Johnny Servoz-Gavin

Biography

Integrated into the die Matra which starting from the middle of the years 1960, gives again colors with the French automobile sport, Johnny Servoz-Gavin appears while becoming champion of France of Formule 3 in 1966. The following year, passed Formulates 2 of them, it takes part on a Matra F2 in its first GP of Formule 1, in Monaco.

Its career takes a new dimension at the time of the GP of Monaco 1968. Invited by the Matra stable International (Tyrrell) to replace Jean-Pierre Beltoise (retained by the beginnings of the official stable Matra), which itself replaced Jackie Stewart, wounded in a wrist, Servoz-Gavin creates sensation while qualifying itself in first line and taking the orders of the race from the beginning. But a broken suspension, consequence of a support too pronounced on a rail of safety, obliges it to give up. One finds Servoz-Gavin later in the season with the GP of France on Cooper (where under the rain, it leaves the road), then at the end of the year at the wheel of the second Matra-Ford de Tyrrell. By finishing second of the GP of Italy, it signs what will remain the best result of its career in Grand Prix.

In 1969, Tyrrell aligns two full-time Matra-Ford, but Beltoise is preferred in Servoz-Gavin. This last must be satisfied with a role of pilot-tester, and in particular of the development of the Matra MS84, F1 with 4 driving wheels which it at the end of the year controls in Grand Prix. With the GP of Canada (disputed on the layout of Mosport), he manages to finish in the sixth place, which makes of him the only pilot of the history of Formula 1 have marked a point at the wheel of F1 with integral transmission. But overall, the MS84 remains a technical failure. Servoz is comforted by gaining this year the championship of Europe of Formule 2.

In 1970, Beltoise left again in the official team Matra, Servoz-Gavin is established at Tyrrell, which broke with Matra and aligns from now on March. But whereas its promising career Formulates 1 of them seems finally launched, Johnny announces with the general surprise its withdrawal of the competition at the conclusion of the qualifications of the GP of Monaco. One spoke much about one wound to the eye which has occurred at the time of a rally in 4x4 during the winter and which would have deprived the young French pilot of part of its vision, the incentive to be given up by security measure. He also said himself that Servoz-Gavin, controls with the Bohemian character for which the race was synonymous with pleasure, was put up less and less with the transformation of the world of the Large-Prices and in particular of the rise of the economic issues.

Prize list

Champion of France of Formula 3 in 1966
Champion of Europe of Formula 2 in 1969
12 GP of Formula 1 (2nd of GP of Italy 1968)

-----

Random links: