Olivier Grouillard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Olivier Grouillard
150
Nationality  Flag of France French
Formula One World Championship career
Active years 1989 - 1992
Teams Ligier, Osella, Fondmetal, AGS, Tyrrell
Races 62 (41 starts)
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podium finishes    0
Career points 1
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First race 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last race 1992 Australian Grand Prix

Olivier Grouillard (born September 2, 1958 in Fenouillet) is a racing driver from France. He raced in Formula One from 1989 to 1992, participating in 62 Grands Prix, scoring 1 championship point.

Grouillard won the French Formula 3 championship in 1984, from which he progressed to Formula 3000 where he competed from 1985 to 1988. He was not competitive for the first few seasons, but improved in the 1988 championship.

The following year Grouillard made his debut in Formula One for Ligier in the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix. The high point in his Grand Prix career was soon after with a sixth place in the 1989 French Grand Prix. He subsequently drove for Osella and its successor Fondmetal as well as AGS and Tyrrell in Formula One before attempting to establish himself in IndyCar in the U.S., but with little success.

Grouillard was often criticised by other driver for blocking tactics when he was being approached by faster cars in qualifying and races.

Some of these incidents were at the 1989 Belgian Grand Prix when he stayed on the racing line whilst he was approached by the Lotus of Nelson Piquet in qualifying, Piquet spun off trying to overtake the Frenchman meaning Piquet did not qualify. Piquet furiously shook his fist at Groulliard when the Ligier passed.

In qualifying for the 1990 San Marino Grand Prix, Groulliard now driving for Osella blocked and ruined a quick lap for Nigel Mansell. Mansell pulled up alongside Groulliard and remonstrated furiously with him. This was apparently repeated in the Australian Grand Prix.

Although not a block as such in the 1991 French Grand Prix Groulliard made a last gasp effort to qualify his Fondmetal (aka Osella) but his engine blew, and rather than pull off Groulliard continued to the pits with oil spluttering everywhere. Ayrton Senna trying for pole position lost control of his McLaren as he crossed the line and missed a chance to qualify on pole. Senna referred to this as one reason why he did not qualify 1st.

At the same track one year on Groulliard (now driving for Tyrrell) blatantly jumped the second start and later on in the race blocked Johnny Herbert's Lotus much to the anger of Herbert and Lotus boss Peter Collins.

Groulliard's reputuation apparently saw him sacked by Fondmetal at the end of 1991 when he decided to use his race car in pre qualifying at the Portuguese Grand Prix despite a damaged gearbox. Groulliard decided not to use the spare car and when this did not pay off he was apparently sacked the following Monday by fax.

In 1993 Grouillard went to the US-based CART series with the Indy Regency Racing. His first race was to be the Indianapolis 500 but he failed to qualify. He made 11 starts scoring 4 points (good enough for 28th in the championship) with a best finish of 11th at the Cleveland Grand Prix.

He later raced sports cars somewhat successfully in the BPR Global GT Series, FIA GT, and the American Le Mans Series.


[edit] Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points
1989 Ligier Loto Ligier JS33 Cosworth V8 BRA
9
SMR
DSQ
MON
Ret
MEX
8
USA
DNQ
CAN
DNQ
FRA
6
GBR
7
GER
Ret
HUN
DNQ
BEL
13
ITA
Ret
POR
DNQ
ESP
Ret
JPN
Ret
AUS
Ret
26th 1
1990 Osella Squadra Corse Osella FA1M Cosworth V8 USA
Ret
BRA
Ret
- 0
Osella FA1ME SMR
Ret
MON
DNQ
CAN
13
MEX
19
FRA
DNPQ
GBR
DNQ
GER
DNQ
HUN
DNPQ
BEL
16
ITA
Ret
POR
DNQ
ESP
Ret
JPN
DNQ
AUS
13
1991 Fondmetal F1 SpA Fomet FA1M-E90 Cosworth V8 USA
DNPQ
BRA
DNPQ
- 0
Fomet F1 SMR
DNPQ
MON
DNPQ
CAN
DNPQ
MEX
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR
DNPQ
GER
DNPQ
HUN
DNQ
BEL
10
ITA
Ret
POR
DNPQ
Automobiles Gonfaronnaises Sportives AGS JH27 ESP
DNPQ
JPN
AUS
1992 Tyrrell Racing Organisation Tyrrell 020B Ilmor V10 RSA
Ret
MEX
Ret
BRA
Ret
ESP
Ret
SMR
8
MON
Ret
CAN
12
FRA
11
GBR
11
GER
Ret
HUN
Ret
BEL
Ret
ITA
Ret
POR
Ret
JPN
Ret
AUS
Ret
- 0
Preceded by
Michel Ferté
French Formula Three Champion
1984
Succeeded by
Pierre-Henri Raphanel