F1Everything

Claes's Talbot Lago T26C, Ecurie Belge 1950

Octave John Claes (11 August 1916 – 3 February 1956) was a British-born racing driver who competed for Belgium. Before his fame as a racing driver, Claes was also a jazz trumpeter and successful bandleader in Britain.

Early life and jazz career

Claes was born in London to a Scottish mother and Belgian father. He was educated in England at Lord Williams's School. In England, he began playing trumpet in a jazz band that included Max Jones on reeds, and another with Billy Mason on piano. In the 1930s he moved to the Netherlands, where he worked with Valaida Snow and Coleman Hawkins. He also worked with Jack Kluger's band in Belgium. Returning to England, he led his own group, the Claepigeons, making a recording in 1942. In the late 1940s he abandoned his jazz career and settled in Belgium as a professional racing driver.

Racing career

Claes was one of several gentlemen drivers who took part in Grand Prix racing of post-World War II. 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 San Remo Grand Prix in Sanremo, Italy. He was uninjured but an observer was killed and three onlookers were seriously injured. In 1952 he exchanged his outdated Talbot for a Gordini, and later for a Connaught, always with the Ecurie Belge colours, but he also raced occasionally for works teams, including Gordini and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. 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 Brussels in 1956, aged 39.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 WDC Pts. 1950 Ecurie Belge Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot L6 GBR
11 MON
7 500 SUI
10 BEL
8 FRA
Ret ITA
Ret NC 0 1951 Ecurie Belge Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot L6 SUI
13 500 BEL
7 FRA
Ret GBR
13 GER
11 ITA
Ret ESP
Ret NC 0 1952 Equipe Gordini Gordini T16 Gordini L6 SUI 500 BEL
8 NC 0 Ecurie Belge Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini L4 FRA
Ret GBR
14 HW Motors HWM 52 Alta L4 GER
10 NED Vicomtesse de Walckiers Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini L4 ITA
DNQ 1953 Ecurie Belge Connaught Type A Lea-Francis L4 ARG 500 NED
Ret FRA
12 GBR GER
Ret SUI ITA
Ret NC 0 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati L6 BEL
Ret 1955 Stirling Moss Ltd. Maserati 250F Maserati L6 ARG MON 500 BEL
DNS NC 0 Equipe Nationale Belge Ferrari 500 Ferrari L4 NED
11 GBR ITA

Non-championship Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 1950 Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot L6 PAU RIC SRM PAR
DNA EMP BAR
8 JER ALB
NC NED
Ret NAT
Ret NOT ULS PES STT INT
Ret GOO
Ret PEN
Ret 1951 Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot L6 SYR PAU RIC
4 SRM
DNS BOR INT
8 PAR ULS
9 SCO NED
Ret ALB
5 PES BAR
8 GOO 1952 Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot L6 RIO SYR VAL
6 RIC LAV PAU
Ret IBS ULS
DNA Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini L4 MAR
3 AST INT
8 ELÄ NAP EIF
DNA PAR
Ret ALB FRO
Ret MAR
6 SAB
3 CAE DAI COM
Ret NAT BAU
8 MOD
NC CAD SKA MAD AVU JOE NEW
Ret RIO HWM 52 Alta L4 MNZ
NC LAC ESS 1953 Johny Claes Connaught Type A Lea-Francis L4 SYR PAU
Ret LAV AST BOR
6 INT
15 ELÄ NAP ULS WIN FRO
NC COR EIF ALB
6 PRI ESS MID ROU
Ret CRY AVU
6 USF LAC BRI CHE SAB
Ret NEW CAD RED SKA LON MOD
NC MAD JOE CUR

Original Wikipedia article last retrieved on 07 September 2023.