Amédée Gordini, who had been tuning cars and racing since the 1930s, caught the attention of Simca, the French assembler of Fiat cars, leading to his recruitment for their motorsport and road car development program.
Notable Team Members and Drivers
Amédée Gordini: Founder and head of the Gordini racing team, known for his engineering and car designs.
José Scaron: One of the main drivers for Gordini, particularly in the early years when the team was racing Fiat-engined single-seaters.
Jean Behra: He raced for Gordini in Formula One during the early 1950s and is known for his aggressive driving style and multiple podium finishes.
In 1946, Gordini launched his own brand with Fiat-engined single-seaters, racing alongside José Scaron and securing several wins. By the late 1940s, he had established a workshop on Boulevard Victor in Paris and competed in sports car and Grand Prix races. However, due to political disagreements, Gordini’s partnership with Simca began to wane in 1951.
Gordini appeared in Formula One from 1950 to 1956, making a brief comeback in 1957 with an eight-cylinder engine, although his most significant achievements were in Formula Two during this period.
Post-Formula One, Gordini aligned with Renault as an engine tuner and competed with Renault-Gordini cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1962 to 1969. He also tuned engines for Alpine, another sports car maker linked to Renault. In 1957, the Dauphine Gordini, a successful modified Renault Dauphine, was co-produced by Gordini and Renault. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Gordini-tuned Renault cars won various rallies.
In 1963, Gordini planned to relocate its headquarters to Noisy-le-Roi. By 1968, Amédée Gordini retired and sold a 70% stake in his company to Renault. The following year, Renault-Gordini moved to Viry-Châtillon and transitioned into Renault’s sports division. It eventually merged with Alpine to form Renault Sport in 1976, with René Vuaillat taking over as director.
By 1977, Renault had fully acquired Gordini. The brand continued to grace high-performance Renault models such as the Renault 5, 8, 12, and 17.
In 2009, Renault revived the Gordini name for an exclusive range of high-performance hatchbacks reminiscent of Fiat’s Abarth revival. Notable modern models include the Renault Twingo and the Renault Clio.
Gordini Formula One World Championship Records
The Formula One World Drivers’ Championship started in 1950, and the Formula One World Constructors’ Championship did not start until 1958.
| First entry | 1950 Monaco Grand Prix |
|---|---|
| Races entered | 33 |
| Engines | Gordini, Simca |
| Constructors’ Championships | 0 |
| Drivers’ Championships | 0 |
| Race victories | 0 |
| Podiums | 2 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 1 |
| Final entry | 1956 Italian Grand Prix |
Gordini Constructors’ Championship Results
The Formula One World Drivers’ Championship started in 1950, and the Formula One World Constructors’ Championship did not start until 1958.
| Year | Car | Drivers | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Simca-Gordini Type 15 | Robert Manzon Maurice Trintignant | – | – |
| 1951 | Simca-Gordini Type 15 | André Simon Robert Manzon Maurice Trintignant Aldo Gordini Jean Behra | – | – |
| 1952 | Gordini Type 16 | Robert Manzon Jean Behra Johnny Claes Prince Bira Maurice Trintignant | – | – |
| Simca-Gordini Type 11 | Max de Terra | – | – | |
| Simca-Gordini Type 15 | Prince Bira Johnny Claes Robert O’Brien Maurice Trintignant Paul Frère | – | – | |
| 1953 | Gordini Type 16 | Jean Behra Maurice Trintignant Harry Schell Robert Manzon Carlos Menditeguy Roberto Mieres Fred Wacker | – | – |
| Simca-Gordini Type 15 | Pablo Birger Georges Berger | – | – | |
| 1954 | Gordini Type 16 | Jean Behra Élie Bayol Roger Loyer Paul Frère André Pilette Jacques Pollet Georges Berger Clemar Bucci Fred Wacker | – | – |
| 1955 | Gordini Type 16 | Élie Bayol Jesús Iglesias Pablo Birger Robert Manzon Jacques Pollet Hermano da Silva Ramos Mike Sparken Jean Lucas | – | – |
| 1956 | Gordini Type 32 | André Pilette Élie Bayol Robert Manzon Hermano da Silva Ramos André Milhoux | – | – |
| Gordini Type 16 | Hermano da Silva Ramos Robert Manzon André Pilette André Simon | – | – |
Source: Wikipedia.com
