Maurice Trintignant: The Steady Fortuitous Frenchman

October 18, 2013 by Jeremy McMullen

There are certain races in which victories can define a career. In a moment, an unassuming and modest racer can become one of the greats simply by achieving victory in truly special races. No better description fits the French driver that would compete for some 14 years throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

Arguably, Maurice Bienvenu Jean Paul Trintignant would have his best years stolen away by war. In fact, his early life would be marked by war. Born just a day before the British forces would break through the Ottoman line in the Third Battle of Gaza, Trintignant would be born in Sainte-Cecile-les-Vignes, Vaucluse in 1917.

Maurice would not be born into an anonymous family. Not only would his parents run their own vineyeard, but his brother, Louis Trintignant, would become a Bugatti race car driver in the early 1930s. Later, his nephew, Jean-Louis Trintignant, would become a well-known actor.

Trintignant's home town is located in the Vaucluse department in southeastern France and is better known for its proximity to Mont Ventoux. The 'Beast of Provence', as Ventoux would be known, would host hill climbs annually starting in 1902. The whole of the provence would host small motor races and this would become quite attractive. Maurice's interest in motor racing would be further bolstered when his brother became a driver for Bugatti.

Motor racing in the early 1930s was hardly any different than the decades previous and Maurice's love affair for motor racing would be severely tested when, while testing for the 1933 Grand Prix de Picardie, Louis crashed and died. The whole family would be so deeply affected they would remove any such link to motor racing, including selling the crashed Bugatti. Maurice was just 16 at the time.

But Maurice couldn't stay away, and, by 1938, would purchase the same Bugatti back and would prepare to take part in his first motor race. Though just months before the outbreak of the Second World War, Trintignant would focus on his racing career and would end up proving successful when he took victory in the 1939 Grand Prix des Frontieres held on a public road course just outside the small Belgian town of Chimay. This, and other performances, would end up attracting the attention of another French racing star, Jean-Pierre Wimille. Unfortunately, that would prove about it before the French countryside would be swarming with German troops.

Because of the invading German military, Maurice would hide his Bugatti away under some hay in a barn. Amazingly, the Bugatti would remain undisturbed for the whole of the war. Immediately following the cessation of hostilities Maurice would go looking for the Bugatti he affectionately referred to as 'Grandma'.

While much of Europe lay in ruins following more than five years of war, Trintignant would return to the barn and would fortuitously find his Bugatti still in there and in relatively working order. Restoring the Bugatti to working order, Maurice would look forward to the return of motor racing.

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He wouldn't have to wait too long before he got back to racing. In 1945 there would be a special event known as the Coupe de la Liberation. Maurice would be running well until his Bugatti suddenly cut out and failed. Upon investigation it would be found the fuel filter had been clogged by rat droppings. Jean-Pierre Wimille would find this rather amusing and would rather affectionately refer to Trintignant from that moment on as Le Petoulet, which stood for 'little rat droppings'.

In spite of the unfortunate restart to his career, Trintignant would still enjoy some success in his Bugatti despite going up against Maserati 4CLs and Delahaye 135s. And, even though he would earn the rather unbecoming nickname from Wimille, he would be at least one Frenchman that would survive to enjoy a long career in racing.

The new Formula One World Championship would begin in 1950 with the British Grand Prix. At that time, Trintignant would be in his early 30s and would have a drive with Equipe Gordini. Gordini was something of a genius when it came to producing small single-seater grand prix cars with the performance and handling necessary to battle with the best. However, the biggest problem the Gordini's faced was unreliability and this would be evident throughout the first couple of seasons in Formula One.

Trintignant would make his Formula One World Championship debut at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1950. He would start the race from 13th on the grid. Unfortunately, the infamous first lap accident would collect the Frenchman and a number of others leaving his debut in Formula One extremely short. But while this would prove a rather undesirable start to his Formula One career, especially at Monaco, the street circuit would later hold some pleasant surprises.

The 1952 season would see Trintignant start in four rounds. In each case he would end up out of the running in the unreliable Gordini. But while the Gordini lacked the reliability to challenge in Formula One, sportscars would be something of another matter entirely as he would earn a number of top results behind the wheel of a Gordini T15S, including an overall victory in the Rheinland Nurburgring.

But like Formula One, unreliability and failure would continue to mark his racing career, even in sportscars. Though steady behind the wheel, mechanical failures continued to plague his potential.

The 1952 season would see a change take place. In Formula One, the new Formula 2-like regulations took effect and played to the strengths of the Gordini. Therefore, after two seasons of not finishing a single round of the World Championship, Trintignant would go on to score a 5th place finish before the home crowd in the French Grand Prix. This would be nearly matched by a 6th place result in the Netherlands Grand Prix later on in the season.

The relative success in Formula One would be bettered by his results in sportscars. In his last two races of the season, Trintignant would go on to score back-to-back victories driving a Gordini T15S. This would be followed up with a 2nd and another victory in the first two sportscar races of the 1953 season. Though he was now in his mid-30s, and somewhat beyond his prime years, Maurice was finding a groove and was proving to be quite a talented racing driver. Two 5th place finishes and a 6th in Formula One that season only further collaborated the notion the Frenchman was getting stronger with age.

The 1954 season would prove to be a turning-point for Trintignant. Earning a drive with Ecurie Rosier, Maurice would head to Argentina for the first round of the Formula One World Championship. Driving a Ferrari 625, Trintignant would follow Fangio and two other factory Ferrari drivers home to a 4th place result. This impressive performance would earn Maurice a drive with Scuderia Ferrari in sportscars and in Formula One.

Taking part in the 2 Hours of Dakar in a Ferrari 500 Mondial, Maurice would prove his signing was a stroke of genius as he would finish in 2nd place in his first race with the team. He would follow this result up with an overall victory in the Hyeres 12 Hours.

However, the biggest highlight of Trintignant's racing career, fortuitously, would come on home soil in the middle of June of 1954. Co-driving along with Jose Froilan Gonzalez, Trintignant would be piloting a Ferrari 375 Plus in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Maurice's steady hands and Gonzalez's outright pace proved to be a successful combination and would result in an overall victory. Though 36 at the time, Trintignant was showing he had the speed and ability to be a very successful driver. The victory at Le Mans made it two-straight sportscar victories and offered a lot of momentum before he took part in his first Formula One race with Ferrari.

That first Formula One race with Ferrari would come just one week after the overall triumph at Le Mans. The race was the Belgian Grand Prix. Mercedes-Benz had not made their debut yet, so the race presented a great opportunity for Trintignant. And he would take firm hold of the chance.

Fighting Juan Manuel Fangio would nearly always be a losing battle. Still, Trintignant would show great strength behind the wheel of the Ferrari and would even manage to beat Stirling Moss to come across the line in 2nd place, his best-ever result in a Formula One World Championship race, and just a foreshadow of what would take place the following year.

The 1955 season would not be particularly good for Scuderia Ferrari. Alberto Ascari had already left the team the previous year. Maserati had unveiled its 250F. Then there was Mercedes-Benz with its W196. Ferrari had hoped the 553 Super Squalo would be the team's next great force but the car would have its short-comings, not the least of these being a lack of speed. Therefore, many of the Ferrari drivers would turn to the much older 625. The 625 would actually be developed before the Formula 2 era and would become the Ferrari 500. Therefore, even with the new 2.5-liter engine limit, the 625 would prove to be old and slow. However, it was still a good handling car and that fit Trintignant perfectly.

The 1955 season would start out strong enough with Trintignant earning a shared 2nd place drive in the Argentine Grand Prix. But, as the cars took to the Monaco circuit for practice it was more than obvious the Ferrari was out-classed and would be blessed to even finish in the middle of the pack.

The last time Monaco had been on the Formula One calendar it was 1950 and it would end up being one of the more infamous Monaco Grand Prix as an opening lap crash would take out most of the field. One of those that would be taken out in that first lap crash would be Trintignant. This was his first foray around the streets of Monaco in the World Championship and it would prove less than memorable.

The second Monaco experience would start out nearly as unimpressive. Trailing a long way behind the leading W196s of Fangio and Moss, victory would appear to be the last thing Trintignant would ever achieve. But after the two Mercedes-Benz suddenly retired and Ascari took a dip in the drink, a victory would be in the offering for the Frenchman.

The best Trintignant had ever achieved in a Formula One race before was a 2nd place and he had achieved that result twice. Now, as a result of some fortuitous events, he would better than result and would come through to take victory at Monaco in the race's return to the World Championship. There likely has never been a more surprising victor in the Monaco Grand Prix, but as he strode up the steps to accept the congratulations of the prince, the enthusiastic crowd would certainly make him feel as though he deserved every bit of the success.

The victory in Monaco would literally be the only highlight of the Formula One season for Trintignant as he would fight hard to finish even near the top five the remainder of the season. Sportscars would provide some more moments of jubilation as he and Eugenio Castellotti would partner to score victory in the 10 Hours of Messina. Then, at the Tourist Trophy race at Dundrod held toward the end of the season he and Umberto Maglioli would go on to finish 8th in a Ferrari 857 S.

The 1956 season would start out strong again for Trintignant as he would score a couple of sportscar victories for Scuderia Ferrari. In Formula One, Trintignant would move on from Ferrari and would find a ride with Vandervell Products. The new Vanwalls were getting faster and faster. Trintignant's experience and steady performance made his perfect for helping to develop the car. Unfortunately, he would come to the team when unreliability still plagued the fast cars. As a result, he would make four starts with the team throughout the '56 season and would suffer a retirement in each race.

The French Grand Prix would be a different affair as he would strike up an old partnership. Bugatti would be attempting to make its debut in Formula One. Throughout the 1930s, Bugatti would prove to be the most successful manufacturer scoring victories what seemed to be about daily. However, in 1956, the story would be much different. Debuting at the fast Reims circuit, the wide Bugatti T25 would be short on speed, and reliability. All of this mixed together to create a very short debut and the Bugatti name disappearing from grand prix racing for good.

The 1957 season would have Trintignant pushing 40 years of age. Certainly Fangio was well into his 40s and proving to be quite fast. But Trintignant was not Fangio, but he was still a steady hand behind the wheel. He would prove that with a 5th place at the Monaco Grand Prix and a 4th place at the British. Still, it seemed his days of success were now behind him. Though the French would love and adore their Le Petoulet, he was still not as fast as the competition, nor as quick as what he once was.

But out-right speed doesn't always mean victory. This was certainly the case when he managed to achieve his first Formula One victory. And it would certainly be the case when he would earn his second.

In 1958, Trintignant would get a drive with Rob Walker's Walker Racing Team. He would be driving a Cooper T45. The mid-engined Coopers showed great potential throughout the 1957 season but they still needed time to develop and get stronger to really be able to compete with the Formula One cars. More than anything, the Cooper needed a larger engine that produced enough power to compete.

Stirling Moss had driven the Walker Racing Cooper to victory in the Argentine Grand Prix. At Monaco, Moss would return to Vanwall and Trintignant would take over the seat vacated by the Brit. The light and nimble little Cooper would be great around the streets of Monaco, the second round of the '58 Formula One World Championship. As a result, Maurice would start the race from 5th place on the grid.

In the race, Trintignant would seem to be about the only one that wouldn't be fighting for the lead of the race. However, one-by-one, all of the challengers began to run into trouble leaving Trintignant in the lead late in the race once again. It was almost exactly like the Monaco '55 when trouble visited the competition and handed Maurice victory. To the chorus of an absolutely jubilant crowd he would go on to secure his second Formula One victory, and his second around the streets of the tiny principality. His victory meant he would join Fangio as only the second double-winner at Monaco since the inception of Formula One.

Following the second victory in Monaco, success would be relatively hard to come by. He would score a 3rd place in the German Grand Prix later in '58, as well as, another 3rd place in the Monaco Grand Prix the following year. But throughout the remainder of his Formula One career the best Trintignant would ever manage to achieve would be a 2nd place in the United States Grand Prix held at Sebring in 1959.

Considering he was 42 years of age by the end of the year, the 1959 season would prove to be one of his strongest in Formula One as he would finish with a total of 19 points and 5th place overall in the drivers standings. He would only better that on two other occasions and they would come back-to-back in 1954 and 1955 when he finished 4th.

In spite of the lack of success in the World Championship, there would be still one more moment in the sun in a Formula One grand prix car. That would come on the 23rd of April in the Grand Prix de Pau. Pau was the site of the very first grand prix. The non-championship race in April of 1962 would prove to be the last grand prix victory for Trintignant as he would take his Lotus-Climax to victory defeating Ricardo Rodriguez by a margin of more than 30 seconds.

Sportscars would see success continue to come the Frenchman's way. A victory in 1956 at the Sveriges Grand Prix would be followed by a number of class victories and podium results overall. Consistent and usually very much in command of his car, Trintignant fit in perfectly in endurance sportscar racing and this would lead to consist top ten, top five results all throughout the remainder of the 1950s.

As with Formula One, Maurice's sportscar career would extend into the 1960s. Unfortunately, as with Formula One, the successes were very hard to find. Despite a 4th place in the 1961 Targa Florio and a pair of 3rd places in the Tour de France and the Paris 1000 Kilometers, there was very little in the way of highlights for Trintignant, even in sportscars. About the only remaining highlight in his sportscar career would come in 1965 when he would partner with Guy Ligier to be a part of the Ford GT40 program and driving for Ford France in the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans. Unfortunately, the car would not finish the race.

Following his last couple of sportscar forays, Trintignant would retire. Going from the searing noise of the grand prix circuits of the world, Trintignant would find a much quieter life as a vintner. Trintignant's family life would end up being a blessing following his retirement from racing as it would enable him to move quickly and quietly into the wine-making industry. Furthermore, the rather unfortunate nickname given Trintignant by Wimille would prove fortuitous as well. Proving there is more to a name, Maurice would take his rather laughable nickname and would turn it into a wine label.

Besides being a successful wine-maker, Trintignant would also serve a spell in politics being elected mayor of his home town Vergeze. While politics can become incendiary, Trintignant would manage to keep a low profile and would end up quietly passing away in 2005 at the age of 87.

Among the list of Formula One greats, Trintignant's name is likely to be found well down on the list. However, there is no arguing his abilities and penchant for being in the right place at the right time. Furthermore, to have his two Formula One victories come on the streets of Monaco…they would be two victories just about any accomplished Formula One driver would dearly love to have for their resume.

In spite of not being considered one of the great all-time drivers there is also no denying the fact he is one of a very short list to have achieved two stages of motor racing's triple crown. Had he attempted the Indianapolis 500, he likely could have his career looked at in very different terms. Instead, he will just have to be remembered as a steady driver that was fortunate-enough to secure some truly memorable victories.

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