Pierre Veyron
{{short description|French racing driver (1903–1970)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pierre Veyron
| image = Pierre Veyron en juin 1934 à l'AVUS.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Pierre Veyron in 1934.
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1903|10|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Berc, France{{cite web |url=http://historicracing.com/driverDetail.cfm?driverID=8216 |title=Pierre Veyron |website=historicracing.com |access-date=23 January 2022}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1970|11|02|1903|10|01|df=y}}
| death_cause =
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| monuments =
| nationality = French
| education =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Grand Prix motor racing driver
| years_active = 1930-1953
| employer =
| organization =
| known_for = Winner, 24 Hours of Le Mans (1939)
| height =
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| awards = Legion of Honour (1945)
| website =
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}}
Pierre Veyron (1 October 1903 – 2 November 1970) was a French Grand Prix motor racing driver active from 1933 through 1953.
Career
Pierre Veyron enrolled at university to study engineering. Veyron's friend, Albert Divo, convinced Veyron to take up racing and introduced Veyron to André Vagniez, an industrialist who provided financial support to Veyron. Vagniez purchased a Bugatti Type 37A that Veyron drove to his first racing victory, winning the 1930 Geneva Grand Prix.{{cite web |url=http://www.bugatti.com/en/tradition/history/bugatti-stories/pierre-veyron.html |title=Pierre Veyron |department=Bugatti Stories |date=30 November 2011 |website=bugatti.com |publisher=Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602144938/http://www.bugatti.com/en/tradition/history/bugatti-stories/pierre-veyron.html |archive-date=2 June 2012 |access-date=23 January 2022 |quote=Veyron’s initial career plan did not include racecar driving – instead, he enrolled in the university to study engineering. But his friend Albert Divo, himself an ardent motor sport aficionado, persuaded him to give racecar driving a try. |url-status=dead}}
Jean Bugatti, son of Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti, hired Pierre Veyron in 1932 as a test driver and development engineer. Veyron entered races as a Bugatti company driver, winning many including the 1933 and 1934 Berlin Avus races while driving a Bugatti Type 51A. Veyron's most significant race victory was his 1939 win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, co-driving a Bugatti Type 57S Tank with Jean-Pierre Wimille.
During World War II, Veyron joined the French Resistance against German occupation. For his service during the war, the Republic of France awarded him the Legion of Honour in 1945.
After the war, Veyron continued racing, but his main focus was on his family and his oil-drilling technology company. Veyron died in Èze, France in 1970.
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. named the Veyron 16.4 supercar in honor of Veyron.
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 |
|---|
| {{24hLM|1934}}
|align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Labric |align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Labric |align=left nowrap| Bugatti Type 50S |5.0 |73 |colspan=2|DNF |
| {{24hLM|1935}}
|align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Labric |align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Labric |align=left nowrap| Bugatti Type 50S |5.0 |116 |colspan=2|DNF |
| {{24hLM|1937}}
|align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Labric |align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Labric |align=left nowrap| Bugatti Type 57G Tank |5.0 |130 |colspan=2|DNF |
| {{24hLM|1939}}
|align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Pierre Wimille |align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Pierre Wimille |align=left nowrap| Bugatti Type 57C Tank |8.0 |249 |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st |style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st |
| {{24hLM|1949}}
|align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Amédée Gordini |align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} José Scaron |align=left nowrap| Simca-Gordini T8 |S1.1 |88 |colspan=2|DNF |
| {{24hLM|1950}}
|align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Manufactures |align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Fernand Lacour |align=left nowrap| M.A.P. Diesel |S5.0 |39 |colspan=2|DNF |
| {{24hLM|1951}}
|align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Equipe Gordini |align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Georges Monneret |align=left nowrap| Gordini T15S |S1.5 |130 |colspan=2|DNF |
| {{24hLM|1952}}
|align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|GBR}} Donald Healey Motor Co. |align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Yves Giraud-Cabantous |align=left nowrap| Nash-Healey |S5.0 |? |colspan=2|DNF |
| {{24hLM|1953]]
|align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|GBR}} Nash-Healey Inc. |align=left nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Yves Giraud-Cabantous |align=left nowrap| Nash-Healey Sports |S5.0 |9 |colspan=2|DNF |
| colspan="8"|{{center|{{small|Sources:{{cite web|title=Pierre Veyron (F)|url=https://www.24h-en-piste.com/en/AfficherPilote.php?Pilote=2782|work=24h-en-piste.com|access-date=28 May 2025}}{{cite web|title=Pierre Veyron|url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/track-record/driver/pierre-veyron-5450|publisher=Automobile Club de l'Ouest|access-date=28 May 2025}}}}}} |
References
{{reflist}}
{{start box}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|title=Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans |before= Eugène Chaboud
Jean Trémoulet|after= Luigi Chinetti
Peter Mitchell-Thomson|years= {{24hLM|1939}} with:
Jean-Pierre Wimille}}
{{end box}}
{{24 Hours of Le Mans winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Veyron, Pierre}}
Category:French racing drivers
Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers
Category:24 Hours of Le Mans winning drivers
Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers
{{France-autoracing-bio-stub}}