Thierry Boutsen

Thierry Marc Boutsen (born 13 July 1957) is a Belgian former racing driver who raced for the Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan teams in Formula One. He competed in 164 World Championship Grands Prix (163 starts), winning three races, achieving 15 podiums and scoring 132 career points. His best finish in the World Drivers' Championship was fourth in 1988 whilst driving for Benetton. He also twice finished second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans sportscar race (in 1993 in a Peugeot 905 and in 1996 in a Porsche 911 GT1).

Thierry Boutsen
Boutsen during practice for the 1985 European Grand Prix
Born (1957-07-13) 13 July 1957
Brussels, Belgium
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Belgian
Active years19831993
TeamsArrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan
Entries164 (163 starts)
Championships0
Wins3
Podiums15
Career points132
Pole positions1
Fastest laps1
First entry1983 Belgian Grand Prix
First win1989 Canadian Grand Prix
Last win1990 Hungarian Grand Prix
Last entry1993 Belgian Grand Prix

Career

Junior formulae and sportscars

After winning the "Volant V" in 1977 at the André Pilette Racing School, Zolder, Boutsen entered the Belgian Formula Ford 1600 championship and won it in 1978 with 15 victories in 18 races.[1] He also entered the 1978 Spa 24 Hours race, the last auto race on the old 14 km (8.7 mi) Spa-Francorchamps circuit- driving a Toyota Trueno.[2] For 1979 he moved to Formula 3, winning three races in 1980 and second place in the European title race, behind Michele Alboreto.[1] In 1981 he moved to Formula 2 and was again second in the European championship, including winning at the 14-mile Nürburgring- this time behind Geoff Lees.[1]

He also entered the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race started at 3pm – one hour earlier than usual due to the Parliamentary elections held on the same weekend. At 4:06pm Boutsen suffered a massive accident just after the Hunaudières kink, some 400 metres (0.25 mi) before the Mulsanne bosse (the "hump") when his WM P81-Peugeot was travelling at some 350 km/h (217 mph). A suspension piece had failed and the car hit the guard-rail losing the entire rear end. Boutsen was untouched, but the debris field of hurled parts and bodywork was spread over 150 metres (490 ft). Three marshals were struck by the debris. One of them, Thierry Mabilat, was killed - struck in the chest by a detached piece of the guard rail. Two of his colleagues, Claude Hertault and Serge David (who lost an arm), were seriously injured.

In 1983 Boutsen drove in the European Touring Car Championship and in World Sportscar races,[1] where he won the very first Group C race, the Monza 1000 km with Bob Wollek driving a Porsche 956. He also won the famous Daytona 24 hour race in 1985, co-driving the Porsche 956 from the Preston Henn Racing with Bob Wollek, AJ Foyt and Al Unser Sr.

Arrows

Boutsen was considered a promising driver, testing for McLaren and Brabham. He was briefly attached to the Spirit Honda F1 project before losing out to his Formula Two teammate Stefan Johansson.

Boutsen driving for Arrows at the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix.

In 1983 he paid $500,000 for a drive in Formula One and made his debut with Arrows at his home race, the 1983 Belgian Grand Prix at the shortened 7 km (4.3 mi) Spa.[1] While he scored no points in 1983 his careful handling and close performance compared to experienced teammate Marc Surer. With backing from Barclay cigarettes he remained with the team for a further three seasons. The first saw Arrows struggle with their difficult first turbocharged car, with powerful BMW turbo engines but poor handling. Boutsen scored points twice in the old Cosworth DFV powered A6 and once in the turbo machine. His second season saw several notable results, including 2nd place at Imola. Boutsen crossed the line third, behind Alain Prost and Elio de Angelis but after the race, Prost was disqualified because his car was 2 kg underweight. Three more points scores saw him 11th overall in the standings. A final season with Arrows saw no points for Boutsen in an uncompetitive car, but in parallel to F1 he drove for the Walter Brun team in Group C and clinched the World Championship title with them in 1986, winning that year's Spa 1000 km.

Benetton

Boutsen driving for Benetton at the 1988 Canadian Grand Prix.

Boutsen got his big chance when he switched to the works Ford F1 team, Benetton, for the 1987 season as teammate to Teo Fabi. While the package wasn't a race winner it did allow him to run regularly in the top 6. He scored points in six races, his best being awarded 3rd place in Adelaide after the disqualification of Ayrton Senna's Lotus and moved to 8th overall. At the Australian Grand Prix, Boutsen was furious with Fabi when the Italian refused to let his teammate lap him for a number of laps. When Boutsen confronted Fabi about this after the race, a frustrated Fabi (who had been unable to find an F1 drive for 1988), told the Belgian to "come back and see me when you have a pole position". Fabi scored no wins in his F1 career but did have 3 poles to his name while at that stage Boutsen could only boast his 2nd place at Imola in 1985.

1988 saw Boutsen with a new teammate, the fast, chain-smoking Italian Alessandro Nannini. When Cosworth stopped development of their turbocharged V6 engine, Benetton were forced to switch to normally aspirated Ford DFR V8 engines in anticipation of the banning of turbos in 1989. Boutsen's consistency, mechanical sympathy and speed in the Rory Byrne designed Benetton B188 saw him score points in 10 of the 16 races, including five 3rd-place finishes (all behind the all-conquering McLaren-Honda's), and place 4th overall as the best non-turbo driver in the field.

Williams

His reputation as a reliable, fast driver with good development skills saw Frank Williams sign him on a two-year contract to replace Nigel Mansell (who was off to Ferrari) and drive the new V10 Renault powered Williams FW12C. 1989 began with Boutsen on the back foot due to a heavy pre-season testing crash in Rio and because veteran teammate Riccardo Patrese had a major resurgence in form. However at the Canadian Grand Prix, Boutsen drove well in wet conditions and took his maiden victory after Senna suffered a late engine failure. Although it was a welcome win (Boutsen became the first new winner in F1 since former Arrows teammate Gerhard Berger had won the 1986 Mexican Grand Prix for Benetton. Between then only Senna, Prost, Nigel Mansell, Nelson Piquet and Berger had won a race), it was considered a lucky win for the Belgian as he had been last at one stage and had a full 360° spin, though luckily he managed to keep his car off the walls. He managed to catch and pass Patrese who was suffering with a loose undertray and took the lead 3 laps from the end when the Honda V10 engine in Senna's McLaren MP4/5 seized. Three more podium finishes came before Boutsen rounded the year off with a second victory at the rain-soaked Australian Grand Prix. Ironically Boutsen had been one of the drivers protesting about the conditions at the circuit before the race.

1990 saw more consistent points scoring drives, including his third and final Grand Prix victory - a lights-to-flag victory in Hungary where he took his first pole position and held off sustained pressure from Alessandro Nannini (Benetton) and Ayrton Senna (McLaren) to win. However, with Nigel Mansell available in 1991, Williams Renault felt they needed a 'star' driver to put together a championship bid. Despite Boutsen winning three races in two years to Patrese's one, the team felt that Patrese had been more consistent (and had worked well with Mansell in 1988) and decided to keep the Italian to drive alongside Mansell.

Ligier

Boutsen driving for Jordan at the 1993 British Grand Prix.

With no vacancies among the top teams Boutsen had to drop down to the Ligier team. Despite having a sizeable budget and Lamborghini V12 engines, the JS35 was an uncompetitive car and Boutsen was frequently unable to disguise his disgust with the machinery given to him. The arrival of Renault engines in 1992 improved matters a little and in his final race for the team he scored 5th place, his first points since leaving Williams.

Jordan

Initially he was unable to find a drive for 1993 but Barclay secured him a slot at Jordan, replacing Ivan Capelli. Boutsen was too tall for the car and largely outpaced by young teammate Rubens Barrichello, failing to score any points in ten races. With Eddie Jordan keen to bring in younger, well-sponsored drivers to the seat the decision was taken to turn Boutsen's home race into a farewell event, though he retired on the first lap.

Touring cars

For 1994, Boutsen was hired by Ford Motorsport to lead their works challenge on the newly created Super Tourenwagen Cup in Germany. Driving a factory prepared Ford Mondeo built by Eggenberger Motorsport, that first season was a learning year for both Boutsen and the team.

The following year, Boutsen was joined by his old Williams teammate Riccardo Patrese, but the season was a disaster. Attempting to follow Audi's lead by developing a four-wheel drive car, the Mondeo was totally uncompetitive.

Boutsen started in only the first four races in 1996 before leaving the team and turning his attention to sports car racing. After three years of limited success, Ford pulled the plug on the project at the end of that season to focus solely on the British series.

Sportscars

Boutsen then drove sports cars in the US, driving for Champion Racing in a Porsche 911 GT1, alongside Bill Adam and Hans Stuck. The trio finished 2nd in class at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1997, Boutsen won the GT-One US Championship with the Champion Racing in 1998. After a crash at Le Mans in 1999 at the wheel of a Toyota GT-One he retired from racing altogether.[1]

Helmet

Boutsen's helmet on display at the Williams team's museum

Boutsen's helmet was black with a red, orange and yellow ribbon design surrounding the visor and the rear area. The colours used are the colours of the Belgian flag (except for orange).

Business

Today Boutsen runs his own company, Boutsen Aviation, in Monaco.[3] Its business is the "Sale and Acquisition of Business Jets". He founded the company in 1997 with his wife Daniela and up to May 2011, the company had sold 205 aircraft, ranging from Airbus Corporate Jets to Cessna Citation. He is also co-owner of Boutsen Energy Racing alongside his brother-in-law Olivier Lainé and Georges Kaczka. The team competes in the Formula Le Mans class in the Le Mans Series. Boutsen also runs cars in Formula Renault and Eurocup Mégane Trophy.

Racing record

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1979 FIA European Formula 3 Roger Heavens Racing 10 0 0 0 0 6 13th
1980 FIA European Formula 3 Marlboro Racing for Zolder 14 3 2 3 6 54 2nd
1981 European Formula Two Marlboro Racing for Zolder 12 2 5 2 5 37 2nd
24 Hours of Le Mans WM A.E.R.E.M. 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1982 European Formula Two Marlboro Team Spirit 13 3 3 0 6 50 3rd
World Sportscar Championship Ford France 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1983 Formula One Arrows Racing Team 10 0 0 0 0 0 NC
World Sportscar Championship Canon Racing 2 0 0 0 1 44 6th
Sorga S.A. 1 1 0 0 1
Ford France 1 0 0 0 0
Matsuda Collection 1 0 0 0 0
John Fitzpatrick Racing 1 0 0 0 0
1984 Formula One Barclay Nordica Arrows BMW 15 0 0 0 0 5 15th
World Sportscar Championship Skoal Bandit Porsche Team 7 0 1 0 2 18 30th
1985 Formula One Barclay Arrows BMW 16 0 0 0 1 11 11th
World Sportscar Championship Brun Motorsport 5 0 0 1 1 13 31st
1986 Formula One Barclay Arrows BMW 16 0 0 0 0 0 NC
World Sportscar Championship Brun Motorsport 7 1 2 0 2 41 9th
1987 Formula One Benetton Formula Ltd 16 0 0 0 1 16 8th
World Touring Car Championship Eggenberger Motorsport 1 0 1 0 0 0 NC
1988 Formula One Benetton Formula Ltd 16 0 0 0 5 27 4th
1989 Formula One Canon Williams Team 16 2 0 0 5 37 5th
1990 Formula One Canon Williams Team Renault 16 1 1 1 3 34 6th
1991 Formula One Ligier Gitanes 16 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1992 Formula One Ligier Gitanes Blondes 16 0 0 0 0 2 14th
1993 Formula One Sasol Jordan 10 0 0 0 0 0 NC
24 Hours of Le Mans Peugeot Talbot Sport 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 2nd
1994 Super Tourenwagen Cup Eggenberger Motorsport 8 0 0 0 0 23 10th
24 Hours of Le Mans Dauer Racing/Le Mans Porsche Team 1 0 0 1 1 N/A 3rd
1995 Super Tourenwagen Cup Ford Mondeo Team Schübel 16 0 0 0 0 95 18th
24 Hours of Le Mans Porsche Kremer Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 6th
1996 Super Tourenwagen Cup Ford Mondeo Team Schübel 4 0 0 0 0 21 30th
BPR Global GT Series Porsche AG 2 2 0 2 2 N/A NC
24 Hours of Le Mans 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 2nd
1997 FIA GT Championship Porsche AG 10 0 0 0 0 18 15th
24 Hours of Le Mans 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1998 24 Hours of Le Mans Toyota Motorsport 10 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1999 24 Hours of Le Mans Toyota Motorsport 10 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos. Pts
1981 Marlboro Racing for Zolder March 812 BMW SIL
Ret
HOC
Ret
THR
Ret
NÜR
1
VAL
3
MUG
Ret
PAU
2
PER
1
SPA
2
DON
12
MIS
8
MAN
4
2nd 37
1982 Marlboro Team Spirit Spirit 201 Honda SIL
12
HOC
2
THR
3
NÜR
1
MUG
4
VAL
6
PAU
2
SPA
1
HOC
Ret
DON
9
MAN
4
PER
1
MIS
6
3rd 50

Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Pts
1983 Arrows Racing Team Arrows A6 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 BRA USW FRA SMR MON BEL
Ret
DET
7
CAN
7
GBR
15
GER
9
AUT
13
NED
14
ITA
Ret
EUR
11
RSA
9
NC 0
1984 Barclay Nordica Arrows BMW Arrows A6 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 BRA
6
RSA
12
SMR
5
15th 5
Arrows A7 BMW M12/13 1.5 L4t BEL
Ret
FRA
11
MON
DNQ
CAN
Ret
DET
Ret
DAL
Ret
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
AUT
5
NED
Ret
ITA
10
EUR
9
POR
Ret
1985 Barclay Arrows BMW Arrows A8 BMW M12/13 1.5 L4t BRA
11
POR
Ret
SMR
2
MON
9
CAN
9
DET
7
FRA
9
GBR
Ret
GER
4
AUT
8
NED
Ret
ITA
9
BEL
10
EUR
6
RSA
6
AUS
Ret
11th 11
1986 Barclay Arrows BMW Arrows A8 BMW M12/13 1.5 L4t BRA
Ret
ESP
7
SMR
7
MON
8
BEL
Ret
CAN
Ret
DET
Ret
FRA
NC
GBR
NC
HUN
Ret
ITA
7
POR
10
MEX
7
AUS
Ret
NC 0
Arrows A9 GER
Ret
AUT
Ret
1987 Benetton Formula Ltd. Benetton B187 Ford Cosworth GBA 1.5 V6t BRA
5
SMR
Ret
BEL
Ret
MON
Ret
DET
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR
7
GER
Ret
HUN
4
AUT
4
ITA
5
POR
14
ESP
16
MEX
Ret
JPN
5
AUS
3
8th 16
1988 Benetton Formula Ltd. Benetton B188 Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8 BRA
7
SMR
4
MON
8
MEX
8
CAN
3
DET
3
FRA
Ret
GBR
Ret
GER
6
HUN
3
BEL
DSQ
ITA
6
POR
3
ESP
9
JPN
3
AUS
5
4th 27
1989 Canon Williams Team Williams FW12C Renault RS1 3.5 V10 BRA
Ret
SMR
4
MON
10
MEX
Ret
USA
6
CAN
1
FRA
Ret
GBR
10
GER
Ret
HUN
3
BEL
4
ITA
3
5th 37
Williams FW13 POR
Ret
ESP
Ret
JPN
3
AUS
1
1990 Canon Williams Renault Williams FW13B Renault RS2 3.5 V10 USA
3
BRA
5
SMR
Ret
MON
4
CAN
Ret
MEX
5
FRA
Ret
GBR
2
GER
6
HUN
1
BEL
Ret
ITA
Ret
POR
Ret
ESP
4
JPN
5
AUS
5
6th 34
1991 Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS35 Lamborghini 3512 3.5 V12 USA
Ret
BRA
10
SMR
7
MON
7
CAN
Ret
MEX
8
NC 0
Ligier JS35B FRA
12
GBR
Ret
GER
9
HUN
17
BEL
11
ITA
Ret
POR
16
ESP
Ret
JPN
9
AUS
Ret
1992 Ligier Gitanes Blondes Ligier JS37 Renault RS3C 3.5 V10 RSA
Ret
MEX
10
BRA
Ret
ESP
Ret
SMR
Ret
MON
12
CAN
10
FRA
Ret
GBR
10
GER
7
HUN
Ret
BEL
Ret
ITA
Ret
POR
8
JPN
Ret
AUS
5
14th 2
1993 Sasol Jordan Jordan 193 Hart 1035 3.5 V10 RSA BRA EUR
Ret
SMR
Ret
ESP
11
MON
Ret
CAN
12
FRA
11
GBR
Ret
GER
13
HUN
9
BEL
Ret
ITA POR JPN AUS NC 0

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1981 WM A.E.R.E.M. Serge Saulnier
Michel Pignard
WM P81- Peugeot C 15 DNF DNF
1983 Ford France Henri Pescarolo Rondeau M482-Ford Cosworth C 174 DNF DNF
1986 Brun Motorsport Alain Ferté
Didier Theys
Porsche 956 C1 89 DNF DNF
1993 Peugeot Talbot Sport Yannick Dalmas
Teo Fabi
Peugeot 905 Evo 1B C1 374 2nd 2nd
1994 Le Mans Porsche Team
Joest Racing
Hans-Joachim Stuck
Danny Sullivan
Dauer 962 Le Mans GT1 343 3rd 2nd
1995 Porsche Kremer Racing Hans-Joachim Stuck
Christophe Bouchut
Kremer K8 Spyder WSC 289 6th 2nd
1996 Porsche AG Hans-Joachim Stuck
Bob Wollek
Porsche 911 GT1 GT1 353 2nd 1st
1997 Porsche AG Hans-Joachim Stuck
Bob Wollek
Porsche 911 GT1 GT1 238 DNF DNF
1998 Toyota Motorsport
Toyota Team Europe
Ralf Kelleners
Geoff Lees
Toyota GT-One GT1 330 DNF DNF
1999 Toyota Motorsport
Toyota Team Europe
Ralf Kelleners
Allan McNish
Toyota GT-One LMGTP 173 DNF DNF

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos. Pts
1994 Eggenberger Motorsport Ford Mondeo Ghia AVU
4
WUN
11
ZOL
14
ZAN
Ret
ÖST
7
SAL
6
SPA
Ret
NÜR
8
10th 23
1995 Ford Mondeo Team Schübel Ford Mondeo 4x4 ZOL
1

10
ZOL
2

Ret
SPA
1

Ret
SPA
2

NC
ÖST
1

22
ÖST
2

Ret
HOC
1

NC
HOC
2

12
NÜR
1

Ret
NÜR
2

15
SAL
1

14
SAL
2

Ret
AVU
1

14
AVU
2

10
NÜR
1

14
NÜR
2

10
18th 95
1996 Ford Mondeo Team Schübel Ford Mondeo Ghia ZOL
1

13
ZOL
2

Ret
ASS
1

18
ASS
2

16
HOC
1
HOC
2
SAC
1
SAC
2
WUN
1
WUN
2
ZWE
1
ZWE
2
SAL
1
SAL
2
AVU
1
AVU
2
NÜR
1
NÜR
2
30th 21

Complete FIA GT Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pos. Pts
1997 Porsche AG Porsche 911 GT1 GT1 HOC
4
SIL
5
HEL 15th 18
Porsche 911 GT1 Evo NÜR
10
SPA
Ret
A1R
6
SUZ
5
DON
11
MUG
4
SEB
6
LAG
5

References

  1. "DRIVERS: THIERRY BOUTSEN". GrandPrix.com. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  2. Photo by courtesy of: Didier Steyaert (22 July 1978). "Spa 24 Hours 1978 - Photo Gallery". Racing Sports Cars. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  3. "BOUTSEN AVIATION". www.boutsen.com. Retrieved 22 November 2020.

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