Drivers

Charles Pozzi

Born in Montmartre in 1909, Pozzi was still a child when his father was killed, fighting with the French Army during the Great War. He studied to become an agricultural engineer but soon gave up that idea because he was able to make more money buying and selling cars. In 1932 he became a Ford agent but he quickly moved into the lucrative luxury car market. His career was then interrupted by the war, during which Pozzi lived in Montauban, near Toulouse, where he ran a charcoal business. He even built a few cars which could be powered by charcoal as others fuels were scarce.

Immediately after the war Pozzi went racing at weekends while continuing to build up his luxury automobile business in Paris's 17eme arrondisement. Most of the time Pozzi entered private cars, prepared by one of his friends. He worked closely with Eugene Chaboud and helped him to become the French Champion of 1947. Eventually he and Chaboud set up their team called Ecurie Lutetia. Pozzi tended to be a driver who was best suited to endurance events and in 1949 he won the 1949 Grand Prix de l'ACF, which was held that year for sports cars.

When the World Championship began he took part in the first French Grand Prix at Reims, driving a Lago Talbot. He was for many years a Rolls Royce and Chrysler dealer but in 1958 started dealing in Ferraris as well and was so successful that in 1968 he became the sole importer of the Italian cars to France. In the 1970s he became a well known entrant of Ferrari sportscars at Le Mans and was still running teams up until his death in 2001.