Jorge de Bagration
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jorge de Bagration or Prince Giorgi Bagrationi of Moukhrani (b. February 22, 1944 in Rome) is a Spanish former racing driver of Georgian descent, born to the family of a Georgian émigré. A direct descendant of the Bagrationi royal family, he is the self-proclaimed current Head of the Royal House of Georgia (although he does not represent the eldest surviving line of the family).
He started his motor sport career in 1959, firstly with motorcycles and from 1963 in cars, racing in various series. He made two attempts at Formula One, firstly at the 1968 Spanish Grand Prix with a Lola, but his entry was refused.
His second attempt to enter a Grand Prix was again in Spain, at the 1974 Spanish Grand Prix, but his efforts fell victim to a very unusual set of circumstances. He had bought a Surtees TS16 for this race, and he was included on the entry list. Unfortunately this entry list was mislaid as the outgoing president of the Spanish Motor Sport Federation cleared his office. When a new entry list was drawn up, in the light of some sponsorship problems that de Bagration was experiencing, he was omitted from it. Whether or not he would have been able to race with his reduced backing, he should still have been included on the list of entrants. Thus ended his hopes of competing at motor sport's highest level.
He turned later to rallying, and his best result was winning the Spanish Rally Championship in 1979. He retired from motor sport in 1982.
Prince Jorge is still head of the Georgian royal family. He made his first visit to his ancestral homeland to bury his father's ashes in 1995.
