Raul Boesel
Raul de Mesquita Boesel ( born December 4, 1957 in Curitiba ) is a Brazilian former racing driver.
Raul Boesel comes from a wealthy family. Originally he intended to follow his brother in the equestrian sport. He was an extraordinary show jumping. But he became interested in motorsports to be interested, launched in 1974 with the karting and won the local championship next year. In 1978 he made his debut in the Brazilian stock car series, in which he finished in 1979 to fourth place in the championship and "Rookie of the Year" was.
In 1980 he went to England to start in the local Formula Ford. He drove for Van Diemen's Land and was runner-up in each of the RAC and Townsend - Thoresen championship. He won 9 times out of 27 races. In 1981, he went on to Formula 3 and was third in the English Championship with three wins and twelve podium finishes. He drove for Murray Taylor Racing.
In November, he tested for McLaren. His Formula 1 debut but he was then in the following year at RAM Racing with a non- competitively March 821 His best results this year were a ninth place in Long Beach, and an eighth place in Zolder. In 1983, he drove his second Formula 1 season in underfunded Liger team. When the U.S. Grand Prix in Long Beach, he scored his best career placement with seventh place.
In 1984 he started in the South American Formula 2 Championship and won a race in Rio de Janeiro.
In 1985 he moved to the U.S. and made his debut at the Champ Cars for Dick Simon Racing. He was the fastest rookie in a qualifier for the Indianapolis 500 on his first experience on a oval track. His best finish this season was an eighth place in Elkhart Lake. He ran in 1986 for Dick Simon Racing the complete season of 17 races and finished 13th in the championship. He achieved eight top - ten finishes. His best result was a fifth place in the 500 - mile race at Pocono and Michigan, respectively. At the season finale in Miami, he started from position two in the race.
In 1987, he joined the World Sportscar Championship and won with the title Jaguar. He won the race in Jerez, Silverstone, Brands Hatch, the Nürburgring and Spa- Francorchamps. The following year he won along with Martin Brundle and John Nielsen in a Jaguar XJR -9 in the 24- hour race at Daytona. This year, he also competed in de Champ Car series for Shierson. In 1989 he was third in Indianapolis and moved in 1990 to True Sports.
In 1991 he went with Jaguar in the IMSA racing series and was second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1993 he returned to Dick Simon Racing back in the Champ Car Series and was fifth overall. He drove until 1998 the Champ Cars, among others for Team Green, then moved to the Indy Racing League, but soon left this and went back to his native Brazil.