Georges Servoz-Gavin

Georges ‘Johnny’ Servoz-Gavin was a handsome, blond playboy racer who loved the good life, but significantly, he also possessed a great deal of natural talent.

After being thrown out of the Winfield driving school in 1963, ‘Johnny’ did a little rallying in 1964 before spending all his money on a Brabham for 1965. He was wild but fast, taking fourth place in the French F3 series to earn a lucrative contract to drive with Matra in 1966. He duly won the title and thus was promoted to the Matra Formula 2 team for 1967. His results were moderate, and only a splendid fourth in the F1/F2 non-title Spanish GP kept him on board.

An accident to Jackie Stewart at a Formula 2 meeting early in 1968 brought the Frenchman a glorious opportunity to show his ability on the Grand Prix stage. Taking over the Scotsman’s Ken Tyrrell Matra, he sensationally led the early laps of the Monaco GP, but clipped a barrier and broke a driveshaft. Later in the season he redeemed himself somewhat with a superb second place in the Italian GP, but this performance did not lead a full-time Grand Prix ride. For 1969 Servoz-Gavin concentrated on the European F2 championship, and with victory in the Rome GP, took the title of top non-graded driver. In Grands Prix, he was mainly entrusted with the Matra MS84, and succeeded in gaining a point with it at Mosport, the only time any 4WD car has achieved this feat.

The following season saw a full-time promotion to Formula 1 when ‘Johnny’ was paired with Jackie Stewart in the Tyrrell team, running the difficult March 701. He finished fifth in the Spanish GP, but then after hitting the chicane and failing to qualify for the Monaco Grand Prix, causing him to suddenly to announce his retirement from racing.

Ultimately, perhaps, he had decided that the risks inherent in racing at the time were not worthwhile, but there was also, apparently, a problem with his vision. The Frenchman had suffered a minor inujry to his eye after a tree branch struck him in the face whilst driving off road the previous winter, and this may have been the deciding factor.

Subsequently, Servoz-Gavin sustained burns in two separate boating fires, and after a period of ill-health, died from a pulmonary embolism in 2006 aged just 64.