Louis Chiron

To the youngest, the name of Louis Chiron might mean little.

Louis Chiron, Monaco 1931.

For Formula 1 fans with a few more years, however, the echo of his story will undoubtedly have arrived. Chiron, to whom Charles Leclerc dedicated his helmet for the Monte Carlo weekend, was the first - and so far the only - Monegasque driver to have won a home GP in Monaco: it happened on April 19, 1931.

Bugatti celebrates 300 Chiron produced with this black Pur Sport.

That triumph came with the Bugatti, a French car manufacturer that in 2016 gave the name of "Bugatti Chiron" to one of its super sports cars. Beyond that, he was one of the most important drivers in the pre-World War II phase.

The history and successes of Louis Chiron

Born in Monaco on August 3, 1899, he took dual citizenship, Monegasque and French (his parents were French). He began his racing career aboard a Bugatti to compete in some local races. 1926 is a crucial date in Chiron's sporting history: this is, in fact, the year in which two important people enter his life: the German driver Caracciola, with whom he will forge a friendship and a collaboration and the industrialist Hoffman, who became his sponsor. His racing debut was in 1927, in a Spanish GP where he reached second place but was then forced to retire.

1927: debut in the Spanish GP

1928, first success: he wins the Italian GP with the Bugatti T37A

Louis Chiron at the 1931 French Grand Prix.

1931: with Achille Vanzi he wins the French GP of the first European championship with the Bugatti T51

Louis Chiron warming himself on the engine of Varzi´s Bugatti in 1931.

1933: he founded the "C.C." team with Rudolf Caracciola

Championships and races in which he participated: European championship of motoring, Formula 1, 24 Hours of Le Mans, World Sports Prototype Championship, World constructors' championship, Indianapolis 500.

Louis Chiron, Maserati 4CL, in 1947.

After the Second World War: two victories in the French GP, 1947 (Talbot-Lago Monoplace C39) and 1949 (Talbot-Lago).

In 1950 he was on track for the first F1 World Championship with the Maserati 4CLT / 48.

The last years of his career

On track in the first Formula 1 World Championship in 1950, he took third place at the Monaco GP. His last victory was in 1954, in the Monte Carlo Rally; in 1958 he disputed his last race in Formula 1.

1967 F1 Monaco GP, Louis Chiron clerk of the course.

Later he was race director of the GP in Monaco (until the end of the Seventies). He died in 1979.

Chiron’s record

Even today he is the oldest driver to have taken part in an F1 GP: his career ended in the late 1950s.

A bust along the streets of Monte Carlo depicts the image of him to commemorate the exploits of a character who brought prestige to the Principality.

Louis Chiron in his Osca.

The homage of Charles Leclerc

On Wednesday in Montecarlo, through his social media accounts, the Ferrari driver showed the helmet dedicated to Chiron, as mentioned.

A helmet that recalls another era of racing, starting with the style of the number "16", with Chiron's signature on the top and the mention of his feat in 1931.

Alberto Galassi

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