Robert Manzon Explained

Robert Manzon
Nationality: French
Birth Date:12 April 1917
Birth Place:Marseille, France
Death Place:Cassis, France
Years:
Team(S):Gordini
Ferrari inc. non-works
Races:29 (28 starts)
Championships:0
Wins:0
Podiums:2
Points:16
Poles:0
Fastest Laps:0
First Race:1950 Monaco Grand Prix
Last Race:1956 Italian Grand Prix

Robert Jean Joseph Manzon (12 April 1917 – 19 January 2015)[1] was a French racing driver. He participated in 29 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 21 May 1950. He achieved two podiums, and scored a total of 16 championship points. At the time of his death, Manzon was the last surviving driver to have taken part in the first Formula One World Championship in 1950.

Career

Manzon began his career as a mechanic and after World War II he started racing, initially with a Cisitalia D46. Earning a contract with the Gordini team for 1948, Manzon won some minor races although his machinery was not always reliable.[2]

He continued with Gordini into the new Formula One era, scoring points at the 1950 French Grand Prix, and finishing sixth in the World Drivers' Championship in 1952, taking third place in the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix. He left Gordini in 1953 and joined Louis Rosier's team, which was campaigning Ferraris. He subsequently achieved his second podium at the 1954 French Grand Prix at the wheel of a Ferrari 625.

Manzon then returned to the Gordini team, but found little success in World Championship events. Outside the Championship, he won the 1956 Naples Grand Prix and a sports car race at Pescara.

After racing, he later operated his own diesel equipment distribution business. [3]

Manzon died at his home in the south of France on 19 January 2015 aged 97.[4] He was the last surviving entrant of the 1950 Formula One season.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789WDCPoints
1950Equipe Simca GordiniSimca Gordini Type 15Gordini Straight-4GBRMON
500SUIBELFRA
ITA
14th3
1951Equipe Simca GordiniSimca Gordini Type 15Gordini Straight-4SUI500BELFRA
GBRGER
ITA
ESP
NC0
1952Equipe GordiniGordini Type 16Gordini Straight-6SUI
500BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
NED
ITA
6th9
1953Equipe GordiniGordini Type 16Gordini Straight-6ARG
500NEDBELFRAGBRGERSUIITANC0
1954Equipe RosierFerrari 625Ferrari Straight-4ARG500BELFRA
GBR
GER
ITA
ESP
15th4
Scuderia FerrariFerrari 553SUI
1955Equipe GordiniGordini Type 16Gordini Straight-6ARGMON
500BELNED
GBR
ITANC0
1956Equipe GordiniGordini Type 16Gordini Straight-6ARG
DNA
MON
500BELNC0
Gordini Type 32Gordini Straight-8FRA
GBR
GER
ITA

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Motorsport Memorial - Robert Manzon . 22 March 2023 . Motorsport Memorial.
  2. Web site: Obituary: Former grand prix driver Robert Manzon 1917-2015 . 20 January 2015 . 20 January 2015 . Autosport.
  3. Web site: Robert Manzon. Allen. Brown. oldracingcars.com. 3 September 2018.
  4. News: Formula One: French driver Robert Manzon, the last of the racers from F1's first season in 1950, dies at 97 . ABC News . 20 January 2015 . 20 January 2015 . ABC Australia.