Sunday 11th June 1972

The dashing Jo Bonnier (42) was killed, also at the Le Mans 24-Hour, when his Lola collided with a Ferrari in the night, ploughing into pine trees and cutting a 200-yard swathe through them as his car disintegrated. Born in Stockholm, Sweden, he was a wealthy gentleman driver of the competitive kind and a very likable personality, Jo Bonnier started in Formula 1 in 1957 with a Maserati and his greatest claim to fame was to claim BRM’s maiden Grand Prix victory at Zandvoort in 1959. He continued as a GP regular in private entries, although with decreasing success, and was one of the driving forces behind the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association. He was also highly competitive in endurance racing winning the Targa Florio twice (1960 and 1962) and the 1962 Sebring 12 Hours race.