Louis Rosier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louis Rosier
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| Born | 5 November 1905 Chapdes-Beaufort, France
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| Died | 29 October 1956 (aged 50) Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
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| Nationality |  French |
| Relatives | Jean-Louis Rosier (son) |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Active years | 1950–1956 |
| Teams | Talbot-Lago, Ferrari, Maserati (mostly as privateer) |
| Entries | 38 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 2 |
| Career points | 18 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1950 British Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1956 German Grand Prix |
Louis Claude Rosier (born November 5, 1905, in Chapdes-Beaufort, France – died October 29, 1956, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France) was a famous racing driver from France. He was known for his amazing skills on the race track and for being a team owner and car designer. Louis Rosier competed in many important races, including Formula One and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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Amazing Race Wins
Louis Rosier raced in 38 Formula One World Championship races. His first race was on May 13, 1950. He finished in the top three twice, earning two podium finishes. He also scored a total of 18 championship points.
He won the Dutch Grand Prix two years in a row, in 1950 and 1951. He also won the Circuit d'Albi and the Grand-Prix de l'Albigeois. One of his biggest wins was the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, which he won with his son, Jean-Louis Rosier.
In 2016, a study looked at the best Formula One drivers of all time. Louis Rosier was ranked as the 19th best driver. This shows how talented he was.
Racing Adventures
Louis Rosier was a strong competitor in both Formula One and sports car races. In October 1948, he finished 4th at Silverstone in a Talbot car. This was a big race, the first Grand Prix in England since 1927.
He then took 3rd place at the 1949 British Grand Prix, also at Silverstone. He drove a powerful 4.5-liter Talbot-Lago. He was just one lap behind the winner.
In June 1949, Rosier won an International Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. He drove his Talbot for 32 laps, finishing in just over 3 hours and 15 minutes. He took the lead after 23 laps and won the race.
Winning Le Mans
Louis Rosier won the famous 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans race. He drove a blue Talbot car. He raced with his son, Jean-Louis Rosier, but Louis did almost all the driving himself. His son only drove two laps! They finished one lap ahead of the second-place car. The Rosiers completed 256 laps, covering over 2,163 miles.
In May 1953, Rosier won the Grand Prix d'Albi in Albi, France. He drove a Ferrari car. He completed 18 laps, about 160 kilometers, in less than an hour. He drove very fast, averaging about 160 kilometers per hour.
He also placed second in a Ferrari at a Grand Prix in Aix-Les-Bains in July 1953. In April 1956, Rosier finished 4th in a Maserati at a race in Aintree. Later that year, he finished 5th at the 1956 German Grand Prix, also in a Maserati.
Louis's Own Race Team
Louis Rosier was not just a driver; he also owned and managed his own racing team. It was called "Ecurie Rosier." At first, the team used Rosier's own Talbot-Lago T26 car. Later, it grew into a full team with 250Fs and Ferrari 500s.
Throughout the 1950s, Écurie Rosier gave many other drivers a chance to race in Formula One. Some of these drivers included Henri Louveau, Louis Chiron, and Maurice Trintignant.
Building a Race Track
Louis Rosier was a big supporter of building the Charade race track. After World War II, he worked with Jean Auchatraire to promote the idea of a race track near Clermont-Ferrand. They wanted a track that was between 4 and 6 kilometers long. It needed to be very safe and have lots of parking.
However, a big accident at the 1955 Le Mans race caused all race events to be postponed. New safety rules were put in place. Racing was only allowed on special tracks that met these new rules. Louis Rosier and his partners kept working on the idea of a "mountain race track." This would be the only one of its kind in France.
Sadly, Louis Rosier passed away in October 1956. He did not get to see his dream track finished. The Charade race track opened on July 27, 1958. It was named "Circuit de Charade Louis Rosier" in his honor. Many famous drivers, like Stirling Moss, raced there and loved the track.
Designing Cool Cars
Louis Rosier owned one of the biggest Renault car dealerships in France. It was located in Clermont-Ferrand. His business also sold other industrial and farming equipment.
In 1951, Louis Rosier designed a special car based on the small 4CV Renault. Later, in 1953, he worked with an Italian car builder named Rocco Motto. Together, they designed a convertible car. It was also based on Renault parts. About 200 of these cars were built. It was even shown at a car show in New York!
He later designed another car, a roadster. This car used parts from a Renault Frégate and had a light aluminum body. The engine was improved, making the car powerful for its weight.
His Final Race
On October 7, 1956, Louis Rosier was racing in the Coupe du Salon sports car race. This race was at Montlhéry. He was driving a Ferrari 750 Monza. During the race, he had a serious accident and was badly hurt. Three weeks later, on October 29, 1956, Louis Rosier passed away from his injuries.
