24h Le Mans
In an ideal world, one's passion, hard work and commitment would guarantee success. But, talent also plays a complex and crucial role in winning. Olivier Gendebien's track record is proof positive of that fact. Though he never considered himself a professional, he nevertheless built a career that countless great drivers envy.
It's nothing new: a young man helps his dad in his garage and falls in love with cars. Eventually, he ditches uni to devote himself to learning the science of racing. That is not how things happened for Olivier Gendebien. Born into an affluent Belgian family in 1924, he wasn't particuarly interested in cars, at least not more so than any other of his hobbies. After WWII, in which he actively participated, Gendebien lived in the Belgian Congo for four years working as an agricultural engineer, far from racing circuits.
In Africa, he met fellow countryman Charles Fraikin. The two hit it off and began planning to participate in the Liège-Rome-Liège rally sometime in the distant future. Having returned to his native soil, Gendebien's interest in racing increased, but horses remained his real passion at that time, in addition to skiing and tennis. Still, Gendebien took the start in the 1952 Frontières Grand Prix in Chimay, France. He was a revelation.
His reputation continued to soar after every race he entered. At the age of 28 and on the heels of his success in rally, he tried his luck at circuits, proving just as fast. Gendebien thoroughly enjoyed endurance racing, taking the start in his rookie 24 Hours in 1955 at the wheel of Écurie Nationale Belge's Porsche 550 RS 1500 with Wolfgang Seidel. The duo finished second in its category and fifth overall! Sure, his career got a late start, but wow did it kick off with a bang.
After yet another stellar performance in Italy, Gendebien was personally recruited by Enzo Ferrari for both Formula 1 and endurance races. His pairing with American driver Phil Hill at the 1000 km Buenos Aires was perfect given the two preferred racing at one's own pace without overdoing it to reach to the chequered flag in a good position.
Gendebien quickly became indispensable within the Scuderia Ferrari. At the 1956 24 Hours, he and Maurice Trintignant finished third, but the following year, a broken piston forced the duo to retire.
Hill rejoined Gendebien for the 1958 24 Hours. Torrential rain flooded the circuit for 15 hours, but that didn't stop the pair from going for a first win together. The Jaguar Type D just couldn't hold its own against the Ferrari 250 TR 58 and its powerful V12 engine.
In 1959, things got complicated. Stirling Moss with Aston Martin took the start like a bat out of hell. His competitors could barely keep up, including Gendebien/Hill in a Ferrari 250 TR 59. The car managed to hold its own, but was then forced to throw in the towel in the 20th hour due to an overheating engine.
The 1960 24 Hours provided a new career milestone: Gendebien mastered the fragile Ferrari TR59/60 along with Paul Frère, dominating the race as the other Ferraris struggled. The Belgian duo scored a stunning win with a four-lap lead.
Gendebien proved his mettle in single-seaters as well, but found himself confined to endurance racing. Frustrated by his situation, he left the Scuderia to take the wheel of a private Cooper-Climax in Formula 1, and the move paid off. Gendebien finished third at the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix and second at the French GP in Reims.
However, it was clear the Belgian driver and Ferrari needed each other if they wanted to win Le Mans. They teamed up again for the 1961 season, which turned out to be Gendebien's last in Formula 1.
Hill/Gendebien quickly set a staggering pace at the 1961 24 Hours, forcing their opponents to pull out all the stops. The lead cars eventually gave up the breakneck pace, but two Ferraris emerged: one the official car shared by the American/Belgian pair, the other a private entry by North American Racing Team (NART) driven by Mexican brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez. The drivers delivered a breathtaking duel until NART's Ferrari broke down, paving the way for another Hill/Gendebien victory (the latter's third).
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The two shared the wheel of a monster 330 TRI/LM at the 1962 24 Hours, its 4-litre V12 the only one on the starting grid. The car's performance was mind-blowing, dusting the Maseratis and Aston Martins by several seconds each lap. The Rodríguez brothers remained Hill/Gendebien's only real competition until dawn on Sunday, but Gendebien went on to clinch his fourth win at Le Mans, a new record at the time.
After narrowly avoiding contact with a slower car at Tertre Rouge the following year, Gendebien retired from racing at the request of his wife without ever truly considering himself a professional driver.
He was perhaps never the fastest, nor the most incisive behind the wheel, but his track record made him one of the best drivers in the history of the world sports car championship. Gendebien also won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1959 and 1961 with the Scuderia Ferrari, and with Porsche in 1960.
Rich in his own right, he lived in the South of France until he passed away in 1998, receiving the Order of the Belgian Crown that same year. With his death ended a bygone era focused on values and conduct beyond driving. Gendebien was a true artist, every bit as talented as those "professionals."
