Usually when F1 heads to one of the great circuits, we’d give you six of the best on its former glories, just to get everybody in the mood. The problem with Spa is that it’s so great we tend to feature it all of the time. So instead of a re-run we’re going to pay homage to Jérôme D’Ambrosio’s forebears. 23 Belgians have driven in F1 – here’s six of the best.
Bertrand Gachot: Onyx, Rial, Coloni, Jordan, Larousse, Pacific
Bertrand Gachot left an indelible mark on the Belgian Grand Prix, despite a best finish of 18th during the six years he raced in F1. Gachot came to prominence winning the British Formula Ford Championship in 1986. For 1987 he took a swing at British Formula Three finishing second in the championship to Eddie Jordan Racing’s golden boy Johnny Herbert. Gachot went onto F3000 and then, apprenticeship complete, duly made the step up to F1. He drove some proper donkeys in 1989 and 1990, including an Onyx, a Rial and a Coloni, all of which rarely got beyond prequalifying. His luck changed in 1991 when he got a seat with Jordan and managed to score some decent points. Sadly his career with Jordan came to an end just before the season reached his home race. Bertrand was unable to drive having been jailed after an altercation involving a London taxi driver and a can of CS gas. So how did Bertrand have such an effect on the Belgian Grand Prix? The driver Eddie hired to replace his incarcerated star was a young kid doing good things in sportscars. His name was Michael Schumacher…
Another sort of assault perpetrated by Bertrand Gachot...
Lucien Bianchi: ENB, Fred Tuck Cars, Laystall, Parnell, Scuderia Centro Sud, Cooper
Luciano Bianchi became Lucien when the family moved to Belgium from Milan after WWII. He appeared sporadically in F1 throughout the 1960s, and bagged his first point at Spa in 1960, though it would be another eight years before he managed to get back in the points, finishing third at the Monaco Grand Prix of 1968. Bianchi was an excellent all-rounder, however, racing successfully in sportscars, rally cars and virtually anything with wheels. His greatest success was winning Le Mans in 1968. If the name seems familiar, Lucien’s grand-nephew Jules Bianchi is a rising star of the Ferrari young driver programme and currently races in GP2 with ART.
Thierry Boutsen: Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier, Jordan
Thierry Boutsen won three grand prix for Williams. His first two wins came in wet races during 1989, but the most famous is his unblinking defiance of Ayrton Senna at the Hungaroring in 1990: proof that the unmoveable obstacle does indeed beat the irresistible force. He also has the rare distinction of finishing first, second and third in the same race. At Imola in 1985, Boutsen’s Arrows, after qualifying fifth, finished a fine third. However the winning McLaren of Alain Prost and Elio De Angelis’ second-placed Lotus were both disqualified for being underweight, given Boutsen and Arrows a first victory. Then De Angelis was reinstated, and Boutsen had to give the trophy back. Like several of his peers Thierry got interested in planes after racing, and if you happen to be in Monaco with a lot of spare cash and fancy buying a jet, Boutsen Aviation is the place to go.
Paul Frére: HWM, Ecurie Belge, Gordini, Ferrari
Paul Frére tended to be successful at whatever he did, first at champion rower, than as a racing driver and motorsports journalist. Frére raced off and on in F1 throughout the 1950s and managed to finish in the points at Spa in three of his five attempts, including a second place for Ferrari in 1956. Driving a rather different Ferrari he won Le Mans in 1960, though perhaps his greatest legacy is as a writer and an absolute authority on the Porsche 911. He died at the grand old age of 91 in 2008, and the first part of the Stavelot complex at Spa has now been renamed in his honour.
Eric van de Poele: Modena, Brabham, Fondmetal
In common with Paul di Resta, Eric van de Poele entered F1 having won the German Touring Car Championship. Unlike di Resta, he had the misfortune to drive cars that weren’t very good, and/or for teams that ran out of money. Fortunately his skills were better rewarded in sports cars. Born in Verviers, Spa is very much his local track, and he won 24 Hours of Spa before gong to F1, and has since added four more victories, winning in 1998, 2005, 2006 and 2008 – a record for the race. (He’s also ground the Red Bull Media Monkeys into dust at the Bridgestone Media Karting Challenge in Barcelona – but that trophy probably didn’t get up onto the mantelpiece).
Eric and the lesser-spotted Fondmetal…
Jacky Ickx: Tyrrell-Matra, Cooper, Ferrari, Brabham, McLaren, Williams, Lotus, Wolf, Ensign, Ligier
Jacky Ickx is to Belgian motorsport what Eddy Merckx is to Belgian cycling – and that’s more than just a very good score in Scrabble. In terms of professional races won, Ickx may well be the most successful racing driver of all time. He’s far too humble to say so, of course, but with a twinkle in the eye concedes that it’s probably between himself and occasional team-mate Mario Andretti. The Ickx role of honour includes those famous six victories at Le Mans, a World Endurance Championship, The Can-Am Championship, victory at Bathurst and in the Dakar and about a million other places. In F1 it’s just the eight wins, which really doesn’t do justice to the talent. It would, perhaps, have been many more, but Ickx tended to pick his F1 teams based on whether or not they’d let him off the leash to drive in sports car racing as well.
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