Henri Pescarolo
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| Born | 25 September 1942 |
|---|---|
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |
 French |
| Active years | 1968 – 1974, 1976 |
| Teams | Matra, March, Williams, BRM, privateer Surtees |
| Entries | 64 (57 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 1 |
| Career points | 12 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 1 |
| First entry | 1968 Canadian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1976 United States Grand Prix |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
|---|---|
| Participating years | 1966–1968, 1970–1999 |
| Teams | Equipe Matra (Matra-Simca), Scuderia Filipinetti, Ligier, Inaltera, Martini Racing-Porsche, Rondeau, Joest Racing, Kouros Racing Team, Tom Walkinshaw Racing (Silk Cut Jaguar), Konrad Motorsport, Courage Compétition, La Filière Elf, Pescarolo Sport |
| Best finish | 1st (1972, 1973, 1974, 1984) |
| Class wins | 6 (1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1984, 1992) |
Henri Jacques William Pescarolo (born 25 September 1942) is a former racing driver from France. He competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans a record 33 times, winning on four occasions, and won a number of other major sports car events including the 24 Hours of Daytona. He also participated in 64 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium and 12 championship points. Pescarolo also drove in the Dakar Rally in the 1990s, before retiring from racing at the age of 57. In 2000 he set up his eponymous racing team, Pescarolo Sport, which competed in Le Mans until 2013. He wore a distinctive green helmet, and wears a full-face beard that partially covers burns suffered in a crash.
Pescarolo began his career in 1965 with a Lotus Seven. He was successful enough to be offered a third car in the Matra Formula 3 team for 1966, but the car was not ready until mid-season. However, in 1967 he won the European Championship with Matra and was promoted to Formula 2 for 1968. That season he was team-mate to Jean-Pierre Beltoise and achieved several second places and a win at Albi, which led to him being given a drive in Matra's Formula One team for the last three races of 1968.
His career suffered a setback, in 1969, when he crashed on the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans whilst testing the Matra sports car. Pescarolo was badly burned and did not compete again until mid-season. He returned at the German GP where he drove a Formula 2 Matra into fifth place winning the small capacity class, in his only Grand Prix race that season.
For 1970 Pescarolo was signed full-time by Matra for their Formula One team and once again as team-mate to Beltoise, put in a solid season with a third place at the Monaco Grand Prix being the high point. He also won the Paris 1000 km and Buenos Aires 1000 km sports car races partnered with Beltoise. Pescarolo was not retained by Matra, and in 1971, 1972, and 1973 with Motul sponsorship, he drove for the fledgling Formula One team run by the young Frank Williams, but with little success. In 1974, Pescarolo drove for BRM, again with Motul backing, but the team's best days were gone and a ninth place in Argentina was his best result in a season with many retirements.
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