Jo Bonnier, the pilot who came from the cold

Grand Prix winner, team director, Lola importer and president of the GPDA, the Swede was a diverse personality in motorsport. His commitment to safety did not prevent him from being killed fifty years ago, during the 24 1972 Hours of Le Mans.

Published on 19/06/2022 à 14:00

⁰ View comments)

Jo Bonnier, the pilot who came from the cold

The Lola 2 liter trays brought Jo Bonnier his last successes in 1970 and 1971, including a European title © DPPI

Son of a professor of genetics, educated in Stockholm (Sweden), Oxford (England) and Paris, lieutenant in the Navy, speaking eight languages, Joakim Bonnier (Jo to friends) did not correspond to the image that we is made of a pilot F1. From his tall stature, he did not lack charisma, but could appear cold and distant. On the track too, he lacked this exuberance which is the prerogative of the greatest. Jo was born in Stockholm on January 31, 1930. He quickly left his uncle's publishing business for the Swedish Navy, where he spent three years before launching into the automobile business. At the same time, he raced from the age of seventeen: off-road motorcycles, rallies, ice races... The Citroën 11CV and the early HRG soon gave way to a Alfa Romeo 1900 SS, when he became a distributor of the Italian brand in 1954.

[caption id =