Drivers

Johnny Claes

The son of wealthy parents, Claes was a talented jazz musician who had his own band which was known as Johnny Claes and the Clay Pigeons. He competed with his own Talbot Lago during the 1950 and 51 seasons, scoring seventh places in the 1950 Monaco and 1951 Belgian Grands Prix. He switched to a Gordini in 1952 and then a Connaught the following year, both with little success, but finished a fine third at Le Mans in 1955 driving an Ecurie Belge Jaguar. By then he was suffering badly with the effects of tuberculosis which eventually killed him at the age of 39.