Ivor Bueb

Early life

Ivor Léon John Bueb was born to Léon Gervase Bueb and Grace Marie Alice Vagnolini in East Ham, Essex. His father was born in Breisach, Germany to French parents and his mother had English, Italian and Welsh grandparents. They divorced in 1926. Bueb spent his childhood in Dulwich, South London, regularly visiting Crystal Palace to watch Prince Bira, Freddie Dixon and Raymond Mays compete.

Career

Bueb started racing seriously in a Formula Three 500cc Cooper in 1953, graduating to the Cooper works team in 1955 when he finished second in the British championship. He made occasional starts in Grands Prix in 1957 with a Connaught and a Maserati run by Gilby Engineering. The following year he raced Bernie Ecclestone's Connaught at Monaco, and drove a Formula Two Lotus at the German Grand Prix.

In 1959, Bueb had two outings for BRP, firstly a non-qualification at Monaco, then another Formula Two entry at the British Grand Prix. He participated in six Formula One World Championship Grands Prix in all, but scored no championship points. He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races. With the death of Archie Scott Brown at Spa in May 1958, Brian Lister hired Bueb to fill the now-vacant Lister-Jaguar driver's seat. Bueb did an admirable job, scoring several first places at tracks such as Crystal Palace and Goodwood during the 1958 and 1959 sports car campaigns.

Bueb is perhaps best known for sharing the winning works Jaguar D-type with Mike Hawthorn in the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans which was marred by an accident in which 82 spectators were killed; a success he repeated with Ron Flockhart in the ex-works Ecurie Ecosse car in 1957.

Bueb suffered serious injuries in 1959 when he crashed his BRP Cooper-Borgward Formula Two car at the Charade Circuit near Clermont-Ferrand, France. He crashed at Gravenoire, a multiple apex-section at the very far end of the circuit, and was thrown out of his Cooper. After being carried off the circuit by Gendarmes in a way that probably worsened his injuries, Bueb died six days later at a hospital near the circuit.

It was Bueb's death, in conjunction with Archie Scott Brown's demise, that finally led Brian Lister to shut down his very successful sports car racing effort. Bueb's funeral was held at Manor Park Cemetery in Newham, London on the 10 August. It was attended by his family, friends, and widowed wife. His father was unable to attend, but arranged a high mass in Clermont-Ferrand at the same time.

Personal life

Bueb served in the RAF during WW2. After returning he invested money into selling ex-War department vehicles in Newport, Monmouthshire. He obtained his Aviator's Certificate in 1949 in Cardiff, piloting a DH82A Tiger Moth. Upon moving back to Cheltenham in the early 1950s, he began his career in motorsport, helped by Geoffrey Turk. Bueb was affectionally called 'Ivor the Driver' by his peers, a play on 'Ivan the Terrible'. After his tragic accident in 1959, fellow racer Jimmy Ebdon paid tribute:Despite his burly figure, he was indeed a quiet and very sensitive person. He was very modest in success and always most outspoken about his failures.Bueb was survived by his wife, Florence Ada Bueb (1925-2009) and his son, David Ivor Lee Bueb Thomas, who died in 1988.

Racing record

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

*** Formula 2 entry.

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results

References

References

1. "Ivor Bueb at Motorsport Memorial". motorsportmemorial.org.
2. Stowe, Pete. (2021). "Ivor Bueb of Cheltenham - Focus On 500cc Formula 3 racing - Westcountry Motorsport History".
3. (24 June 1957). "Scots win at Le Mans. Jaguars in First Four Places". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
4. "1955 24 Hours of Le Mans results". racingsportscars.com.
5. "1957 24 Hours of Le Mans results". racingsportscars.com.
6. "Motorsport Memorial -".
7. Sukup, Anton. (2019-09-26). "Ivor Bueb {{!}} The "forgotten" drivers of F1".
8. Small, Steve. (1994). "The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who". Guinness.
9. "British Saloon Car Championship".
10. "Ivor Bueb (GB)". 24h-en-piste.com.
11. "Ivor Bueb". [[Automobile Club de l'Ouest]].
12. "Complete Archive of Ivor Bueb". Racing Sports Cars.