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Where is Jean-Louis Rosier?


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#1 raceannouncer2003

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Posted 08 March 2007 - 16:42

In 1950, Louis Rosier and his son Jean-Louis Rosier drove a Talbot to victory at Le Mans. Can anybody tell me how to contact Jean Louis-Rosier? He was interviewed in 2001.

http://www.oxyd.fr/m.../lemans/jlr.htm

Vince H.

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#2 ensign14

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Posted 08 March 2007 - 16:59

No idea, but I can't listen to the interview where he explains that cos of name confusion everyone thinks he drove only about 30 minutes but I assume he says he drove for longer...anyone know for how long he actually drove?

#3 T54

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Posted 09 March 2007 - 04:42

Louis Rosier drove the car for 23 hours and 30 minutes, Jean-Louis for 30 minutes. This is totally correct.
In 1952, Pierre Levegh drove his Talbot for 23 hours, leading the race over the two Mercedes 300SLR's. Then with a bit over 30 minutes left and a comfortable lead, he missed a shift and dropped a valve, and that was it. That has to be the most crushing thing to happen to anyone.
:(

#4 Allan Lupton

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Posted 09 March 2007 - 11:40

Originally posted by T54
Louis Rosier drove the car for 23 hours and 30 minutes, Jean-Louis for 30 minutes. This is totally correct.


I think you are missing Ensign14's point.
How can you say "this is totally correct" unless you were logging the drivers as they changed (or did not change) at the time.
Of course, if you did that, my apologies for questionning your opinion. :o

#5 Haine Kane

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Posted 09 March 2007 - 13:48

Hello from France,

I've just read the fabulous book writen by Pascal LEGRAND about Louis ROSIER "une vie extraordinaire"
and the preface was dedicated in 2004 by Louis ROSIER Jr in Orcines (Puy-de dôme) France.

Orcines is a small town at the west of Clermont-Ferrand.

The real name of Jean-Louis is Louis, the same father's christian name and the second is Jean.
To make no confusion between the 2 drivers, the son take Jean-Louis and the father Louis.

In the yellow french pages I find this, Is it the real address of Louis-Jean ROSIER ?

Rosier
8 all Sorbiers Bonnabry
63870 ORCINES
tel : 04 73 62 11 29

Best regards

#6 raceannouncer2003

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Posted 09 March 2007 - 16:35

Merci beaucoup!

Vince H. :)

#7 Paul Parker

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Posted 09 March 2007 - 17:20

In reply to T54's post about Pierre Levegh's 1952 Le Mans retirement.

Whilst researching my Jaguar at Le Mans book 7 years ago, I understood that Pierre Levegh had nursed his Talbot for many hours with an engine vibration, still outpacing the Mercs. Rather than risk handing the car over to co-driver Pierre Marchand who might not have been so mechanically sympathetic he chose to say nothing and drive on 'oh so carefully'. It was not Levegh missing a gear that caused the retirement, the crankshaft broke.

This was not only a great tragedy for 'Levegh' but also for France. The Germans waited in vain for their national anthem to be played at the end but as Duncan Hamilton observed in his book 'Touch Wood', 'When I passed in front of the spectators who stood below a plaque erected on the stands in memory of Robert Benoist, who was executed by the Germans................ I could understand why'.

#8 raceannouncer2003

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Posted 09 March 2007 - 20:51

Haine

In the French yellow pages, I checked that address under Rosier, but the name listed is "Simone Rosier."

Vince H.

#9 Haine Kane

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Posted 09 March 2007 - 21:40

Yes but I suppose that Louis don't want his name on the yellow pages...

But in the book list before, there's a letter from Louis ROSIER Jr to Serge POZZOLI with this address...

So...Is it good or not ?

#10 T54

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Posted 10 March 2007 - 01:07

How can you say "this is totally correct" unless you were logging the drivers as they changed (or did not change) at the time.
Of course, if you did that, my apologies for questionning your opinion.


Hi Allan,
It is not an opinion. I was lucky to attend the 24 Heures du Mans since 1948 (I was born in 1943) because my dad was a fanatic and owned a Bugatti T43 and a number of other neat cars, and le Mans was THE race after Monaco and Reims. We always had a privileged view from the top of the pits as my dad had Shell connections (there is a color picture of my dad and me there in 1955 in a recent Porsche book).
The public (us) was well aware of Rosier's situation and his heroic drive as the speaker kept the public's attention on this since about midnight. We camped at Arnage and when we came back to the top of the pits at around 9AM, Rosier was still in the lead and the public was going nuts. His son relayed him briefly in the early afternoon if I recall, but no more than 5 laps, and Louis finished the race under huge popular support. Not only that, but another Talbot was in second place, only 1 lap behind!
I also remember that there was a strange looking Delletrez Diesel powered car in that race but it broke at about half distance, and I also sat in Briggs Cunningham's Cadillac coupe during the tech inspection. What a thrill that was! And of course, there was Le Monstre!
I know that after all this time, memories can be cloudy, but this is still quite clear in my mind. :)
Regards,

T54

#11 raceannouncer2003

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Posted 10 March 2007 - 01:27

Haine

Thank you...I will try this address.

Vince H.

#12 ensign14

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Posted 10 March 2007 - 07:42

Originally posted by T54

The public (us) was well aware of Rosier's situation and his heroic drive as the speaker kept the public's attention on this since about midnight.

But that's the point, isn't it? If the announcer was being told "Rosier" was still in the car he might not have realized there had been a driver change...

#13 Allan Lupton

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Posted 10 March 2007 - 09:15

Originally posted by T54

It is not an opinion. I was lucky to attend the 24 Heures du Mans since 1948 (I was born in 1943) because my dad was a fanatic and owned a Bugatti T43 and a number of other neat cars, and le Mans was THE race after Monaco and Reims. We always had a privileged view from the top of the pits as my dad had Shell connections (there is a color picture of my dad and me there in 1955 in a recent Porsche book).
The public (us) was well aware of Rosier's situation and his heroic drive as the speaker kept the public's attention on this since about midnight. We camped at Arnage and when we came back to the top of the pits at around 9AM, Rosier was still in the lead and the public was going nuts. His son relayed him briefly in the early afternoon if I recall, but no more than 5 laps, and Louis finished the race under huge popular support. Not only that, but another Talbot was in second place, only 1 lap behind!


While memory of events that took place when one was 7 years old (and 57 years ago) may be unreliable, at least you were there and a lot of us were not.

Ensign14 is right of course, that some of what would be remembered is what you were told by the commentator. You would presumably not have actually seen what was going on when camping at Arnage, before returning to the pits at 9 am.

It would still be interesting to see the Rosier pit's lap chart!

#14 T54

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Posted 10 March 2007 - 14:38

Hi Allan,
I am sure that if you contact the ACO they would have it on record. This is public knowledge and very well known (at least by the older generation) in France's racing circles. You may also consult the archives of Ouest-France, the local newspaper.
Regards,

T54

#15 Hieronymus

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Posted 10 March 2007 - 15:06

Pascal Legrand wrote a book on Rosier a few years ago. "Une vie extraordinaire" will surely give all the details on the Rosiers (father & son).

#16 ensign14

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Posted 17 July 2011 - 20:41

The new ACO three volume thing on Le Mans suggests Jean-Louis drove two stints - one late on Saturday, one early on Sunday, the source being J-LR himself. No details how long each stint was, though.

#17 r.atlos

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Posted 17 July 2011 - 22:16

It seems the message has not come through that Jean-Louis Rosier (or "Louis Rosier fils", as he was often called in period) passed away earlier this month.

RIP

#18 raceannouncer2003

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 06:22

It seems the message has not come through that Jean-Louis Rosier (or "Louis Rosier fils", as he was often called in period) passed away earlier this month.

RIP


Yes, this sad news is noted in post 233 and following on this page:

http://forums.autosp...w...4879&st=200

Vince H.


#19 seccotine

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Posted 21 July 2011 - 10:26

Hi Allan,
It is not an opinion. I was lucky to attend the 24 Heures du Mans since 1948 (I was born in 1943) because my dad was a fanatic and owned a Bugatti T43 and a number of other neat cars, and le Mans was THE race after Monaco and Reims. We always had a privileged view from the top of the pits as my dad had Shell connections (there is a color picture of my dad and me there in 1955 in a recent Porsche book).
The public (us) was well aware of Rosier's situation and his heroic drive as the speaker kept the public's attention on this since about midnight. We camped at Arnage and when we came back to the top of the pits at around 9AM, Rosier was still in the lead and the public was going nuts. His son relayed him briefly in the early afternoon if I recall, but no more than 5 laps, and Louis finished the race under huge popular support. Not only that, but another Talbot was in second place, only 1 lap behind!
I also remember that there was a strange looking Delletrez Diesel powered car in that race but it broke at about half distance, and I also sat in Briggs Cunningham's Cadillac coupe during the tech inspection. What a thrill that was! And of course, there was Le Monstre!
I know that after all this time, memories can be cloudy, but this is still quite clear in my mind. :)
Regards,

T54


T54, I confess reading all your posts with interest and fascination, here or on that black and yellow French website...
If some day a book gathering all those memories is written, put me on the list.
Regards.