Louis
Chiron

Louis Chiron was born in Monte Carlo on 3 August 1899. As a teenager he worked as a bellboy at the Hôtel de Paris, where his interest in cars and racing began. During the First World War he served as a driver for Marshals Pétain and Foch. He began racing in 1923 in hillclimbs with a Bugatti Brescia, and in 1926 he moved into Grand Prix racing with a Bugatti T35, winning the Grand Prix du Comminges that same year.

From 1928 Chiron drove as a Bugatti works driver while also racing for Alfred Hoffman's private team. He won the 1928 Italian Grand Prix, the 1929 German Grand Prix and the 1930 Belgian Grand Prix, and in 1931 he took victories at Monaco and in France in a Bugatti T51. He won the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix in 1931, 1932 and 1933. After his time as a Bugatti works driver ended at the close of 1932, he founded Scuderia CC with Rudolf Caracciola, and from the middle of 1933 he drove Alfa Romeos run by Scuderia Ferrari. With Luigi Chinetti he won that year's Spa 24 Hours. In 1934 he won the French Grand Prix at Montlhéry in an Alfa Romeo P3, beating works entries from Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union. In 1936 he drove for Mercedes-Benz and took pole position at Monaco, but retired after an accident on the first lap. Following another accident at the German Grand Prix, he decided to withdraw from Grand Prix racing. After the Second World War he returned and won two French Grands Prix in a Talbot-Lago.

Chiron took part in the first Formula One World Championship season in 1950, driving for Maserati. At Monaco he finished third aged 50, which was his only podium and his only points finish, and he ended the year ninth in the standings. Until 1958 he was entered in 19 championship races with Maserati, Talbot-Lago, O.S.C.A. and Lancia, and he started 15 of them. In 1954 he won the Monte Carlo Rally with Ciro Basadonna. In 1955 he finished sixth at Monaco in a Lancia D50 at the age of 55, becoming the oldest driver to start a Formula One World Championship race. In 1958, aged 58, he took part in practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.

After his racing career Chiron kept an executive role with the organisers of the Monaco Grand Prix. They honoured him with a statue at the circuit and named the Swimming Pool corner after him. The Bugatti Chiron also carries his name. He died on 22 June 1979.

Source: Wikipedia, “Louis Chiron”. Text licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.