Michel FertÃ©

Michel Ferté ( born December 8, 1958 in Falaise ) is a French former racing driver.

He began in the early 1980s with the racing and drove in Formula 3, Formula 2 and Formula 3000th He was for three years Formula 1 test driver, but never got a regular place as a racing pilot. He also drove touring car racing, ice racing and sports car racing.

Michel is the younger brother of Alain Ferté, who was also a racing driver. He started in the early 1980s in the French Formula 3 Championship, which he chose for himself in 1983. Even the prestigious Formula 3 race in Monaco, he won this year on a Martini Alfa Romeo for the ORECA team. He also was commissioned in 1983 for the first time in the 24- hour race at Le Mans. Together with his brother and Jean Rondeau Rondeau he drove a M482 -Cosworth, which, however, did not reach the target. In November of that year he tested a Ligier JS21 at Le Castellet and later said in interviews that he was for the 1984 season, the second driver at Ligier. However, François Hesnault got the cockpit and Ferté had to settle for a testing contract and a season satisfied in Formula 2.

With a martini BMW was the first race of the Formula 2 in early April at Silverstone third parties. Also in the second round of the Formula 2 European Championship in Hockenheim he finished the race in third place. In the third race at Thruxton he did not finish. The next two races were held in Italy, where he was able to enter the fourth and second place at Vallelunga in Mugello. An accident in the twelfth round of the race in Pau stopped his good run. At the next race at Hockenheim, he was again third in Misanosah it again the target is not, in Pergusa he reached the fifth rank and at Silverstone again an accident. At the season finale at Brands Hatch, he finished the year with a second place. Even at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he went back to the start. This time in a Porsche 962, which he in turn failed to reach the target.

For the year 1985, the Formula 2 has been replaced by Formula 3000. Ferté was the fastest of the drivers who drove with a March - 85B chassis. At the first race at Silverstone he started from pole position and was disappointed after the race that he could enter only the third place in the race. Also in the next two races at Thruxton and Estoril he finished third. The visit of the podium at Estoril should be the last this year. The next race, which was to take place at the Nürburgring had to be canceled due to snow. At the race in Spa - Francorchamps track that partially broke up, was devastated by bad weather. Michel and Alain Ferté started from positions one and two in the race. At this time, it was the first time that two brothers shared the front row in a large European single-seater racing. The few grip made the race difficult and only six cars finished the race. Mike Thackwell won the race ahead of Alain Ferté and Michel turned off. With the fourth in the last race of the season at Donington he secured 17 points in fifth place in the overall standings. The failures at Vallelunga, Pau, Spa -Francorchamps, Pergusa, Austria on the ring and in Zandvoort ruined his championship chances. Christian Danner won the championship with 51 points, his brother Alain was ninth with 10 points.

It looked like this again, as if he could get a place in Formula 1, this time at Brabham, but again nothing came of it and he remained in the formula 3000th In the 1986 season he was more consistent and saw only once not the goal. With three second and two third places at the end, he finished with 24 points back in fifth place overall. Ivan Capelli was European champion with 38 points.

In the 1987 season, in which he did not participate in all the races, he shared with Mark Blundell 14 overall. He drove for the team BS Automotive Bob Hott savings and had to wait for his new car. With this he drove only four races, the third place in Pau his best result was. In 1988 he came together with Andrea Chiesa with only one point on the 20th place in the final classification. After a four year break, he started back in 1988 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Together with Pierre -Henri Raphanel he drove a Cougar C20B Porsche and reached again not the goal because of a fire in the box.

Then he gave up the dream of being able to drive in Formula 1 and went into other racing series at the start. He drove in super touring car in the IMSA racing series, ice racing and sports car prototype. In 1989 he went with his brother, and Eliseo Salazar in a Jaguar XJR -9 LM at the 24 Hours of Le Mans to eighth place. In 1990, he reached the second place his best finish in this race. He shared with Davy Jones and Raul Boesel a Jaguar XJR- 12th The last time he went in 2003 in Le Mans.

Le Mans results

Formula 3000 racer
Racers (France)
Frenchman
Born in 1958
Man
Drivers in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
World Sports Car Championship racer

570259