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Johnny Claes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Johnny Claes | |
| Nationality |  Belgian |
|---|---|
| World Championship Career | |
| Active years | 1950 - 1953, 1955 |
| Team(s) | Écurie Belge, Gordini, HWM, Maserati, Ecurie Nationale Belge |
| Races | 25 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podium finishes | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First race | 1950 British Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1955 Dutch Grand Prix |
Johnny Claes (11 August 1916 in London - February 3, 1956 in Brussels) was a Formula One driver from Belgium, of Scottish mother and Belgian father.
Claes was one of several gentlemen drivers who took part in Grand Prix racing of post-WWII. His first contact with racing was at the 1947 French Grand Prix, where he served as interpreter for British drivers. He made his debut in 1948, in his own Talbot-Lago, raced under the Écurie Belge banner.
Although Claes never scored any points in the World Drivers Championship, he was, like many of his contemporaries, very active in non-championship Grand Prix races and sports car races. His first win was at the 1950 Grand Prix des Frontières, held at the Chimay race track. In 1952 he exchanged his outdate Talbot for a Gordini, and later for a Connaught, always with the Écurie Belge colours, but he also raced occasionally for works team, including Gordini and Maserati. He also won the 1953 Liège-Rome-Liège Rally and took a class win at the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In 1955, Claes' health problems worsened, as he had contracted tuberculosis. Claes sold his outfit to fellow Belgian driver Jacques Swaters, who merged it with his own Écurie Francorchamps to form Ecurie Nationale Belge. Claes entered occasional events until the end of the year, but finally succumbed in 1956, aged 39.
Besides motor racing, Claes was also an enthusiast of jazz music, a jazz trumpeter and successful bandleader in Britain.
| Yr | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Talb | GBR | MON | IND | SWI | BEL | FRA | ITA | Talb | ||
| 1951 | Talb | SWI | IND | BEL | FRA | GBR | DEU | ITA | SPA | Talb | |
| 1952 | Gord | SWI | IND | BEL | FRA | GBR | DEU | DUT | ITA | Simc | |
| 1953 | Conn | ARG | IND | DUT | BEL | FRA | GBR | DEU | SWI | ITA | Conn |
| 1955 | Ferr | ARG | MON | IND | BEL | DUT | GBR | ITA | Ferr |