Jo Schlesser

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jo Schlesser
Nationality	French
World Championship Career
Active years	1966-68
Team(s)	Matra, Honda
Races	3
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First race	1966 German Grand Prix
Last race	1968 French Grand Prix

Joseph Schlesser (May 18, 1928 in Madagascar - July 7, 1968 at Rouen-Les-Essarts) was a Formula One and sports car racing driver from France. He participated in three grands prix, including the 1968 French Grand Prix in which he was killed. He scored no 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 deathtrap. Undaunted, with the financial help of Honda France, Honda entered it for the 1968 French Grand Prix at Rouen-Les-Essarts. Being the local hero, Jo Schlesser was hired to drive it.

Fatefully, after only two laps, the car slid wide at the Six Frères 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 a 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.

His nephew Jean-Louis Schlesser later became a successful racing driver, who started one Formula 1 grand prix and won the Paris Dakar.

[edit] Complete Formula One results

(key)

Yr	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	WDC	Points
1966	Matra Sports	Matra MS5 (F2)	Cosworth Straight-4	MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	NED	GER 10	ITA	USA	MEX				-	0
1967	Ecurie Ford-France	Matra MS5 (F2)	Cosworth Straight-4	RSA	MON	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER Ret	CAN	ITA	USA	MEX		-	0
1968	Honda Racing (France)	Honda RA302	Honda V8	RSA	ESP	MON	BEL	NED	FRA Ret	GBR	GER	ITA	CAN	USA	MEX	-	0

Preceded by Mike Spence

Formula One fatal accidents July 7, 1968

Succeeded by Gerhard Mitter