Jean Rondeau (racing driver)
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Jean Rondeau | |
---|---|
Nationality | French |
Born | Le Mans, France | 13 May 1946
Died | 27 December 1985 Champagné, France | (aged 39)
24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
Years | 1972, 1974-1985 |
Best finish | 1st (1980) |
Class wins | 3 (1977, 1978, 1980) |
Jean Rondeau (13 May 1946 in Le Mans, France – 27 December 1985 in Champagné, France) was a French race car driver and constructor, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1980, in a car bearing his own name, an achievement which remains unique in the history of the race.
Driving career
Rondeau drove briefly in Formula Renault before moving to saloon cars. He raced a handful of Le Mans events as a guest driver before leading the Inaltera team in 1976. After the wallpaper company withdrew its sponsorship, Rondeau continued with Ford-powered GTP cars bearing his own name in 1978, scoring a coup by hiring Henri Pescarolo for his team in 1979.
Rondeau and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud took victory in the 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans after fighting hard against the Porsche 908/80 of Jacky Ickx and Reinhold Joest. Rondeau remains the only man to win the race in a car bearing his own name and design. After teammates Pescarolo and Jean Ragnotti retired with engine problems during the night, Rondeau and Jaussaud took overall victory by a margin of two laps.
Rondeau finished second in the
.Constructor
Jean Rondeau joined an effort to develop a
After Inaltera withdrew its support, Rondeau picked up sponsorship from the elevator company
In 1982 the Rondeau team made a strong bid for the manufacturers' title in the
The Rondeau car was last seen at Le Mans in 1988 in privately run hands; Pescarolo has since occasionally run one of the M379Bs in historic competition. A total of 19 Rondeau chassis were constructed, of which 17 remain in existence.
Death
Rondeau was killed when his car was hit by a train outside Champagné. He had been following a police car across the train tracks – while the boom gates were down – and his car was hit by the train that the gates had closed for.
Racing record
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year | Team | Co-drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | Guy Edwards | Brian Robinson | Chevron B21-Cosworth | S 2.0 | 76 | DNF | DNF |
1974 | Christian Poirot | Christian Poirot | Porsche 908/02 | S 3.0 | 252 | 19th | 7th |
1975 | Auto Mazda Claude Buchet | Claude Buchet | Mazda RX-3 Coupé
|
TS | 78 | DNF | DNF |
1976 | Inaltéra | Christine Beckers Jean-Pierre Jaussaud |
Inaltéra GTP LM-Cosworth | GTP | 264 | 21st | 3rd |
1977 | Inaltéra | Jean Ragnotti | Inaltéra GTP LM77-Cosworth | GTP | 315 | 4th | 1st |
1978 | Jean Rondeau | Bernard Darniche Jacky Haran |
Rondeau M378-Cosworth | GTP | 294 | 9th | 1st |
1979 | Jean Rondeau | Jacky Haran | Rondeau M379-Cosworth | GTP | 207 | DNF | DNF |
1980 | Jean Rondeau | Jean-Pierre Jaussaud | Rondeau M379B-Cosworth | Gr.6 S 3.0 |
339 | 1st | 1st |
1981 | Jean Rondeau | Jean-Pierre Jaussaud | Rondeau M379C-Cosworth | Gr.6 S +2.0 |
58 | DNF | DNF |
1982 | Automobiles Jean Rondeau | Henri Pescarolo Jean Ragnotti |
Rondeau M382-Cosworth | Gr.C | 146 | DNF | DNF |
1983 | Jean Rondeau Ford France |
Alain Ferté Michel Ferté |
Rondeau M482-Ford Cosworth | C | 90 | DNF | DNF |
1984 | Henn's T-Bird Swap Shop | John Paul Jr. | Porsche 956 | C1 | 358 | 2nd | 2nd |
1985 | WM Peugeot | Michel Pignard Jean-Daniel Raulet |
WM P83B-Peugeot | C1 | 299 | 17th | 14th |
References
- ISSN 0263-3183.
- ^ "Jean Rondeau Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ "Jean Rondeau". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 8 August 2023.