Jean Achard died at the wheel of Pinheiro Pires' Ferrari on 19 or 20 July 1951. I have seen pictures of the wrecked car in a Brazilian newspaper some time ago, but I can't remember with certainty at which track it was. I think it was Interlagos during practice for a race (or possibly just testing the car). I'm almost certain it was in Brazil.
Please can anyone provide more details, including the name of the race.
Jean Achard
Started by
Tony Kaye
, Dec 22 2001 01:11
14 replies to this topic
Advertisement
#2
Roger Clark
-
- 7,506 posts
- Joined: February 00
Member
Posted 22 December 2001 - 12:06
Autosprt said that it was in practicing for a hill climb at Gavea
#3
David McKinney
-
- 14,156 posts
- Joined: November 00
Member
Posted 22 December 2001 - 19:08
Originally posted by Roger Clark
Autosprt said that it was in practicing for a hill climb at Gavea
Pierre Abeillon’s Talbot book says exactly the same thing. My own notes say the event was on 14 July.
I know there was some argument in an earlier thread about whether the event was a hillclimb or a race.
The report in the Portuguese magazine O Volante doesn’t seem specific: it uses the word prova, which I believe is also used for ‘race’. But the winning time of 2min 02sec (Gino Bianco in a 4CLT Maserati) surely supports the argument for it being a hillclimb.
#4
Milan Fistonic
-
- 1,769 posts
- Joined: September 00
Member
Posted 22 December 2001 - 19:11
Tony
Last January when I posted in the Speed's Ultimate Price thread, the Autosport info about Achard's death you replied that it was at a race meeting not a hillclimb and that it happened in June 1951.
Last January when I posted in the Speed's Ultimate Price thread, the Autosport info about Achard's death you replied that it was at a race meeting not a hillclimb and that it happened in June 1951.
#5
Tony Kaye
-
- 68 posts
- Joined: July 00
Member
Posted 22 December 2001 - 20:01
Woops! I seem to have tripped over myself.
Apologies, Milan, I must have been wrong in stating that it was a race. I can find no record of a race at this time and I wasn't aware that a hill climb event was run at Gavea. The section through what is now a favela would certainly be suitable for a hill climb. It also makes sense as it would avoid the main road which at that time ran along the coast and which did double-duty as part of the GP circuit. Bear in mind that this was before they drove the by-pass tunnel through the hill.
David's 2'02" argument is totally convincing, if not it would have been the world's shortest race! Also the date, 14 July, is absolutely compatible with the newspaper photos I have seen which were published on 21 July (I think). It may have even been a Sunday paper, which would explain the time lag.
Thanks, Milan, David and Roger. As far as I am concerned you have solved my problem and I no longer have to search for a race which never took place.
Apologies, Milan, I must have been wrong in stating that it was a race. I can find no record of a race at this time and I wasn't aware that a hill climb event was run at Gavea. The section through what is now a favela would certainly be suitable for a hill climb. It also makes sense as it would avoid the main road which at that time ran along the coast and which did double-duty as part of the GP circuit. Bear in mind that this was before they drove the by-pass tunnel through the hill.
David's 2'02" argument is totally convincing, if not it would have been the world's shortest race! Also the date, 14 July, is absolutely compatible with the newspaper photos I have seen which were published on 21 July (I think). It may have even been a Sunday paper, which would explain the time lag.
Thanks, Milan, David and Roger. As far as I am concerned you have solved my problem and I no longer have to search for a race which never took place.
#6
David McKinney
-
- 14,156 posts
- Joined: November 00
Member
Posted 22 December 2001 - 20:43
The report in O Volante - if I've translated it correctly - says Achard took off at great speed but when he got to the Devil's Springboard section appeared to get confused by the central accelerator and smashed straight into a wall.Originally posted by Tony Kaye
The section through what is now a favela would certainly be suitable for a hill climb. It also makes sense as it would avoid the main road which at that time ran along the coast and which did double-duty as part of the GP circuit.
#7
Jimmy Piget
-
- 530 posts
- Joined: April 02
Member
Posted 10 June 2002 - 18:53
Hey chaps, la Gávea was a race course, not a hillclimb, its nickname was "trampolino do diablo", and a book on it was published last year in Brazil by Paulo Scali (who had just published another book, on Chico Landi).
I am going to find the book in my messed library and come back with precisions
I am going to find the book in my messed library and come back with precisions
#8
David McKinney
-
- 14,156 posts
- Joined: November 00
Member
Posted 10 June 2002 - 20:47
We all know Gavea was a circuit. But part of it was also used as a hillclimb course. See also Mount Panorama in Australia
#9
dretceterini
-
- 2,991 posts
- Joined: May 02
Member
Posted 11 June 2002 - 06:35
Where can one actually purchase some of these South American books? No one here in the US has them..
Stu
Stu
#10
Jimmy Piget
-
- 530 posts
- Joined: April 02
Member
Posted 11 June 2002 - 20:48
All my apologies to David :
Jean Achard died in practice for an event called "Rampa de Gávea", obviously a sprint one going up, hence a hillclimb using part of the circuit...
I remember there were something similar on the Linas-Montlhéry tack unto the '1960s called "course de la côte Lapize".
What I cannot know is what car was Achard's on this fatal day. The Ferrari was owned by Pinheiro Pires (who bought Achard's Talbot Lago afterwards), but was it a Sportscar or a 125 F1 ? Sources are contradictory.
Jean Achard died in practice for an event called "Rampa de Gávea", obviously a sprint one going up, hence a hillclimb using part of the circuit...
I remember there were something similar on the Linas-Montlhéry tack unto the '1960s called "course de la côte Lapize".
What I cannot know is what car was Achard's on this fatal day. The Ferrari was owned by Pinheiro Pires (who bought Achard's Talbot Lago afterwards), but was it a Sportscar or a 125 F1 ? Sources are contradictory.
#11
David McKinney
-
- 14,156 posts
- Joined: November 00
Member
Posted 12 June 2002 - 05:17
No doubt it was a GP car, Jimmy
#12
raoul leDuke
-
- 151 posts
- Joined: March 06
Member
Posted 15 March 2007 - 10:32
After much rumaging around I came up with the following about Monsieur Achard:
He was born Jean-Jacques Grosman, and was a journalist and editor in chief of the newspaper Debout. He was an active member of the French Resistance in the war and Chairman of the French National Federation of Former Combatants. It was in the Resistance that he changed his name to Achard Le Berton and retained it as Jean Achard after hostilities ceased.
He made his racing debut in a Supercharged Maserati 1500 after the war and drove enthusiastically during 1946 and 1947 as he tried to gain GP driver status. He drove under the banner of his personal racing stable, France Course, managed by Jean Leroy, and sometimes under the Ecurie Atalante banner.
In 1946 he raced an old Bugatti and a Maserati. He managed a sixth at the Albi GP in an Ecurie Atalante Maserati 4CL.
Ecurie Blanche et Noire borrowed a Delahaye 155 and showed up in Nice for scrutineering. However for some reason it was not allowed to race. And when Ecurie Blanche et Noire disappeared mid-season, the Delahaye was entrusted to Achard. He entered it for the Circuit Trois Villes under the Ecurie Atalante banner in August 1946 but did not start. He had qualified in fourth and was the fastest of the French cars. Unfortunately come the race he couldn't get it started and was disqualified.
In 1947 Ecurie GERSAC was officially presented to the press on April 1st at its premises in Paris, 24 rue François-Bonvin. The three cars had a new badge: a chromium-plated circle with an Ecurie GERSAC inscription, instead of Ecurie Walter Watney as in Monthléry. Henri Louveau was the technical director of the Ecurie and its top driver. Phi-Phi Etancelin, Pierre “Levegh“, Achard and Maurice Trintignant were the drivers.
In 1947 Achard drove an Ecurie GERSAC Delage D6.70 finishing 4th at the Pau GP in April then, later in the month, at the Grand Prix du Roussillon in Perpignan he crashed out on the 7th lap. An 8th in the Jersey Road Race in May was followed by a sixth at the Marseille GP 10 days later. At Nimes in June he crashed on the first lap.
He also raced a Simca in the Bol d'Or. The V12 Delahaye 155 that he had used during 1946 was lying idle so it was lent to “Levegh” for the race at Nîmes. Achard then drove it again on July 13th in the Grand Prix de l'Albigeois at Albi. However he crashed badly when the Delahaye lost a wheel, killing a lady spectator. Achard was also injured and failed to recover in time for the Comminges GP in August. He didn't race again in Europe but at the end of 1950, Philippe Etancelin, by then in his mid 50's, retired from racing and sold his Talbot to Achard.
In January 1951 Achard moved to Brazil, taking the 1948 Talbot Lago T26C (110008) with him with the intention of racing in local events and also entering the Indianapolis 500. That year he raced at Interlagos on May 13th, finishing 5th and at Boavista on June 24, finishing 3rd. The Talbot Lago was then sold to a local Brazilian driver, Pinheiro Pires.
It was at the wheel of Pinheiro Pires' Ferrari that Achard crashed with fatal consequences while competing in the Rampa de Gávea a hilclimb held on part of the Gávea track. He took off at high speed but apparently got confused with the pedals of his Ferrari as his Talbot had the throttle and brake pedals arranged in inverted positions, the accelerator being in the center, and crashed headlong into a wall.
-------------
Despite all my endevours I have never found a picture of him.
www.historicracing.com
'Keeping the spirit alive'
He was born Jean-Jacques Grosman, and was a journalist and editor in chief of the newspaper Debout. He was an active member of the French Resistance in the war and Chairman of the French National Federation of Former Combatants. It was in the Resistance that he changed his name to Achard Le Berton and retained it as Jean Achard after hostilities ceased.
He made his racing debut in a Supercharged Maserati 1500 after the war and drove enthusiastically during 1946 and 1947 as he tried to gain GP driver status. He drove under the banner of his personal racing stable, France Course, managed by Jean Leroy, and sometimes under the Ecurie Atalante banner.
In 1946 he raced an old Bugatti and a Maserati. He managed a sixth at the Albi GP in an Ecurie Atalante Maserati 4CL.
Ecurie Blanche et Noire borrowed a Delahaye 155 and showed up in Nice for scrutineering. However for some reason it was not allowed to race. And when Ecurie Blanche et Noire disappeared mid-season, the Delahaye was entrusted to Achard. He entered it for the Circuit Trois Villes under the Ecurie Atalante banner in August 1946 but did not start. He had qualified in fourth and was the fastest of the French cars. Unfortunately come the race he couldn't get it started and was disqualified.
In 1947 Ecurie GERSAC was officially presented to the press on April 1st at its premises in Paris, 24 rue François-Bonvin. The three cars had a new badge: a chromium-plated circle with an Ecurie GERSAC inscription, instead of Ecurie Walter Watney as in Monthléry. Henri Louveau was the technical director of the Ecurie and its top driver. Phi-Phi Etancelin, Pierre “Levegh“, Achard and Maurice Trintignant were the drivers.
In 1947 Achard drove an Ecurie GERSAC Delage D6.70 finishing 4th at the Pau GP in April then, later in the month, at the Grand Prix du Roussillon in Perpignan he crashed out on the 7th lap. An 8th in the Jersey Road Race in May was followed by a sixth at the Marseille GP 10 days later. At Nimes in June he crashed on the first lap.
He also raced a Simca in the Bol d'Or. The V12 Delahaye 155 that he had used during 1946 was lying idle so it was lent to “Levegh” for the race at Nîmes. Achard then drove it again on July 13th in the Grand Prix de l'Albigeois at Albi. However he crashed badly when the Delahaye lost a wheel, killing a lady spectator. Achard was also injured and failed to recover in time for the Comminges GP in August. He didn't race again in Europe but at the end of 1950, Philippe Etancelin, by then in his mid 50's, retired from racing and sold his Talbot to Achard.
In January 1951 Achard moved to Brazil, taking the 1948 Talbot Lago T26C (110008) with him with the intention of racing in local events and also entering the Indianapolis 500. That year he raced at Interlagos on May 13th, finishing 5th and at Boavista on June 24, finishing 3rd. The Talbot Lago was then sold to a local Brazilian driver, Pinheiro Pires.
It was at the wheel of Pinheiro Pires' Ferrari that Achard crashed with fatal consequences while competing in the Rampa de Gávea a hilclimb held on part of the Gávea track. He took off at high speed but apparently got confused with the pedals of his Ferrari as his Talbot had the throttle and brake pedals arranged in inverted positions, the accelerator being in the center, and crashed headlong into a wall.
-------------
Despite all my endevours I have never found a picture of him.
www.historicracing.com
'Keeping the spirit alive'
#13
Tony Kaye
-
- 68 posts
- Joined: July 00
Member
Posted 15 March 2007 - 20:58
Thanks Raoul. That must be the result of a huge amount of research. It's much appreciated.
You have successfully completed another chapter in the history of motor sport.
You have successfully completed another chapter in the history of motor sport.
#14
ovfi
-
- 184 posts
- Joined: October 06
Member
Posted 15 March 2007 - 21:18
For those who have interest on the old Gávea circuit, an interesting link plenty of pictures, history and a circuit plan.
http://www.obvio.ind.....do Brasil.htm
http://www.obvio.ind.....do Brasil.htm
#15
Franciscomuniz1
-
- 27 posts
- Joined: August 09
New Member
Posted 11 April 2011 - 23:13
Dear Tony, do you want to know about the Achard's death? Write for me.Jean Achard died at the wheel of Pinheiro Pires' Ferrari on 19 or 20 July 1951. I have seen pictures of the wrecked car in a Brazilian newspaper some time ago, but I can't remember with certainty at which track it was. I think it was Interlagos during practice for a race (or possibly just testing the car). I'm almost certain it was in Brazil.
Please can anyone provide more details, including the name of the race.
