Cars
Drivers Becoming Constructors: Gérard Larrousse
Explore the dynamic life of Gérard Larrousse, from his rebellious beginnings with rally driving to becoming a renowned racer and later a Formula 1 constructor. Despite challenges, his legacy in motorsport remains vibrant and inspiring.
"Why doesn't my car have rear seats and door panels?" Gérard Larrousse's mother asked, stunned and annoyed, upon seeing her white and red Simca Aronde Montlhéry, which her son had secretly used for a rally. The calm and reassuring response from Larrousse, who has always been composed and collected —today, at 84 years old, he remains in great shape — was: "To clean it, Mom!" It's not surprising that a young man with such clear ideas and boldness, born near Lyon, France, and a student in Paris, spent his entire life in racing, eventually becoming a constructor himself.
It’s honest to say that his experience as a constructor was not a happy one. His talent alone wasn't enough; it required financiers and money to build and race Formula 1 cars between the late '80s and 1994. Along the way, he encountered individuals very different from himself, which prevented Larrousse from staying in Formula 1. In 1990, when Larrousse had Lamborghini V12 engines, his driver Aguri Suzuki finished third at the Japanese GP, and the team showed signs of potential growth.
