Johnny Claes

Former F1 driver
Name = Johnny Claes
Nationality = flagicon|Belgium Belgian / flagicon|UK British
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

Octave John "Johnny" Claes (11 August, 1916 in London – February 3, 1956 in Brussels) was a racing driver from Belgium, of Scottish mother and Belgian father. He was educated in England at Lord Williams's School.

Claes was one of several gentlemen drivers who took part in Grand Prix racing of post-WWII. 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 "Ecurie 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 Sanremo, Italy. He was uninjured but an observer was killed and three onlookers were seriously injured. ["Racing Car Kills Fan", New York Times, April 21, 1951, Page 12.] In 1952 he exchanged his outdated Talbot for a Gordini, and later for a Connaught, always with the Ecurie Belge colours, but he also raced occasionally for works team, including Gordini and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. ["Gonzalez Defeats Rolt-Hamilton In 24-Hour Le Mans Auto Race", New York Times, June 14, 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 Ecurie Francorchamps to form Ecurie Nationale Belge. Claes entered occasional events until the end of the year, but finally succumbed to the disease in 1956, aged 39.

Besides motor racing, Claes was also an enthusiast of jazz music, a jazz trumpeter and successful bandleader in Britain.

Complete World Championship Formula One results

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References