Jo Schlesser

Jo Schlesser (born May 18, 1928 in Madagascar died July 7, 1968) was a Formula One and sports car racing driver from France.

He participated in 1 Grand Prix on July 7, 1968 on which he was killed. He scored 0 championship points.

Schlesser also participated in the 1966 and 1967 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, each time driving a Formula 2 Spec Matra-Cosworth. In 1966, he finished 10th in the overall Classification and 3rd in the Formula 2 Classification. In 1967, he was forced to retire with a clutch problem after 2 laps.

A real Formula One opportunity came for Schlesser in the 1968 with Honda. The Honda team had completed an experimental air-cooled F1 car (dubbed the RA302) which was tested by their works driver John Surtees. Surtees pronounced it as not ready for racing, and a potential deathtrap. Undaunted, with the financial help of Honda France, Honda entered it for the 1968 French Grand Prix at Rouen. Being the local hero, Jo Schlesser was hired to drive it.

Sadly, after only two laps, the car slid wide at the Six Frères corner and crashed sideways into a bank. The magnesium bodied Honda and 58 laps worth of fuel ignited instantly, leaving poor Schlesser no chance of survival.

As result, Honda withdrew from Formula One at the end of the 1968 season.

A friend of Jo Schlesser's, future Formula One constuctor Guy Ligier always gave his cars type numbers beginning with 'JS' as a tribute to Schlesser.

His nephew Jean-Louis Schlesser later became a successful racing driver, who started one Formula 1 race and won the Paris Dakar.