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Johnny Claes

{{short description|Belgian racing driver (1916–1956)}}

{{redirect-distinguish|Ecurie Belge|Ecurie Nationale Belge}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2012}}

{{Infobox F1 driver

| name = Johnny Claes

| image =

| image_size =

| nationality = {{flagicon|BEL}} Belgian

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1916|8|11|df=y}}

| birth_place = Fulham, London, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1956|2|3|1916|8|11|df=y}}

| death_place = Brussels, Belgium

| Years = {{F1|1950}} – {{F1|1953}}, {{F1|1955}}

| Team(s) = Écurie Belge, Gordini, HWM, Maserati, Ecurie Nationale Belge

| Races = 25 (23 starts)

| Championships = 0

| Wins = 0

| Podiums = 0

| Points = 0

| Poles = 0

| Fastest laps = 0

| First race = 1950 British Grand Prix

| First win =

| Last win =

| Last race = 1955 Dutch Grand Prix

}}

File:Talbot F1 vr yellow EMS.jpg

Octave John Claes ({{IPAc-en|k|l|eː|z}}; 11 August 1916 – 3 February 1956) was a British-born racing driver who competed for Belgium. Before his fame as a racing driver, Claes was also a jazz trumpeter and successful bandleader in Britain.

Early life and jazz career

Claes was born in London to a Scottish mother and Belgian father. He was educated in England at Lord Williams's School. In England, he began playing trumpet in a jazz band that included Max Jones on reeds, and another with Billy Mason on piano. In the 1930s he moved to the Netherlands, where he worked with Valaida Snow and Coleman Hawkins. He also worked with Jack Kluger's band in Belgium. Returning to England, he led his own group, the Claepigeons, making a recording in 1942. In the late 1940s he abandoned his jazz career and settled in Belgium as a professional racing driver.{{Cite Grove |last=Pernet |first=Robert |title=Johnny Claes}}

Racing career

Claes was one of several gentlemen drivers who took part in Grand Prix racing of post-World War II. His first contact with racing was at the 1947 French Grand Prix, where he served as interpreter for British drivers. He made his debut in 1948, in his own Talbot-Lago, raced under the Écurie Belge banner. Although Claes never scored any points in the World Drivers Championship, he was, like many of his contemporaries, very active in non-Championship Grand Prix races and sports car races. His first win was at the 1950 Grand Prix des Frontières, held at the Chimay race track.

In April 1951 Claes crashed into a crowd while practicing at San Remo Grand Prix in Sanremo, Italy. He was uninjured but an observer was killed and three onlookers were seriously injured.{{cite news | title=Racing Car Kills Fan | newspaper=The New York Times | date=21 April 1951 | page=12}} In 1952 he exchanged his outdated Talbot for a Gordini, and later for a Connaught, always with the Écurie Belge colours, but he also raced occasionally for works teams, including Gordini and Maserati. He also won the 1953 Liège–Rome–Liège Rally and took a class win at the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans. Claes teamed with Pierre Stasse to finish 12th in the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans. They drove a Porsche.{{cite news | title=Gonzalez Defeats Rolt-Hamilton In 24-Hour Le Mans Auto Race | newspaper=The New York Times | date=14 June 1954 | page=26}} Together with compatriot Jacques Swaters, Claes finished third in the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Later in 1955 Claes' health problems worsened, as he had contracted tuberculosis. Claes sold his outfit to Swaters, who merged it with his own Écurie Francorchamps to form Écurie Nationale Belge. Claes entered occasional events until the end of the year, but finally succumbed to the disease in Brussels in 1956, aged 39.

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

! WDC

! Pts.

1950

! Écurie Belge

! Talbot-Lago T26C

! Talbot L6

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| GBR
{{small|11}}

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| MON
{{small|7}}

| 500

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| SUI
{{small|10}}

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| BEL
{{small|8}}

|style="background:#efcfff;"| FRA
{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#efcfff;"| ITA
{{small|Ret}}

|

|

! NC

! 0

1951

! Écurie Belge

! Talbot-Lago T26C-DA

! Talbot L6

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| SUI
{{small|13}}

| 500

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| BEL
{{small|7}}

|style="background:#efcfff;"| FRA
{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| GBR
{{small|13}}

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| GER
{{small|11}}

|style="background:#efcfff;"| ITA
{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#efcfff;"| ESP
{{small|Ret}}

|

! NC

! 0

rowspan="4"| 1952

! Équipe Gordini

! Gordini T16

! Gordini L6

| SUI

| 500

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| BEL
{{small|8}}

|

|

|

|

|

|

!rowspan="4"| NC

!rowspan="4"| 0

Écurie Belge

! Simca-Gordini T15

! Simca-Gordini L4

|

|

|

|style="background:#efcfff;"| FRA
{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| GBR
{{small|14}}

|

|

|

|

HW Motors

! HWM 52

! Alta L4

|

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| GER
{{small|10}}

| NED

|

|

Vicomtesse de Walckiers

! Simca-Gordini T15

! Simca-Gordini L4

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#ffcfcf;"| ITA
{{small|DNQ}}

|

rowspan="2"| 1953

! Écurie Belge

! Connaught Type A

! Lea-Francis L4

| ARG

| 500

|style="background:#efcfff;"| NED
{{small|Ret}}

|

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| FRA
{{small|12}}

| GBR

|style="background:#efcfff;"| GER
{{small|Ret}}

| SUI

|style="background:#efcfff;"| ITA
{{small|Ret}}

!rowspan="2"| NC

!rowspan="2"| 0

Officine Alfieri Maserati

! Maserati A6GCM

! Maserati L6

|

|

|

|style="background:#efcfff;"| BEL
{{small|Ret}}

|

|

|

|

|

rowspan="2"| 1955

! Stirling Moss Ltd.

! Maserati 250F

! Maserati L6

| ARG

| MON

| 500

|style="background:#ffffff;"| BEL
{{small|DNS}}

|

|

|

|

|

!rowspan="2"| NC

!rowspan="2"| 0

Écurie Nationale Belge

! Ferrari 500

! Ferrari L4

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| NED
{{small|11}}

| GBR

| ITA

|

|

=Non-championship Formula One 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

! 16

! 17

! 18

! 19

! 20

! 21

! 22

! 23

! 24

! 25

! 26

! 27

! 28

! 29

! 30

! 31

! 32

! 33

! 34

! 35

1950

! Johnny Claes

! Talbot-Lago T26C

! Talbot L6

| PAU

| RIC

| SRM

| PAR
DNA

| EMP

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BAR
{{small|8}}

| JER

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ALB
{{small|NC}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NED
{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NAT
{{small|Ret}}

| NOT

| ULS

| PES

| STT

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INT
{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| GOO
{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PEN
{{small|Ret}}

1951

! Johnny Claes

! Talbot-Lago T26C-DA

! Talbot L6

| SYR

| PAU

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| RIC
{{small|4}}

| SRM
{{small|DNS}}

| BOR

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| INT
{{small|8}}

| PAR

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ULS
{{small|9}}

| SCO

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NED
{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ALB
{{small|5}}

| PES

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BAR
{{small|8}}

| GOO

rowspan=3| 1952

!rowspan=3| Johnny Claes

! Talbot-Lago T26C-DA

! Talbot L6

| RIO

| SYR

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| VAL
{{small|6}}

| RIC

| LAV

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PAU
{{small|Ret}}

| IBS

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

| ULS
DNA

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

Simca-Gordini T15

! Simca-Gordini L4

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| MAR
{{small|3}}

| AST

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| INT
{{small|8}}

| ELÄ

| NAP

| EIF
DNA

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PAR
{{small|Ret}}

| ALB

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| FRO
{{small|Ret}}

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MAR
{{small|6}}

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SAB
{{small|3}}

| CAE

| DAI

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| COM
{{small|Ret}}

| NAT

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BAU
{{small|8}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MOD
{{small|NC}}

| CAD

| SKA

| MAD

| AVU

| JOE

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NEW
{{small|Ret}}

| RIO

HWM 52

! Alta L4

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MNZ
{{small|NC}}

| LAC

| ESS

1953

! Johny Claes

! Connaught Type A

! Lea-Francis L4

| SYR

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PAU
{{small|Ret}}

| LAV

| AST

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BOR
{{small|6}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| INT
{{small|15}}

| ELÄ

| NAP

| ULS

| WIN

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| FRO
{{small|NC}}

| COR

| EIF

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ALB
{{small|6}}

| PRI

| ESS

| MID

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ROU
{{small|Ret}}

| CRY

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| AVU
{{small|6}}

| USF

| LAC

| BRI

| CHE

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SAB
{{small|Ret}}

| NEW

| CAD

| RED

| SKA

| LON

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MOD
{{small|NC}}

| MAD

| JOE

| CUR

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Belgian National Sports Merit Award}}

{{Formula One drivers from Belgium}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Claes, Johnny}}

Category:1916 births

Category:1956 deaths

Category:Belgian racing drivers

Category:Belgian Formula One drivers

Category:Ecurie Nationale Belge Formula One drivers

Category:Gordini Formula One drivers

Category:Hersham and Walton Motors Formula One drivers

Category:Maserati Formula One drivers

Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers

Category:People educated at Lord Williams's School

Category:Scottish jazz trumpeters

Category:Male trumpeters

Category:Scottish racing drivers

Category:English Formula One drivers

Category:British jazz bandleaders

Category:English people of Belgian descent

Category:English people of Scottish descent

Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers

Category:20th-century deaths from tuberculosis

Category:People from Fulham

Category:Sportspeople from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

Category:Racing drivers from London

Category:20th-century Scottish male musicians

Category:Tuberculosis deaths in Belgium

Category:20th-century trumpeters

Category:British male jazz musicians

Category:Formula One team owners

Category:British emigrants to Belgium

Category:Porsche Motorsports drivers

Category:24 Hours of Spa drivers