Jean Behra

[Kamakazi_Kid]

Well i have a real interest in the history of Formula One, and when watching a Foxtel program which showed parts of the 1950's in Formula One i grew to like the character Jean Behra. So i decided to do some research and find out about this agressive Frenchmen. Then to help me acquire all the information i had learnt, i decided to write a piece about the Frenchmen. It is rather longish for those who enjoy a quick read, and after looking in "what is your age" there arn't a lot of old members out here, so i presume many wont even know who this Frenchmen is.

I want to tinker around with the article, and get some quotes which Behra has said and insert them in. Then get some pictures together and send it off to a magazine. Maybe even "MotorSport" would be interested in it, after it has gone through the editing process.

But there is one problem i have, the piece is pretty much 'results' based. Whilst you will learn a bit about the bloke, i dont have enough sources of information to go by. So it could seem pretty boring. But ill let you be the judge.

But if your interested about something to do with Formula One history, then read the Jean Behra piece:

Please feel free to ask anything, or question any of my commments.


Jean Behra?s aggressive personality never found a Formula 1 Grand Prix win, but his fists did manage to find Maurice Trintigant, Georges Monneret and Ferrari team manager Romolo Tavoni. However, he would throw his final punch in Formula 1 at Tavoni during the French Grand Prix in 1959. Behra firmly believed Tavoni was plotting against him, and his piston failure at Reims pushed him over the limit. In the end the teary Frenchman was pulled away from the ?discussion? between himself and Tavoni, by his wife. Before then, Behra was a three time French motorcycle champion before he switched to cars in 1949.


Immediately sacked from the Ferrari team after the French Grand Prix at Reims, Behra looked to show the Formula 1 world what they were missing out on. Entered in not only the 1959 German Grand Prix at Avus, but also in the support sports car category with his Porsche. But Behra never made it to the German Grand Prix grid, being flung to his death when he crashed his Porsche Formula 2 Spyder Type 1500 RSK (37 Spyder Type 1500?s were made by the Porsche factory, which had 148bhp) into a concrete bunker.

Behra?s first ever race car would come from V Grand Prix du Salon driving a Talbot-Lago. He did however try his hand at Rally taking, Madame Hellé-Nice place after the 1951 GP de Nice driving a Renault 4CV. His first ever win, however, came in a hill climb when he raced in a borrowed Maserati. During 1950 Behra partnered fellow Frenchman Roger Loyer in a Le Mans 24 hour attempt at the 13.492km long Le Sharthe circuit driving a Simca Gordini 15GCS. They were unable to finish the event, only lasting 50 of the 256 laps completed.

From his debut at the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten, where he finished a wonderful third Behra looked to continue his successful ways with a blooming talent. However, despite a podium in the 1952 non-championship race at France, Pau, second to Mike Hawthorn in a heat at Silverstone in the BRDC, two wins in the IV Circuit du Lac, and most famously a victory in round four for the Formula 2 championship at Reims. Beating home Farina and Ascari in their famous Ferrari 500?s, as well as Mike Hawthorn and Stirling Moss to add to the list. Another second place, at the I Grand Prix de Caen, however Behra was beaten home by his team-mate Maurice Tintigant in their Gordini T16. Behra then finished third in the seventh round of the Formula 2 championship, this time behind the duo of Farina and Ascari in their Ferrari?s. Behra finished 4th in the Formula 2 championship that year.

To showcase his talent, Behra was also entered in the 1952 Carrera Panamericana with his Gordini. Behra, an ex-motorcyclist champion, made history that weekend. Driving without a co-pilot, Behra won the first phase of the race with an average speed of 143 km/hr over the 533km phase. During the second phase, Behra lead comfortably until he hit rock bottom, loosing control of his Gordini speared of the track and down a 25m rocky fall. Behra escaped serious injury, and in hospital he was counting his lucky stars, as a rock wall saved him from falling into the nearby stream.

Behra was looking for a successful 1953 campaign, but this never happened. Still driving in a Gordini T16, Behra failed to score world championship points the whole year, and in fact struggled to finish a race. Whether it was crashing out of non-championship races, or that common Gordini rear-axle failure, or just problems in general, it was a year not to remember for Behra. His only comfort came from a win in the III Grand Prix de Sables d'Olonne first heat. He then crashed out of the second heat.

Next season didn?t get any better, however he once again managed to win the non-championship Pau race in his Gordini, beating home Trintigant who was in his new Ferrari 625. Followed by a win in the V Circuit de Cadours in a small turnout. But Behra could not match the pace of the Ferrari?s for the remainder of the year during the race, but in qualifying Behra was lightening quick. Perhaps Maserati had a keen eye on Behra when he was constantly matching the pace of Ferrari and Maserati over one lap.

Failing to score a single point (he did score .14 of a point at the British Grand Prix) he was beginning to look elsewhere for 1955. This saw the talented Behra land a works drive at Maserati, getting a hold of the ever famous Maserati 250F.

But it was the Mercedes works team which dominated the 1955 Formula One season, leaving Behra to pick up the scraps when the likes of Juan Manual Fangio and Stirling Moss were no-where to be seen at Monaco due to problems. However in most of his non-championship appearances that year in his new Maserati 250F, Behra was able to show the world he was a driver to be reckoned with and not to mention he was driving with only one ear after he lost one in a crash in the TT race that year.

Things were just about to get better for Behra, who had his best year of his career in Formula One, finishing a remarkable fourth in the World Championship, only eight points behind Juan Manual Fangio. Behra was the cream of the crop at Maserati that year.

In 1957 Behra then set an unofficial lap record at the testing track, Modena in his Maserati 250F. Enzo Ferrari could not have anything but a Ferrari holding the lap record and called up Eugenio Castellotti, who was on holidays in Florence, to come down and eclipse Behra?s time. Castellotti died whilst trying to break Behra?s record when he crashed on only his third lap around the Modena circuit.

It appeared Behra had taken a back seat at Maserati when Fangio appeared and won his first outing at Buenos Aires, Argentina with Behra finishing a reasonably close second. However, it would be his only podium for that year as Fangio skipped away to his last and fourth consecutive title.

Behra then had a one-off drive for BRM in their P25, which resulted in a Behra victory. This prompted BRM to sign Behra, for the 1958 season; he then went on to win the International Trophy at the end of 1957. However it would be the only taste of success Behra would receive at BRM.

However, Behra had some taste of success during the 1957 season but in his sports car program. Driving alongside Fangio in the new Maserati 450S, Behra and Fangio led throughout the Sebring 12 hour race, which they went onto win at a record speed. Defeating Moss and Schell in their 300S by a full two laps. When Behra partnered Andre Simon in the Le-Mans June 22-23 race all was looking well whilst Behra led the race, until a rear UJ seized once Simon had stepped into the car. Heading into the championship deciding race, Maserati stood a chance, and went for broke giving Moss, Fangio, and Behra the best equipment whilst supplying cars to Masten Gregory, Dale Duncan and even Jo Bonnier just so Maserati could secure the 1957 title. However it all went catastrophically wrong. On only the second lap Gregory had flipped his car. Lap 33 saw a backmarker cross into the path of the race leader Moss who?s 4503?s front end was severely damaged. Then in a pit-stop the 4503?s sister car 4507 ignited itself burning Behra who was inside the cockpit. Moss and Harry Schell took over from Behra in the 4507 and whilst running near fellow Maserati driver Bonnier the worst possible outcome took place. Bonnier?s Maserati lost a front wheel just as Schell in the already burnt 450S was overtaking him. The two cars collided heavily ending all four Maserati cars races, and their championship hopes.

Back to BRM and their season together with Behra in 1958. It was another season for Behra to forget. With his hopes up high after a successful end to the 1957 calendar with BRM, things could not have gotten worse. The BRM was now a mid-rear pack runner constantly having problems with mechanical woes. These woes were too much for Behra who at times gave up during a race so his reputation would not have several dents in it. However, at Zandvoort Behra was beaten by his team-mate Schell to second place quite convincingly. This came as a surprise to many as Behra had consistently and comfortably beaten Schell during their Maserati days. Behra then ended his woeful BRM campaign with only nine points to saver.

To make matters worse from 1958, Behra was entered in the Goodwood?s Easter Monday race in his BRM P25. However a complete brake failure saw Behra plummet into the wall at 112kmph, almost being flung from his car, Behra was lucky to walk away with only heavy bruising.

However, winning the German and French sports car championships did bring upon a smile to the aggravated Behra in his Formula 2 Spyder Type 1500. (The very car he would die in a season later.)

An anticipated Ferrari deal did not bring upon the fruits of success as so many had expected. Partnering the likes of Tony Brooks and Phil Hill, it was one of the stiffest team-mate competitions to date for Behra. Behra qualified a wonderful second place at the season opener Monaco in 1959, and lead for the first 22 laps until overtaken by Moss, and then Brabham as his Ferrari engine gave way. The next Grand Prix for Behra was at Zandvoort in Holland. A lonely race for Behra who had to watch in amazement as Jo Bonnier claimed the victory, for the very team he had cursed in 1958, BRM.

France, Reims, would be Behra?s last ever Formula One Grand Prix, not only for Ferrari, but for his career. After having troubles at the start of the Grand Prix Behra had fought a hard comeback race to find himself in second place. Until a piston failure put him out of his home race. An emotional Behra had a few choice words with Tavoni about how he has been unfairly treated at Ferrari, ending the conversation with a punch to Tavoni. Who immediately sacked Behra.

A month later at Germany, Avus. Behra had entered himself in the Grand Prix in his Collotti-built Porsche RSK based single seater 'Behra Special Porsche' as well as running in the support Sports car race in his usual Spyder RSK Porsche, so he could prove a point to Tavoni. Unfortunately the worst outcome possible happened. Coming into the Nordkurve 45-degree banking too high, Behra lost control of his car crashing into a concrete post which sent him flying from his Porsche into a flagpole. Behra was dead before he hit the ground.

A tragic end to Behra?s turbulent Motorsport career.



Thanks for taking the time to read this piece.

[soul of F1]

what a great read.

i love f1 history.

it's make's me feel more "complete" as a F1 fan.

thank 's for posting.

[Kamakazi_Kid]

what a great read.

i love f1 history.

it's make's me feel more "complete" as a F1 fan.

thank 's for posting.

Thanks for that.

Im also an avid fan of Formula One history. But the only thing which frustrates me, is people think you have to be old to know anything about F1 history, and when i attended a Murrey Walker talk down here in Melb with dad and sat on a table with 8 other F1 fans--they were all talking about Alonso in Minardi and the mid 90's. They totally ignored me because i was younger, despite i knew more than them.


But anywho, back on Behra. I forgot to mention he did get a replacement plastic ear to make it look like he did in fact have 2 ears.

Poor bloke, rolled down 25m rocky hills, got burnt in the pits, bruised at Goodwood, broken bones here and there, and then was flung into a pole.

He was a fantastic driver, and as i mentioned in anther topic, deserved to win a Grand Prix.

[soul of F1]

yea, a F1 fan is a F1 fan no matter what age they are.

[Grand Prix Gerard]

yea, a F1 fan is a F1 fan no matter what age they are.

That is good to know