Benoit Musy
Encyclopedia
Benoît Nicolas Musy was a Swiss Grand Prix
motorcycle
road racer
and race car driver.
, Switzerland
, the son of president Jean-Marie Musy
. He received an agriculture
engineering degree in Bern, and served in the air force during World War II
, during which he in 1944 became famous for rescuing a large number (1200) of Jews from the concentration camp Theresienstadt with the aid of his father. He also received one the first Swiss parachute jumper licenses in 1947.
motorcycles. He also competed in the 1949 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix, part of the inaugural Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
. He competed in three more Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix races, finishing as high as fourth place.
Later he moved to racing cars. He had various ones, all Maserati
. Musy started in May 1954, with a 1953 Maserati A6
or A6GCS (#2040), a Maserati factory race car, formerly used by Giletti, the official Maserati pilot. With this car he has won several races, including some record laps, on different tracks. He sold the car in 1955 to Pietro Pagliarini.
At that time, Benoît Musy was already part of the semi-official driver of Maserati. He took part of several races with very little success on Maserati 150, Maserati 200S
and Maserati 200Si. He even participated at a race in Dakar
(Sénégal) with a Maserati 250. He did not finish.
After a test drive in the Swedish Grand Prix
, he bought a Maserati 300S
(#3057) in 1955 with which he earned several podium results. It was a red car with a large white strip going from front to rear.
Musy died in a racing event at Autodrome de Montlhéry
, France, on October 7, 1956, crashing a factory Maserati 200S
(#2047) over an embankment after a steering column breakdown. Ejected from the car, he died immediately. In total, he attended eleven mid-1950s European sports car championships, of which he won five.
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road racer
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
and race car driver.
Biography
Musy was born in FribourgFribourg
Fribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the son of president Jean-Marie Musy
Jean-Marie Musy
Jean-Marie Musy was a Swiss politician.He was elected to the Federal Council of Switzerland on 11 December 1919 and handed over office on 30 April 1934...
. He received an agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
engineering degree in Bern, and served in the air force during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, during which he in 1944 became famous for rescuing a large number (1200) of Jews from the concentration camp Theresienstadt with the aid of his father. He also received one the first Swiss parachute jumper licenses in 1947.
Motor Sports Champion, part 1: motorcycle
He acquired further fame as a motorcycle racer, winning six Swiss championships with Moto GuzziMoto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It is one of seven brands owned by Piaggio.Established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, Italy, the company is noted for its central historic role in Italy's motorcycling manufacture, its prominence worldwide in motorcycle racing, and a series of...
motorcycles. He also competed in the 1949 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix, part of the inaugural Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the inaugural F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of six Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 600cc...
. He competed in three more Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix races, finishing as high as fourth place.
Motor Sports Champion, part 2: motorcar
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
. Musy started in May 1954, with a 1953 Maserati A6
Maserati A6
Maserati A6 were various cars made by Maserati of Italy, named for the Alfieri brothers and for the straight-six engine....
or A6GCS (#2040), a Maserati factory race car, formerly used by Giletti, the official Maserati pilot. With this car he has won several races, including some record laps, on different tracks. He sold the car in 1955 to Pietro Pagliarini.
At that time, Benoît Musy was already part of the semi-official driver of Maserati. He took part of several races with very little success on Maserati 150, Maserati 200S
Maserati 200S
Maserati 200S were twenty-eight racing cars made by Maserati of Italy, to take over for the aging Maserati A6 GCS racing variants.The Tipo 52 development started in 1952, led by Giulio Alfieri. The car had a 1994.3 cc inline-four cylinder light-alloy engine, dual OHV per cylinder and DOHC...
and Maserati 200Si. He even participated at a race in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
(Sénégal) with a Maserati 250. He did not finish.
Swedish Grand Prix
The Swedish Grand Prix was a round of the Formula One World Championship from 1973 to 1978. It took place at the Scandinavian Raceway in Anderstorp , about 30km from Jönköping, in Småland, Sweden...
, he bought a Maserati 300S
Maserati 300S
The Maserati 300S was a racing car produced by Maserati of Italy between 1955-58, which competed in the FIA's World Sportscar Championship. Twenty eight examples were produced....
(#3057) in 1955 with which he earned several podium results. It was a red car with a large white strip going from front to rear.
Musy died in a racing event at Autodrome de Montlhéry
Autodrome de Montlhéry
Autodrome de Montlhéry is an automobile racetrack, officially called L’autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, located across the towns of Linas Bruyères-le-Châtel and Ollainville, outside Paris in the southside....
, France, on October 7, 1956, crashing a factory Maserati 200S
Maserati 200S
Maserati 200S were twenty-eight racing cars made by Maserati of Italy, to take over for the aging Maserati A6 GCS racing variants.The Tipo 52 development started in 1952, led by Giulio Alfieri. The car had a 1994.3 cc inline-four cylinder light-alloy engine, dual OHV per cylinder and DOHC...
(#2047) over an embankment after a steering column breakdown. Ejected from the car, he died immediately. In total, he attended eleven mid-1950s European sports car championships, of which he won five.
#3057 Maserati 300S
The #3057 Maserati 300S was later sold to the Angolan Racing Team- in Nov. 1975: the Angolan Revolution in Nov. 1975, the car was left behind.
- it was transformed into street car with a US V8 cylinder engine and #3057 was used as a convertible sports car.
- in Nov. 1989 Stein Johnsen, from Norway, discovered it and imported it to Norway
- in March 1991 The car arrived in Oslo per ship
- in Feb 1992 The car was sold to Peter J. Scott, Ashe Park, Hampshire, UK "MSJ 963"
- from 1992 to 1994 The car isgoing through a major restoration project at Church Green, Dorset. A new Maserati engine from Cyril Embry, body and gearbox, from Eyears. Engine from this car is in s/n 3069
- in Feb. 1995 Offered by Paradise Garage, Scout Lane, Clapham, London T&CC
- in Aug. 1996 Coys Historic Festival Silverstone Martin Stretton #31
- in May 19973rd GP Historique Monaco Martin Stretton #10
- in Jul. 1997 Coys Historic Festival Silverstone Martin Stretton #47
- in Aug. 1997 2nd OGP Nuerburgring Martin Stretton #235
- in Jul. 1998 Coys Historic Festival Silverstone Martin Stretton #10
- in Oct. 1998 Sold to Tom Walduck, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK
- in 1999 Mille Miglia Walduck/McSwan #317
- in March 2000 Sold to Dr. Michael Hinderer, Gruenwald, D
- in June 20000 Shell Historic Challenge, Le Mans Michael Hinderer #155
- in Aug. 2000 OGP Nuerburgring 2000 Michael Hinderer #360
- in Apr. 2001 Shell Historic Challenge, Spa Michael Hinderer #58
- in June 2001 Shell Historic Challenge, Brands Hatch Martin Stretton #58
- in Aug. 2001 Silverstone Historic Festival Martin Stretton #33
- in Aug. 2001 OGP Nuerburgring Michael Hinderer #426
- in Oct. 2001 Tutte le Ferrari a Monza Michael Hinderer #58
Auto racing results
| Year | Position | Racetrack - Country | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 1st | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its... (Belgium) |
Maserati 2000cc A6GCS |
| 1954 | 4th | Aquila racetrack (Switzerland) | Maserati 2000cc |
| 1954 | 1st | Megève racetrack best time ever (France) | Maserati 2000cc |
| 1954 | 2nd | Senigallia racetrack (Italy) | Maserati 2000cc |
| 1954 | 2nd | Senigallia racetrack (Italy) | Maserati 2000cc |
| 1954 | 2nd | Circuit Park Zandvoort Circuit Park Zandvoort Circuit Park Zandvoort is a motorsport race track located in Burgemeester van Alphenstraat 108, 2041 KP in the dunes north of the town of Zandvoort, in the Netherlands, near the North Sea coast line.- History :... (Netherland) |
Maserati 2000cc |
| 1954 | 2nd | Circuit Bremgarten Circuit Bremgarten The Circuit Bremgarten was a 7.28 km race course in Bern, Switzerland which formerly hosted the Formula One Swiss Grand Prix and the Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix.... Swiss Grand-Prix |
Maserati 2000cc |
| 1954 | 2nd | Kandersteg racetrack (Switzerland) | Maserati 2000cc |
| 1954 | 1st | Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry (France) | Maserati 2000cc |
| 1954 | 1st | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its... (Belgium) |
Maserati 2000cc |
| 1955 | 1st | Grand Prix des Frontières Grand Prix des Frontières The Grand Prix des Frontières was a motor race held at Chimay in Belgium. The race was created by Jules Buisseret, who was also responsible for the circuit's existence... Chimay (Belgium) |
Maserati 3000cc 300S |
| 1955 | 4th | Porto Grand-Prix Monsanto Park (Portugal) | Maserati 3000cc |
| 1955 | 2nd | Messina 10 h night race (Italy) | Masearti 3000cc |
| 1955 | 1st | Karlskoga Karlskoga Motorstadion Karlskoga Motorstadion, also known as Gelleråsen is the oldest permanent racing facility in Sweden.The circuit is located 6 km north of Karlskoga.The layout is such that the whole track can be seen from all spectator areas.... – Kanonloppet (Sweden) |
Maserati 3000cc |
| 1956 | 1st | first heat Oulton Park Oulton Park Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was... best time ever (UK) |
Maserati 3000 cc |
| 1956 | 1st | Grand Prix des Frontières Grand Prix des Frontières The Grand Prix des Frontières was a motor race held at Chimay in Belgium. The race was created by Jules Buisseret, who was also responsible for the circuit's existence... Chimay (Belgium) |
Maserati 3000cc |
| 1956 | 4th | Bari Grand Prix (Italy) | Maserati 3000 cc |
| 1956 | 1st | Sables-d'Olonne Grand-Prix (France) | Maserati 3000 cc |