Bertrand Gachot

Gachot at the 1991 United States Grand Prix

**Bertrand Jean Gachot** (born 23 December 1962) is a Belgian/French former racing driver. Gachot enjoyed some success in the junior formulae, winning titles in Formula Ford before progressing through Formula 3 and Formula 3000, reaching Formula One in 1989.

## Early life and career

Gachot was born in Luxembourg City on 23 December 1962, the son of a French European Commission official and a German mother. He began kart racing at the age of 15. In 1983 he attended the Winfield School, a racing driving school based at the Circuit Paul Ricard where Gachot competed with fellow future F1 drivers Damon Hill, Jean Alesi, and Éric Bernard for the *Volant Elf*; a prize of a season in Formula Renault backed by Elf. Although Bernard won the lucrative prize, Gachot subsequently dropped out of university to focus on his racing career. In 1984 he competed in Formula Ford 1600, and finished third at the Formula Ford Festival, and then won the European series in 1985 driving for Pacific Racing. In 1986 he moved up to Formula Ford 2000 and had a fierce rivalry with Mark Blundell, with Gachot winning the British series and Blundell winning the European series.

Gachot joined the British Formula Three series in 1987, finishing second in the championship for the West Surrey Racing team behind Johnny Herbert. He switched to the Formula 3000 series in 1988, and met with some success, taking pole position at the Silverstone round, and finishing second to Roberto Moreno who went on to win the championship; Gachot finishing fifth in the final standings.

## Formula One

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### Onyx (1989)

By this stage Gachot was considered one of the sport's most promising young drivers. He was signed by the newly formed Onyx team, having played a role in attracting the team's Moneytron sponsorship from businessman Jean-Pierre Van Rossem, and was partnered with the experienced Stefan Johansson.

### Jordan (1991)

Gachot's greatest success came at the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans. Alongside Volker Weidler and Johnny Herbert, Gachot was a part of Mazdaspeed's unfancied attack at the legendary race. Mazda hadn’t been viewed as victory contenders before the race, their Mazda 787B having achieved virtually nothing in the way of results previously. However, the team had exploited a loophole in the rules, which stated that naturally aspirated, rotary-powered old Group C1 cars weren't required to run at 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), but at 850 kg (1,870 lb), and eventually the Mazda managed to run at 830 kg (1,830 lb). Combined with their rotary Wankel engine providing better fuel mileage than the other ballasted cars, as the leading opposition came to fault (the leading Peugeots had all retired by nightfall, and the Sauber-Mercedes C11s were beset by various ailments), the Mazda continued to run. The young trio came home for a stunning victory, the first for a Japanese marque at Le Mans.

### 1991 prison sentence

On 10 December 1990 Gachot was due to meet with Jordan and representatives of 7UP but, on the way and running late, he became involved in a road rage incident with a taxi driver at Hyde Park Corner in London. His car collided with the back of the taxi, but caused no damage to either car. Later, Gachot said the taxi driver pulled him by the tie and raised his fist, at which point Gachot sprayed the taxi driver with CS gas to defend himself. Gachot hid the CS gas canister in a toilet cistern in a nearby building, and was arrested and charged with actual bodily harm (ABH) and possession of a prohibited weapon.

Gachot's trial at Southwark Crown Court was scheduled the week before the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, a circuit where he expected the Jordan to "fly". Gachot had claimed self-defence, and expected a fine or suspended sentence; he was due to test at Monza after the trial. Instead he was sentenced to 18 months in HMP Brixton after an unsuccessful appeal.

The situation prompted a campaign of support organised by Belgian racing driver Pascal Witmeur. This campaign involved flags, T-shirts worn by members of the public and racing drivers, graffiti in several locations of the Spa-Francorchamps track during the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, and prominent sponsorship on Witmeur's Formula 3000 car. Team owner Eddie Jordan replaced him with Michael Schumacher. Gachot subsequently said that prison was "a fantastic human experience" and he had about 10,000 letters of support.

## Personal life

Gachot raced under more than one flag during his career. He initially competed with a Belgian FIA Super Licence, despite carrying a French passport. From the 1992 season onwards he changed to a French licence.

Gachot is a supporter of the unification of Europe. In a 1991 interview, Gachot said that "I am not really one nationality. I feel very much a European, but today I have to accept that a united Europe is not yet a reality. Certainly from a legal point of view." His helmet design features the circle of yellow stars on a blue background from the flag of Europe.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Michael Horsnell (16 August 1991). "Grand Prix driver is jailed for gas attack". *The Times*. London. p. 3.
2. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Driver used CS gas 'in defence'". *The Times*. London. 15 August 1991. p. 5.
3. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Richard Duce (14 August 1991). "Grand Prix driver denies CS attack on cabbie". *The Times*. London. p. 6.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Dodgins, Tony (October 1998). "Bertrand Gachot: You're nicked, son". *F1 Racing*. Haymarket Publishing. p. 100.
5. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Jordan, Eddie (2007). *An Independent Man*. Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-7534-7.
6. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"Kiss with a fist: Bertrand Gachot // How one small event can change Formula One forever". *Sidepodcast*. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
7. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Oliver Holt (10 December 1993). "Gachot starts out on long road back". *The Times*. London. p. 42.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Saward, Joe (1991-10-01). Interview: Bertrand Gachot. *grandprix.com*. Inside F1.
9. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Henry, Nick (1992). "F1 Drivers' Statistics". *Autocourse 1992-93*. Hazleton Publishing. p. 248. ISBN 0-905138-96-1.
10. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Henry, Nick (1994). "1994 FIA World Championship". *Autocourse 1994-95*. Hazleton Publishing. p. 246. ISBN 1-874557-95-0.
11. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Henry, Nick (1995). "1995 FIA World Championship". *Autocourse 1995-96*. Hazleton Publishing. p. 232. ISBN 1-874557-36-5.