1. Jean-Louis Schlesser was born on 12 September 1948 and is a French racing driver who has competed in both circuit racing and cross-country rallying.
11 Facts About Jean-Louis Schlesser
1. 2.
Jean-Louis Schlesser is the nephew of Jo Schlesser, a former Formula One driver.
3.
Jean-Louis Schlesser began racing in the early 1970s after enrolling at the racing school at Le Mans, starting with numerous rally events.
4.
Jean-Louis Schlesser began racing touring cars in 1980, competing in the French Supertouring Championship.
5.
Jean-Louis Schlesser was working as a test driver for Williams when he gained his first taste of Formula One in early 1983 when he bought a drive in the RAM team's March-RAM 01-Cosworth.
6.
Jean-Louis Schlesser did not take part in another F1 race for five years, though he continued to test for Williams, and was active in sports car racing.
7.
The mid-1980s saw Jean-Louis Schlesser perform in touring cars and sports cars, winning the French Touring Car Championship in 1985 with a TWR Rover Vitesse, as well as driving the works TWR Jaguars in the World Sportscar Championship.
8.
Jean-Louis Schlesser won the "Classic Masters" title at the 1994 Race of Champions.
9.
Jean-Louis Schlesser went on to several 2WD class and overall wins the following years, before taking the overall victory in the 1999 and 2000 editions of the Dakar.
10.
Jean-Louis Schlesser won the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup from 1998 to 2002 and the 2 WD FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup several times.
11.
Jean-Louis Schlesser won every edition of the Africa Eco Race from its establishment in 2009 to 2014.