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Reading
My Journey to Formula One
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Laffite’s first big day in F1 found him finishing 2nd in the 1975 German GP. Photo: Ed McDonough
Legends Speak

My Journey to Formula One

 Jacques Laffite

Today, I believe, drivers are arriving in Formula One far too early in their racing career. The top echelon of our sport is something they should aspire to, not arrive at due to the amount of money they can give a Formula One team, or by spending one year in one formula and moving to the next the following year, successful or not. I had a plan to my racing career. I wanted to be successful at a lower formula—for me that was Formula Renault. If I was successful I could move to Formula Three, from there to Formula Two, and so on, until I eventually got to Formula One. If I found that a particular formula was too difficult for me then I would stay until I was more confident and successful. I wanted to move gradually, step by step, rather than the giant leaps they seem to take today.

Jacques LaffitePhoto: Mike Jiggle
Jacques Laffite
Photo: Mike Jiggle

I consider myself very lucky to have started as a mechanic for my great friend Jean-Pierre Jabouille. He was and remains one of my best and closest friends. We met at school, we were about 14 years old, and our lives have been intertwined, in one way or another, from then on. He was racing and I had nothing to do, my studying was not too good. I wanted to do something to help him. I did not know much about cars or mechanics but Jean-Pierre taught me very good about how to look after a racing car. The first car we had was a Renault 8 Gordini, then a Brabham, followed by a Matra. The Gordini we used to hillclimb. I followed him for about a year and thought that motor racing was a really good life. I also thought that perhaps, one day, I would like to try racing too. I had a few lessons at the famous Winfield Racing School.

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Brand (Gordini)Featured (Legends Speak)Featured (Racecar Feature)Grand PrixPeople (Arturo Merzario)People (Frank Williams)People (Henri Pescarolo)People (Jacques Laffite)People (Jean-Pierre Jabouille)Place (Goodwood)Place (Monte Carlo)Place (Pau)Race (Monaco Grand Prix)Racetrack (Nürburgring)Series (Formula One (F1))Series (Formula Renault)Series (Formula Three (F3))Series (Formula Two (F2))

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Jacques Laffite
Steve Natale has been playing with cars ever since he was old enough to first hold a matchbox car in his hand. A lifelong enthusiast of anything old with an engine in it or wheels on it, Steve has been active in the hobby for over 35 years. Currently he owns a successful marketing company with his wife Mary, is an automotive photographer, blogger and writer for several automotive magazines and regular contributor to various automotive websites. Steve has attended vintage car events and visited car museums and collections around the world.
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