo Schlesser  
   
Also Know As:
   
Date of Birth: 18th May 1928
   
Place of Birth: Madagascar
   
Profession: Racing driver
 
 
From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia

Jo Schlesser (born May 18, 1928 in Madagascar) was a Formula One driver from France. He participated in 1 grand prix, debuting on July 7, 1968. He scored 0 championship points. Schlesser also participated in the 1966 and 1967 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, each time driving a Formula 2 Spec Matra-Cosworth. In 1966, he finished 10th in the overall Classification and 3rd in the Formula 2 Classification. In 1967, he was forced to retire with a clutch problem after 2 laps.

A real Formula One opportunity came for Schlesser in 1968 with Honda. The Honda team had completed an experimental air-cooled F1 car (dubbed the RA302) which was tested by their works driver John Surtees. Surtees pronounced it as not ready for racing, and a potential death trap. Undaunted, with the financial help of Honda France, it was entered for the 1968 French Grand Prix at Rouen. Being the local hero, Jo Schlesser was hired to drive it.

Sadly, after only two laps, the car slid wide at the Six Freres corner and crashed sideways into a bank. The magnesium bodied Honda and 58 laps worth of fuel ignited instantly, leaving poor Schlesser no chance of survival.

As result, Honda withdrew from Formula One at the end of the 1968 season.

A friend of Jo Schlesser's, future Formula One constuctor Guy Ligier always gave his cars type numbers beginning with 'JS' as a tribute to Schlesser.


Complete Formula One results

Yr Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Team
1968 Hond SAF SPA MON BEL DUT FRA GBR DEU ITA CAN USA MEX Hond

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Jo Schlesser