Johnny Servoz-Gavin
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| Johnny Servoz-Gavin | |
| Nationality |  French |
|---|---|
| World Championship Career | |
| Active years | 1967-70 |
| Team(s) | Matra, Cooper, Tyrrell |
| Races | 13 (12 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podium finishes | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First race | 1967 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1970 Monaco Grand Prix |
Georges-Francis "Johnny" Servoz-Gavin (born 18 January 1942 in Grenoble, France - died on 29 May 2006 at the same place) was a motor racing driver in both sportscars and single seaters.
Johnny was a rising star, becoming French Formula Three Champion in 1966 and the European Formula 2 Champion in 1969, following in the footsteps of Jacky Ickx and Jean-Pierre Beltoise.
Servoz-Gavin participated in 12 F1 Grand Prix between 1967 and 1970, failing to qualify in one. He achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 9 championship points. He drove for the Tyrrell F1 team, mainly as Jackie Stewart's teammate.
His best F1 year was 1968 and namely the 1968 Italian Grand Prix in which he finished second and scored six points, driving a Matra. He also impressed at the Monaco Grand Prix, leading from Graham Hill at the start, until his race ended early with suspension failure. Next year, he also scored with a sixth in the 1969 Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park, which secured him a place in history as the only driver ever to score a WC point with a four-wheel-driven F1 car, the Matra MS84 4WD.
Driving a March, he finished fifth (yet last!) in the 1970 Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama. After failing to qualify for the 1970 Monaco Grand Prix he retired. Officially, Servoz-Gavin suffered an eye injury in an off-road event in the winter of 1969-70, and although it originally appeared that his eyesight was recovering, his eyesight deteriorated through the 1970 season, to the extent that he no longer felt safe in F1.
A man of good looks and high society, he was one of several French racing drivers incorrectly rumoured to be the unknown driver in Claude Lelouch's infamous 1977 short footage film C'était un rendez-vous.
[edit] Complete Formula One results
(key)
| Yr | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Matra Sports | Matra MS7 (F2) | Cosworth Straight-4 | RSA |
MON Ret |
NED |
BEL |
FRA |
GBR |
GER |
CAN |
ITA |
USA |
MEX |
- | 0 | ||
| 1968 | Matra International | Matra MS10 | Cosworth V8 | RSA |
ESP |
MON Ret |
BEL |
NED |
GBR |
GER |
ITA 2 |
CAN Ret |
USA |
MEX Ret |
13th | 6 | ||
| Cooper Car Company | Cooper T86B | BRM V12 | FRA Ret |
|||||||||||||||
| 1969 | Matra International | Matra MS7 (F2) | Cosworth Straight-4 | RSA |
ESP |
MON |
NED |
FRA |
GBR |
GER Ret |
ITA |
17th | 1 | |||||
| Matra MS84 | Cosworth V8 | CAN 6 |
USA NC |
MEX 8 |
||||||||||||||
| 1970 | Tyrrell Racing Organisation | March 701 | Cosworth V8 | RSA Ret |
ESP 5 |
MON DNQ |
BEL |
NED |
FRA |
GBR |
GER |
AUT |
ITA |
CAN |
USA |
MEX |
20th | 2 |
| Preceded by Jean-Pierre Beltoise |
French Formula Three Champion 1966 |
Succeeded by Henri Pescarolo |
| Preceded by Jean-Pierre Beltoise |
European Formula Two Champion 1969 |
Succeeded by Clay Regazzoni |
