Toulo de Graffenried

Last updated
Emmanuel de Graffenried
Toulo de Graffenried.gif
Born(1914-05-18)18 May 1914
Paris, France
Died22 January 2007(2007-01-22) (aged 92)
Lonay, Vaud, Switzerland
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Swiss
Active years 19501954, 1956
Teams Maserati, Alfa Romeo
Entries23 (22 starts) [1]
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums0
Career points 9
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First entry 1950 British Grand Prix
Last entry 1956 Italian Grand Prix

Baron Emmanuel Leo Ludwig 'Toulo' de Graffenried (18 May 1914, Paris, France – 22 January 2007, Lonay, Switzerland) [2] was a Swiss motor racing driver. He participated in 23 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 13 May 1950, and scored a total of nine championship points. He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races. [3]

Contents

De Graffenried was born in Paris, the son of Swiss Baron Leo de Graffenried and his American wife Irma Stern. He began his racing career in 1936, driving his own Maserati voiturette. Some of his most memorable results came at his home track: the challenging, cobbled, street circuit at Bremgarten near Bern. He won the 1949 British Grand Prix, [4] a year before the FIA World Championship began. In that inaugural year, de Graffenried contested four of the season's seven races, with mixed results. He continued to drive in occasional races over the next six years, with his best finish being fourth place at the 1953 Belgian Grand Prix. [5]

De Graffenried in a Maserati 4CLT at the 1951 Schauinsland hillclimb Schauinsland-Rennstrecke; Training; am Start- E. de Graffenried; Nr. 172; Maserati - LABW - Staatsarchiv Freiburg W 134 Nr. 021015.jpeg
De Graffenried in a Maserati 4CLT at the 1951 Schauinsland hillclimb

Following his retirement from racing, de Graffenried managed his car dealership in Lausanne, featuring Alfa Romeo, Rolls-Royce and Ferrari automobiles. He also acted as stunt double for Kirk Douglas during the filming of The Racers . Later, he became a common figure at Formula One events during the 1970s and 1980s, as the corporate ambassador for Phillip Morris' Marlboro cigarette brand.

In recognition of his win at the first British Grand Prix, de Graffenried made his last appearance at the wheel of a racing car during the 1998 celebrations of Silverstone's 50th anniversary at age 84.

De Graffenried was the last surviving driver to have competed in the first World Championship Formula One Grand Prix.

Racing record

Complete European Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234EDCPts
1938 Baron de Graffenried Maserati 6C-34 Maserati 3.0 L6 FRA GER
Ret
31st31
Ecurie Du Puy de Graffenried SUI
DNS
ITA
1939 Baron de Graffenried Maserati 6C-34 Maserati 3.0 L6 BEL FRA GER SUI
Ret
25th29
Source: [6]

Post WWII Grandes Épreuves results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantChassisEngine12345
1947 Emmanuel de Graffenried Maserati 4CL Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4 s SUI
9
BEL
Ret
ITA
Ret
Enrico Platé FRA
Ret
1948 Enrico Platé Maserati 4CL Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4 s MON
3
SUI
Ret
FRA
Ret
ITA
9
1949 Emmanuel de Graffenried Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s GBR
1
BEL SUI
7
FRA
Enrico Platé ITA
4
Source: [7]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789WDC Pts
1950 Enrico Platé Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s GBR
Ret
MON
Ret
500 SUI
6
BEL FRA ITA
6
NC0
1951 SA Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 159 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8 s SUI
5
500 BEL ITA
Ret
ESP
6
16th2
Enrico Platé Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s FRA
Ret
GBR GER
Ret
1952 Enrico Platé Maserati 4CLT/48 Platé 2.0 L4 SUI
6
500 BEL FRA
Ret
GBR
19
GER NED ITA
DNQ
NC0
1953 Enrico Platé Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 ARG 500 NED
5
8th7
Emmanuel de Graffenried BEL
4
FRA
7
GBR
Ret
GER
5
SUI
Ret
ITA
Ret
1954 Emmanuel de Graffenried Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 ARG
8
500 BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA ESP
Ret
NC0
1956 Scuderia Centro Sud Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 ARG MON 500 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA
7
NC0
Source: [8]

References

  1. Not counting his start in 1954 Belgian Grand Prix in a camera car.
  2. "Motorsport Memorial - Toulo de Graffenreid". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. "The Formula One Archives" . Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  4. "II British Grand Prix 1949". silhouet.com. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  5. "XIV Grand Prix de Belgique". silhouet.com. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  6. "THE GOLDEN ERA – OF GRAND PRIX RACING". kolumbus.fi. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  7. "Emmanuel de Graffenried – Biography". MotorSportMagazine. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  8. "Emmanuel de Graffenried – Involvement". StatsF1. Retrieved August 29, 2018.