The World Championship drivers — Where are they now?
by Richard Jenkins
| See also |
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Formula 3000 drivers Indy 500 drivers North American Racers World Championship team bosses |
I have endeavoured to try and provide as up-to-date and accurate information as possible for everyone featured on this site, and I am always indebted to the many contributors who help with the information on this site and sadly, space doesn't allow for me to thank everyone here. However, I would like to dedicate the ongoing work, progress and achievements on this site to those contributors who are sadly no longer with us but helped aide this project so much: Len Calinoff, Phil Harms, Gene Heeter, Earl Ma and Don Radbruch.
Updates and corrections are always welcomed — please either join the debate here or feel free to contact me on with any information you might have.
This part of the site is also dedicated to the memory of Tony Marsh, as it was his post-Grand Prix life that served as the initial inspiration for "Where Are They Now" back in 1998 For more about what this part of the site is trying to achieve, please read my full introduction.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
| Name | Born | Died | Nat | Grands Prix | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Lacaze |
26 Feb 1917 Paris |
|
F |
1 (1958) |
Now lives, retired, in France. Moroccan citizen who raced a lot in North Africa, often in rallies. This led to him getting a deal for the GP with a debutant team-manager, Ken Tyrrell. He also ran a garage and youth sports association in Marrakech. He was also a national ski-ing champion! (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Jacques Laffite |
21 Nov 1943 Paris |
|
F |
176 (1974-1986) |
Races for fun, including French GT's. Also works in PR, but mostly involved in the media industry, doing live comments for the French national TV station. 2009 is his 13th season doing so. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Franck Lagorce |
01 Sep 1968 L'Hay-les-Roses, nr. Paris |
|
F |
2 (1994) |
Raced in sportscars, then touring cars after leaving F1. Now only does ice-racing during the winter, with most of his time taken up by TV summarising, working as a consultant to the FFSA, being a kart manager and working as a driver tutor and coach. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Jan Lammers |
02 Jun 1956 Zandvoort |
|
NL |
23 (1979-1992) |
Made an astonishing return to F1 in 1992 and then went on to F3000, touring cars and more successfully, sports cars and GT's. In 2002 and 2003, he won the FIA Sportscar championship. Was named boss of the Dutch A1 GP series team recently and also competed in the GP Masters. He did run a LMS team, but now races only, still in endurance events, in both Europe and the US, whilst he also does driver coaching. Read interview. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Pedro Lamy |
20 Mar 1972 Aldeia Galega |
|
P |
32 (1993-1996) |
Won the Nurburgring 1000km in 2001 and has raced in a variety of series since F1, but has settled in endurance racing. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Chico Landi |
14 Jul 1907 Sao Paulo |
07 Jun 1989 Sao Paulo |
BR |
6 (1951-1956) |
Became a leading administrator in Brazillian motor sport for some years until his death from a heart-attack. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Hermann Lang |
06 Apr 1909 Bad Cannstatt, nr. Stuttgart |
19 Oct 1987 Bad Cannstatt, nr. Stuttgart |
D |
2 (1953-1954) |
Pre war legend who appeared in numerous historic festivals until his death. |
| Claudio Langes |
20 Jul 1960 Brescia |
|
I |
0 (1990) |
Reliable lower formulae racer whose F1 spell was a disaster. Went on to race in touring cars quite successfully, but hasn't raced for some while. |
| Nicola Larini |
19 Mar 1964 Lido di Camaiore |
|
I |
49 (1987-1997) |
Raced in touring cars for Alfa Romeo for years, but when dropped in 2004, switched to sportscars and GT's for selected events. Was back in touring cars, in the WTCC, until 2009. Also moved back to his hometown recently after many years in Monaco. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Oscar Larrauri |
19 Aug 1954 Granadero Baigorria, nr. Rosario |
|
RA |
8 (1988-1989) |
Raced in GT's and then in Argentine touring cars for many years, very successfully too, before retiring to become a politician in the same Santa Fe province once governed by Carlos Reutemann. However, he has made a return, for the time being in both TC2000 and Top Race V6. Oscar also runs his own cold storage business. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Gerard Larrousse |
23 May 1940 Lyon |
|
F |
1 (1974) |
Ran his F1 team for ages. Now mostly retired, but still has a business interest in sportscars and road cars. |
| Jud Larson |
21 Jan 1923 Grand Prairie, Texas |
11 Jun 1966 Reading, Pennsylvania |
USA |
2 (1958-1959) |
Dirt track legend who died after colliding with Red Riegel in an USAC sprint race. Real name Clarence, he was a hard driving driver, a hard drinking man. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Niki Lauda |
22 Feb 1949 Vienna |
|
A |
171 (1971-1985) |
Ran his successful Lauda Air airline and was a long-time Ferrari consultant. After battling ill-health and money problems, he became the head of the Jaguar F1 project, but was sacked in November 2002 after a mixed season. Was involved in Austria's A1 GP efforts, but now in TV broadcasting. Also involved in numerous business projects, many of them high-profile, including a return to the airline industry. He also became a dad again, aged 60, in 2009. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Roger Laurent |
21 Feb 1913 Liege |
6 Feb 1997 Uccle |
B |
2 (1952) |
5 times Belgian motorcycle champion, he never really found great success in cars. Mostly in sportscars until 1956. |
| Giovanni Lavaggi |
18 Feb 1958 Augusta, Sicily |
|
I |
7 (1995-1996) |
Still races and runs a team in sportscars, when he has time free from his insurance business in Sicily. He announced plans in 2005 to construct his own chassis for his team, and still does this today. He has also raced in Speedcars in Asia. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Chris Lawrence |
27 Jul 1933 Ealing |
|
GB |
2 (1966) |
Moved to the US, but his age and family reasons meant a return to the UK, where he continued to develop cars, for Morgan as a designer and technical advisor and also as technical director in British GT's. Now prepares historic racing cars for events (which he still attends) and lives near Hereford. Also invented a suspension system and founded Lawrence Tune Performance, which he still runs. Brought out his autobiography in 2008. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Michel Leclere |
18 Mar 1946 Mantes la Jolie, nr. Paris |
|
F |
7 (1975-1976) |
Now works as an instructor at a driving school and ran a garage in Paris until recently. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Neville Lederle |
25 Sep 1938 Theunissen, Winburg, Orange Free State |
|
ZA |
1 (1962-1965) |
Sometime historic racer. Ran a Volkswagen dealership in Bloemfontein, but is now retired. Lives in Cintsa East. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Geoff Lees |
01 May 1951 Hurley Common, nr. Kingsbury, Warwickshire |
|
GB |
5 (1978-1982) |
Had retired from driving sportscars and went on to run his own business. However, he returned to full-time racing in 2002 in the All-Japan GT series, with his own team and raced on for a few years, but now retired again. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Arthur Legat |
01 Nov 1898 Haine-Saint-Paul |
23 Feb 1960 Haine-Saint-Pierre |
B |
2 (1952-1953) |
Garage owner for his whole working (and racing) life, he competed at Chimay for 30 years. The oldest man, probably forever, to make his GP debut - he was 53 years, 7 months and 21 days old when he entered his home GP in 1952. |
| JJ Lehto |
31 Jan 1966 Espoo |
|
SF |
62 (1989-1994) |
A top sportscar driver, he won Sebring and Le Mans in 2005. Now more involved in media, including TV commentary, but returned to racing in 2007, at Daytona, Asian speedcars and rallies in Finland and in 2008 to ALMS. Now restricts his racing to the rallies in his homeland. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Chuck Leighton |
25 Feb 1924 Los Angeles, California |
08 Jun 2003 Sun City West, Arizona |
USA |
0 (1950) |
Raced sprints and midgets from the 1930's onwards, almost exclusively in California. He was later honoured by the Roadster Association and ran a plastics company in Torrance, California. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Lamberto Leoni |
24 May 1953 Argenta, Ferrara |
|
I |
1 (1977-1978) |
Became a F1 and F3000 driver manager and relatively successful powerboat racer. |
| Les Leston |
16 Dec 1920 Bulwell, Nottingham |
|
GB |
2 (1956-1957) |
Now retired and living in Kent, but sadly in ill health. As well as racing, he developed his hugely successful racewear business. Until recent poor health, he attended a number of historic festivals, although he managed a surprise appearance at Goodwood in 2008. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Pierre Levegh |
22 Dec 1905 Paris |
11 Jun 1955 Le Mans Circuit |
F |
6 (1950-1951) |
Real name Pierre Bouillin, 'Levegh' will always be remembered as the poor soul killed in the horrific Le Mans disaster. A brilliant sportscar driver, Levegh was extremely experienced and verstatile in a range of machinery. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Bayliss Levrett |
14 Feb 1913 Jacksonville, Florida |
13 Mar 2002 Reno, Nevada |
USA |
1 (1950) |
Died in a nursing home recently in Reno, after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. West Coast racer from the 1930's-1950's. Retired after being burnt in a crash. |
| Jack Lewis |
01 Nov 1936 Stroud, Gloucestershire |
|
GB |
9 (1961-1962) |
Now retired from sheep farming in Llandovery, Wales, he has moved back to Stroud to run a garage business. Also worked on a farm for years and even tried harness racing. Retired racing due to his marriage and spent a long time living in Rhandirmwyn. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Stuart Lewis-Evans |
20 Apr 1930 Luton, Bedfordshire |
25 Oct 1958 East Grinstead, Sussex |
GB |
14 (1957-1958) |
Rising talent killed in the 1958 Moroccan GP. Followed his father into the sport, this hard but fast racer had success in F3. |
| Mark Light |
27 Oct 1910 Lebanon, Pennsylvania |
02 Apr 1975 Manheim, Pennsylvania |
USA |
0 (1950) |
Later became a racing promoter and also ran a muffler shop in Lebanon, PA. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Guy Ligier |
12 Jul 1930 Vichy |
|
F |
12 (1966-1967) |
Ran a successful F1 team for years. Now working on road and micro cars and along with his son, he is also back in motorsport, as a F3 constructor. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Ralph Liguori |
10 Oct 1926 New York City, New York |
|
USA |
0 (1959) |
Has raced AND won in an amazing 7 decades, winning a minor race in 2000! His grandson races, whilst Ralph's son aids his career. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Andy Linden |
05 Apr 1922 Brownsville, Pennsylvania |
10 Feb 1987 Torrance, California |
USA |
7 (1951-1957) |
Never fully recovered from a career ending crash in 1957. A former US marine, this colossus of a man became one of the top sprint, midget and AAA drivers just after WW2, but at his peak he was left brain damaged when his helmet was pierced. Despite being confined to a wheelchair for the majority of his life, Andy's pride and determination meant he learnt how to walk again to some degree. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Roberto Lippi |
17 Oct 1926 Rome |
|
I |
1 (1961-1963) |
Since 1982, he worked as a racing school instructor for the CSAI and latterly included disabled drivers in this setup, specifically concentrating on them, despite being over 80 years of age at the time. Now retired. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Vitantonio Liuzzi |
06 Aug 1981 Locorotondo, Bari |
|
I |
43 (2005- ) |
Was test driver for the Force India team, but recently got promoted to the main team and is still there in 2010. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Lella Lombardi |
26 Mar 1941 Frugarolo, nr. Alessandria |
03 Mar 1992 Milan |
I |
12 (1974-1976) |
The first and thus far, only woman to score world championship points, she died of cancer, at just 50 years of age. |
| Ernst Loof |
04 Jul 1907 Neindorf |
03 Mar 1956 Bonn |
D |
1 (1953) |
Died of a brain tumour, following a long fight against cancer. 8 times German motorcycle champion, he worked as an engineer for BMW and then became a car builder. After WW2 he set up Veritas and began building sports and single-seater cars with reasonable success in a number of different disciplines. |
| Jose Maria Lopez |
24 Jun 1983 Rio Tercero |
|
RA |
0 (2010- ) |
Was a GP2 stalwart, but then moved to ALMS, then TC2000 and FIA GT. Did well there, and in 2010, was a surprise choice for the US F1 drive. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Henri Louveau |
25 Jan 1910 Suresnes, Hauts-de-Seine |
07 Jan 1991 Orleans |
F |
2 (1950-1951) |
A former bicycle racer, he initially worked as a test driver for FIAT, which led to racing. Served in Africa in WW2, then after forming a friendship with Raymond Sommer, went on to race successfully for some years. Retired after a crash in 1951, and later ran a dealership in Paris, using his old contacts to sell Delages and Maserati's (his old racing teams). He also ran a car and truck rental business. |
| John Love |
07 Dec 1924 Bulawayo |
25 Apr 2005 Bulawayo |
RSR |
9 (1962-1972) |
Was involved in his dealership in Bulawayo and made frequent visits to South Africa for some historic festivals before his recent sad death from cancer. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Pete Lovely |
11 Apr 1926 Livingston, Montana |
|
USA |
7 (1959-1971) |
Still racing, despite being over 80! Runs Pete Lovely Racing, which is not only for racing, but for restoring and maintaining vintage race cars, particularly Lotuses, in Puyallup, Washington. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Roger Loyer |
05 Aug 1907 Paris |
24 Mar 1988 Boulogne-Billancourt |
F |
1 (1954) |
Mechanic and chauffeur who raced for 15 years in motorcycles. After the war he concentrated on cars mainly and raced on until 1960. He later designed many automobile devices. |
| Jean Lucas |
25 Apr 1917 Le Mans |
27 Sep 2003 Saint Martin de Re |
F |
1 (1955) |
Publisher for many years and founded Sport-Auto with Jabby Crombac, but also had many non-racing interests. Died recently. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Jean Lucienbonnet |
07 Jan 1923 Nice |
19 Aug 1962 Pergusa, Sicily, Italy |
F |
0 (1959) |
Killed in a Formula Junior race in Sicily. The pseudonym was in deference to his brother. A car mechanic, he was very good in hillclimbs and then Formula Junior. |
| Brett Lunger |
14 Nov 1945 Wilmington, Delaware |
|
USA |
34 (1975-1978) |
Still lives in Wilmington and runs a research and development firm there. Also takes part in road competition cycling in his spare time. He is also a pilot and keeps links with the sport. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| Frankie Luptow |
20 Nov 1905 Detroit, Michigan |
21 Sep 1952 Lakewood Speedway, Atlanta, Georgia |
USA |
0 (1950-1951) |
Real surname Lueptow, he was killed in a stockcar crash when the car's axle broke. His widow later married Bobby Grim. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
| George Lynch |
20 Jun 1918 Butte, Montana |
06 May 1997 Los Angeles, California |
USA |
0 (1950) |
Raced from 1935 until 1957, mainly in midgets and sprints. Nicknamed 'The Red Devil', he served in Japan in WW2, becoming a technical sergeant. He later raced in NASCAR, before retiring and becoming a mechanic and consultant and also enjoyed his fishing. Died after a battle with dementia. (Last updated 24 Jan 2010) |
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |