Auguste Veuillet

Veuillet drove an MG to class victory in the 1945 Coupe de Paris at Bois de Boulogne.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Paris-1945-09-09-17788.html|title=Coupe de Paris [3.0] 1945 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

He later purchased a Delage D6 three-litre and raced it at the 1948 Paris Grand Prix at Montlhéry, but did not finish.{{cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/1948-hc/grand-prix-30.aspx|title=II Grand Prix de Paris • STATS F1|work=statsf1.com|access-date=17 December 2021}} He raced the car in the 1948 Grand Prix des Frontières but retired after spinning and damaging his radiator.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Chimay-1948-05-16-7100.html|title=GP des Frontières [S+2.0] 1948 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} He entered the car to the 24 Hours of Spa, where he won his class alongside Maurice Varet.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Spa-1948-07-11-2055.html|title=Spa 24 Hours 1948 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} The pair then entered the 12 Hours of Paris at Montlhéry but did not finish.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Montlhery-1948-09-12.html|title=Paris 12 Hours 1948 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

In 1949, Veuillet and Edmond Mouche made their first attempt at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Veuillet's Delage. The pair ran in third position for most of the race, only to retire with an engine fire in the closing hours. The same year, Veuillet placed fourth in class in the Comminges Grand Prix,{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Comminges-1949-08-07-2059.html|title=GP. A.C.F. Comminges 1949 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} and finished third and second in two races in Saarbrücken.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Sarrebruck-1949-09-18-15376.html|title=Circuit de Sarrebruck [FL] 1949 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Saarbrucken-1949-09-18-7128.html|title=Saarbrücken [S+2.0] 1949 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

Veuillet took his Delage to the 1950 Paris Grand Prix but retired with suspension failure on the second lap.{{cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/1950-hc/grand-prix-70.aspx|title=IV Grand Prix de Paris • STATS F1|work=statsf1.com|access-date=17 December 2021}} He entered Le Mans in a Delahaye, but rolled it during practice the day before the race. It was repaired overnight but would not start, owing to a flat battery. Later that year he raced his Delage at Rouen, placing ninth overall.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Rouen-1950-07-30-7338.html|title=GP Rouen 1950 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

File:Porsche 356 SL Coupe 1951 frontleft 2009-03-14 A.JPG driven to class victory in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans by Veuillet and Edmond Mouche on the brand's first attempt.]]

In 1951, Veuillet and his company Sonauto helped Porsche make their first entry to Le Mans with two 356 SL Coupes. The sister car of Rudolf Sauerwein and Robert Brunet crashed out in practice, but Veuillet and Mouche came through to win the S1.1 class, giving Porsche their first class win on their first attempt. Veuillet later drove a 356 in the Coupes du Salon at Montlhéry, winning the GT1.5 race.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Montlhery-1951-10-07h.html|title=Coupes du Salon [GT1.5] 1951 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

In 1952, Veuillet won the Circuit International de Vitesse in Bordeaux behind the wheel of a 356,{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Bordeaux-1952-05-04.html|title=Bordeaux 1952 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} before returning with Mouche to Le Mans and repeating their S1.1 class victory. He also competed in a 100-mile race for Porsche 356s at the Nürburgring supporting that year's German Grand Prix, but his result is unknown.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Nurburgring-1952-08-03c.html|title=GP Nürburgring [Porsche 1.5 Series] 1952 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

Veuillet began 1953 by racing at Nîmes.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Nimes-1953-03-29-9147.html|title=Nîmes [S1.5] 1953 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} He joined forces with Gonzague Olivier for the first time to compete in the 12 Hours of Hyères. The pair finished fourth overall and won their class.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Hyeres-1953-06-07.html|title=Hyères 12 Hours 1953 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=20 November 2021}} Veuillet returned to Le Mans as part of the Porsche works team, this time sharing a car with Petermax Müller, but retired in the 18th hour with engine failure. He placed second at Rouen,{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Rouen-1953-06-28-9153.html|title=GP Rouen 1953 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} and retired from the Caen Grand Prix.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Caen-1953-07-25-6762.html|title=GP Caen 1953 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

In 1954, he returned to Nîmes and finished second overall.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Nimes-1954-04-11-9206.html|title=GP Nîmes 1954 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} He reunited with Olivier to drive a Porsche 550 in the 12 Hours of Reims, finishing second in class.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Reims-1954-07-04.html|title=12 h Reims 1954 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=9 December 2021}} He raced in the Coupes du Salon at Montlhéry, but his result is unknown.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/grid/Montlhery-1954-10-10-6102.html|title=Coupes du Salon [Sports] 1954 - Grid - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

Veuillet's and Olivier's greatest outright win was the 1955 Bol d'Or at Montlhéry, in what would be the final running of the 24-hour event. The circuit was notoriously demanding on a car, but the pair praised each other's calm and measured approach to such a long and challenging race.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Montlhery-1955-05-15.html|title=Bol d'Or 1955 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=13 December 2021}}{{cite magazine|title=Pour Veuillet et Olivier, un seul souci: freiner leur petit bolide|magazine=|page=|first=André|last=Bozon|date= 1955|url=https://356.typepad.fr/.a/6a00e54fe657218833017d40b1811a970c-pi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209105218/https://356.typepad.fr/.a/6a00e54fe657218833017d40b1811a970c-pi|archive-date=9 December 2014|url-status=live|language=French}} They returned to the 12 Hours of Hyères and repeated their class victory.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Hyeres-1955-05-29.html|title=Hyères 12 Hours 1955 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=13 December 2021}} Olivier entered him for Le Mans in one of his privateer Porsches, but he was again offered a works drive.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Le_Mans-1955-06-12.html|title=Le Mans 24 Hours 1955 - Photo Gallery - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} He raced alongside Zora Arkus-Duntov to score his third class win for Porsche. The following week, he finished sixth in the Tunis Grand Prix.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Belvedere-1955-06-19-2083.html|title=GP Tunisia 1955 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

In 1956, he drove with Claude Storez in the 1000 km de Paris at Montlhéry, and the pair finished third in class.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Montlhery-1956-06-10.html|title=Paris 1000 Kilometres 1956 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=13 December 2021}} Two weeks later, they competed together in Storez's privateer Porsche 550 in the Supercortemaggiore Grand Prix at Monza, taking fifth in class.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Monza-1956-06-24-4882.html|title=Supercortemaggiore 1956 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} He raced at the Grand Prix of Rouen but did not finish.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Rouen-1956-07-08-10721.html|title=GP Rouen [S1.5] 1956 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} Veuillet and Olivier entered Le Mans in Olivier's privateer Porsche again, but the car ended up being driven by Storez and Helmut Polensky.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Le_Mans-1956-07-29.html|title=Le Mans 24 Hours 1956 - Photo Gallery - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} Veuillet rounded out the year with an eighth-place finish in the Coupes du Salon.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Montlhery-1956-10-07.html|title=XIIe Coupe du Salon - Voitures Sport International 1956 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

Veuillet finished second in a race at Saint-Étienne in 1957,{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/St_Etienne-1957-05-30-6291.html|title=1 h 30 min Forez [S1.5] 1957 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} fifth in the 1958 Pau Grand Prix, and third in class in the 3 Hours of Rouen in 1960.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Rouen-1958-06-08-5872.html|title=3 h Rouen 1958 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}}

File:24 heures du MANS 1971 28 (5001516452).jpg entered by Sonauto and driven by Claude Ballot-Léna and Guy Chasseuil in the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans.]]

Veuillet founded the company Saône-Auto (later becoming Sonauto) in July 1947, selling luxury vehicles from a showroom on Rue de la Boétie in Paris. He became the first French recipient of a Porsche 356 in 1950 and, after meeting Prof. Ferdinand Porsche at the Paris Motor Show in October, agreed to bring the manufacturer to Le Mans in 1951. Although Prof. Porsche suffered a stroke soon after and died in early 1951, thus could not witness his brand's success at Le Mans, his son Ferry established a lasting relationship with Sonauto and entrusted them with the distribution rights to Porsche road cars in France. The company moved to a new premises on Rue Paul Valéry.{{cite web|url=https://www.yamaha-community.fr/auguste-veuillet|title=Auguste Veuillet {{pipe}} Yamaha Community|work=yamaha-community.fr|access-date=16 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829234311/http://www.yamaha-community.fr/auguste-veuillet|archive-date=29 August 2021|url-status=live|language=French}}{{cite web|url=https://356.typepad.fr/356/2010/03/la-bande-veuillet.html|title=356 Porsche Club France: La bande Veuillet|work=356.typepad.fr|access-date=16 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213235033/https://356.typepad.fr/356/2010/03/la-bande-veuillet.html|archive-date=13 December 2021|url-status=live|language=French}}{{cite web|url=https://www.loveforporsche.com/auguste-veuillet/|title=Auguste Veuillet|work=loveforporsche.com|access-date=16 December 2021|date=3 July 2015|first=Tim|last=Havermans|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911202926/https://www.loveforporsche.com/auguste-veuillet/|archive-date=11 September 2019|url-status=live}} In 1965 he hired Jean-Claude Olivier, the son of Gonzague, who established the company as France's first Yamaha motorcycle importer, which led to success at the 1979 Paris–Dakar Rally.

File:24H du Mans 1973 (5089710829).jpg Carrera RSR driven by Peter Gregg and Guy Chasseuil in 1973.]]

Veuillet fielded many privateer entries to Le Mans after his career as a driver ended. He drove his car in the official test before the 1961 event but did not take part in the race.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Le_Mans-1961-04-09-6564.html|title=Le Mans Test 1961 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} In 1964, he swept the GT2.0 class with a Porsche 904 driven by Robert Buchet and Guy Ligier, and the P+5.0 class with an Iso Grifo driven by Pierre Noblet and Edgar Berney. His entry also won the GT2.0 class in 1967, driven by Buchet and Herbert Linge. For 1970, his team became an official Sonauto entry and they were rewarded with another GT2.0 class win, with drivers Claude Ballot-Léna and Guy Chasseuil. In 1971, Sonauto's entry won the three-hour race held at the official test weekend but crashed out of the 24-hour race.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Le_Mans-1971-04-18.html|title=Le Mans 3 Hours 1971 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars|work=racingsportscars.com|access-date=16 December 2021}} The team made their last appearance at Le Mans in 1973.

Sonauto also won the 24 Hours of Spa in 1969, with a Porsche 911 driven by Chasseuil and Ballot-Léna.

Veuillet continued to manage Sonauto until he retired in 1976.

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/Auguste-Veuillet-F.html Auguste Veuillet] at racingsportscars.com.

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Category:1910 births

Category:1980 deaths

Category:French racing drivers

Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers

Category:Porsche Motorsports drivers

Category:Racing drivers from Lyon