Jean-Louis Lafosse

Jean-Louis Gabriel Lafosse (15 March 1941 – 13 June 1981){{Cite web |title=Motorsport Memorial - Jean-Louis Lafosse|url=http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=909|access-date=21 March 2023 |website=Motorsport Memorial}} was a French racing driver.{{cite web|title=Profile |url=http://www.driverdb.com/drivers/jean-louis-lafosse/|publisher=driverdb.com|accessdate=7 July 2012}} He was most closely associated with the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, in which he finished second in 1975 and 1976.

In the European Touring Car Championship, he won the 1974 500km of Vallelunga, and the four-hour race at Monza the same year. He was runner-up in the Tourist Trophy in 1976.

He had been provisionally entered in the 1974 Italian Grand Prix, scheduled to drive a Brabham for Scuderia Finotto alongside Carlo Facetti, but his entry was refused by the organisers.{{cite web|url=http://8w.forix.com/bellasi.html |title=8W – Bellasi |accessdate=15 July 2014 |publisher=8W (FORIX Autosport)}}{{cite web|url=http://www.statsf1.com/fr/jean-louis-lafosse.aspx |title=Jean-Louis Lafosse at StatsF1 |accessdate=15 July 2014 |publisher=StatsF1}}

Lafosse was killed during the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, when his Rondeau M379C suffered a mechanical failure on the Mulsanne Straight, veered to the right, and struck the guard rail next to a marshals' post at unabated speed, before crossing the track and striking the opposite guard rail. Two marshals were injured, but Lafosse died instantly. Lafosse' body was partially ejected and can be seen being dragged across the track with only his legs and lower body remaining in the cockpit. Photographs immediately prior to the accident showed damage to the front of Lafosse's car, with grass in the front air intake, suggesting that he had run off the track moments previously, possibly causing the damage that contributed to the fatal accident.{{cite web|url=http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=909 |title=Motorsport Memorial |accessdate=15 July 2014 |publisher=Motorsport Memorial}}

Racing record

=Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Team ! Co-Drivers ! Car ! Class ! Laps ! {{Tooltip\|Pos.\|Overall position}} ! {{Tooltip\|Class Pos.\|Class position}}
{{24hLM\|1972}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|CHE}} Scuderia Filipinetti \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|UK}} Mike Parkes {{Flagicon\|CHE}} Jean-Jacques Cochet \|style="text-align:left"\| Ferrari 365 GTB/4 \| GTS 5.0 \| 302 \| 7th \|style="background:#FFDF9F;"\| 3rd
{{24hLM\|1973}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} Équipe Gitanes Cigarettes de France \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|SWE}} Reine Wisell {{Flagicon\|BEL}} Hughes de Fierlandt \|style="text-align:left"\| Lola T282-Cosworth \| S 3.0 \| 164 \| DNF \| DNF
{{24hLM\|1974}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|USA}} North American Racing Team \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|ITA}} Giancarlo Gagliardi \|style="text-align:left"\| Dino 308 GT4 LM \| S 3.0 \| 30 \| DNF \| DNF
{{24hLM\|1975}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} Automobiles Ligier Gitanes \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} Guy Chasseuil \|style="text-align:left"\| Ligier JS2-Cosworth \| S 3.0 \| 336 \|style="background:#DFDFDF;"\| 2nd \|style="background:#DFDFDF;"\| 2nd
{{24hLM\|1976}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|USA}} Grand Touring Cars Inc. \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} François Migault \|style="text-align:left"\| Mirage M8-Cosworth \| Gp.6 3.0 \| 338 \|style="background:#DFDFDF;"\| 2nd \|style="background:#DFDFDF;"\| 2nd
{{24hLM\|1977}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} WM A.E.R.E.M. \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} Xavier Mathiot {{Flagicon\|FRA}} Marc Sourd \|style="text-align:left"\| WM P77-Peugeot \| GTP \| 90 \| DNF \| DNF
{{24hLM\|1978}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} Pozzi-Thompson JMS Racing \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} Claude Ballot-Léna \|style="text-align:left"\| Ferrari 512BB \| IMSA +2.5 \| 218 \| DNF \| DNF
{{24hLM\|1979}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRG}} Gelo Sportswear International \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|UK}} John Fitzpatrick {{Flagicon\|FRG}} Harald Grohs \|style="text-align:left"\| Porsche 935 \| Gr.5 +2.5 \| 196 \| DNF \| DNF
{{24hLM\|1980}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRG}} Porsche Kremer Racing \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|USA}} Ted Field {{Flagicon\|USA}} Danny Ongais \|style="text-align:left"\| Porsche 935 K3 \| Gr.5 \| 89 \| DNF \| DNF
{{24hLM\|1981}} \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} Calberson Jean Rondeau \|style="text-align:left"\| {{Flagicon\|FRA}} Jean Ragnotti \|style="text-align:left"\| Rondeau M379-Cosworth \| S +2.0 \| 28 \| DNF \| DNF
colspan="8"\|{{center\|{{small\|Sources:{{cite web\|title=Jean Louis Lafosse\|url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/track-record/driver/jean-louis-lafosse-4686\|publisher=Automobile Club de l'Ouest\|access-date=18 August 2023}}{{cite web\|title=Jean-Louis Lafosse Results\|url=https://motorsportstats.com/driver/jean-louis-lafosse/results\|publisher=Motorsport Stats\|access-date=18 August 2023}}}}}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

! Year

! Team

! Co-Drivers

! Car

! Class

! Laps

! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall position}}

! {{Tooltip|Class
Pos.|Class position}}

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|CHE}} Scuderia Filipinetti

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|UK}} Mike Parkes
{{Flagicon|CHE}} Jean-Jacques Cochet

|style="text-align:left"| Ferrari 365 GTB/4

| GTS
5.0

| 302

| 7th

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3rd

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} Équipe Gitanes Cigarettes de France

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|SWE}} Reine Wisell
{{Flagicon|BEL}} Hughes de Fierlandt

|style="text-align:left"| Lola T282-Cosworth

| S
3.0

| 164

| DNF

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|USA}} North American Racing Team

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Giancarlo Gagliardi

|style="text-align:left"| Dino 308 GT4 LM

| S
3.0

| 30

| DNF

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} Automobiles Ligier Gitanes

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} Guy Chasseuil

|style="text-align:left"| Ligier JS2-Cosworth

| S
3.0

| 336

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|USA}} Grand Touring Cars Inc.

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} François Migault

|style="text-align:left"| Mirage M8-Cosworth

| Gp.6
3.0

| 338

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} WM A.E.R.E.M.

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} Xavier Mathiot
{{Flagicon|FRA}} Marc Sourd

|style="text-align:left"| WM P77-Peugeot

| GTP

| 90

| DNF

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} Pozzi-Thompson JMS Racing

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} Claude Ballot-Léna

|style="text-align:left"| Ferrari 512BB

| IMSA
+2.5

| 218

| DNF

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRG}} Gelo Sportswear International

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|UK}} John Fitzpatrick
{{Flagicon|FRG}} Harald Grohs

|style="text-align:left"| Porsche 935

| Gr.5
+2.5

| 196

| DNF

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRG}} Porsche Kremer Racing

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|USA}} Ted Field
{{Flagicon|USA}} Danny Ongais

|style="text-align:left"| Porsche 935 K3

| Gr.5

| 89

| DNF

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} Calberson Jean Rondeau

|style="text-align:left"| {{Flagicon|FRA}} Jean Ragnotti

|style="text-align:left"| Rondeau M379-Cosworth

| S
+2.0

| 28

| DNF

colspan="8"|{{center|{{small|Sources:{{cite web|title=Jean Louis Lafosse|url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/track-record/driver/jean-louis-lafosse-4686|publisher=Automobile Club de l'Ouest|access-date=18 August 2023}}{{cite web|title=Jean-Louis Lafosse Results|url=https://motorsportstats.com/driver/jean-louis-lafosse/results|publisher=Motorsport Stats|access-date=18 August 2023}}}}}}

=Complete Formula One World Championship results=

(key)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
Year ! Entrant ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! WDC ! Pts.
{{F1\|1974}} ! Scuderia Finotto ! Brabham BT42 ! Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 \| ARG \| BRA \| RSA \| ESP \| BEL \| MON \| SWE \| NED \| FRA \| GBR \| GER \| AUT \| ITA {{small\|DNA}} \| CAN \| USA ! NC ! 0
colspan="21"\|{{center\|{{small\|Source:{{cite web\|title=Jean-Louis Lafosse – Grands Prix not started\|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/jean-louis-lafosse/non-participation.aspx\|work=StatsF1\|access-date=18 August 2023}}}}}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

Year

! Entrant

! Chassis

! Engine

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! 14

! 15

! WDC

! Pts.

! Scuderia Finotto

! Brabham BT42

! Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8

| ARG

| BRA

| RSA

| ESP

| BEL

| MON

| SWE

| NED

| FRA

| GBR

| GER

| AUT

| ITA
{{small|DNA}}

| CAN

| USA

! NC

! 0

colspan="21"|{{center|{{small|Source:{{cite web|title=Jean-Louis Lafosse – Grands Prix not started|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/jean-louis-lafosse/non-participation.aspx|work=StatsF1|access-date=18 August 2023}}}}}}

References

Category:1941 births

Category:1981 deaths

Category:French racing drivers

Category:French Formula One drivers

Category:European Formula Two Championship drivers

Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers

Category:Racing drivers who died while racing

Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers

Category:Sport deaths in France