Teddy Pilette

Belgian racing driver Teddy Pilette is a third-generation racer of the Pilette motor racing family. His grandfather, Theodore, famously took part in the 1913 Indy 500 where, driving a small-engined Mercedes, he finished 5th. His father, André, took to the track too, and participated in 14 Grands Prix between 1951 and 1964, scoring two World Championship points. Teddy’s racing career started in go karts, and continued in Formula Junior with the world famous Jim Russell Racing School. After a spell with Carlo Abarth in Italy, he joined Rudi van der Straten’s Racing Team VDS famously winning two F5000 European titles. He drove for Brabham and BRM in the F1 World Championship and later drove in the Aurora AFX series. One of his major feats was winning the 1978 Spa 24 Hours, the last time on the long circuit, in a Ford Capri. European Editor Mike Jiggle took the opportunity to talk with Pilette about the highs and lows of his long and varied career, which continues to this day as Vice-Chairman of the F1 Grand Prix Drivers’ Club (formerly Club Internationale des Anciens Pilotes de Grand Prix F1).

Teddy, you are possibly one of the only drivers to have taken part in the three major F5000 series held in Europe, America and Australia?