Drivers Becoming Constructors: Gérard Larrousse

"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.

Before becoming a constructor, Gérard Larrousse was a great driver. On the picture above he is pictured right before the start of the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally.

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.

However, the longstanding conflict with Bernie Ecclestone, which began when Gérard was Director of Renault Sport and aligned with the International Automobile Federation, alongside Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, against Ecclestone’s attempt to take over Formula 1, did not help. The distribution of prizes and reimbursements left less and less space for small teams, and the team had to shut down in mid-1995. It was a painful experience for him.

The Lola LC90 with Lamborghini V12 engine fielded by Larrousse at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, where Aguri Suzuki finished on the podium.

The young man who had started with secret rallies, who then convinced his mother to change cars and buy a Dauphine 1093, with which he had challenged the official Renault cars at the Coupe des Alpes, soon became an official driver. Alpine Renault first in rallies and then on the track, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the long-tail A220, was followed by Porsche in the World Rally Championship and then Matra, where Larrousse won two 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1973 and 1974. Larrousse fondly recalls his experience with Steve McQueen during the filming of the movie "Le Mans," where Gérard drove one of the starring cars as an actor.

Gérard Larrousse had various successes in motorsport as a driver, including two outright wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Matra in 1973 and 1974.

In 1976, at the age of 36, saddened by the loss of friends who died racing, he decided to stop driving and accepted an offer from Renault, which, under the brilliant and courageous President Bernard Hanon, wanted a more significant role in competition. He created Renault Sport, bringing together the various competition sectors that operated separately within the company. In 1978, he led the Alpine Renault A442B to overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Jaussaud and Pironi.

As team director, Gérard Larrousse led the Alpine Renault A442B to victory at the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, driven by Jaussaud and Pironi.

The date became important for two reasons: the victory and the possibility of officially entering Formula 1. The single-seater developed in secret, with the bold choice of a small 1500cc turbocharged engine to compete against teams with 3000cc engines, was ready. However, the President had mandated that Renault must first win at Le Mans before making its debut. The car, which no one seemed to believe in, would have won the world title in 1983. Or, rather, it was robbed of the title by Brabham BMW, which raced with chemical fuel and was found to be irregular after the title was awarded.

This disappointment pushed Larrousse to join the Ligier team to prepare for his adventure as a constructor-assembler, following the style of British teams. But we know how this story ended. Today, Larrousse, with the same elegance and courtesy as always, continues to cultivate his passion by driving vintage cars in events, closely following Formula 1, and animating the Club des Pilotes winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Congratulations, Gérard!

Gérard Larrousse’s ambitions as a constructor in 1993 and 1994 were unfortunate, with the team forced to shut down.