Philippe Streiff, a former French Formula 1 racer, passed away at age 67. “I’m sorry to hear of Philippe Streiff’s passing. He has demonstrated extraordinary bravery and tenacity all of his life, said circuit president Stefano Domenicali in a tweet. While testing tyres for the French AGS team in 1989 at the Jacarepagua track in Rio de Janeiro, Streiff was involved in a tragic accident.
He committed himself to defending the disabled, although still a person with quadriplegia. His mishap and his tale compelled the F1 management to upgrade the safety and medical infrastructure at the circuits. He started in 1984 as a test driver for Renault and is an engineer. Before switching to the British team Tyrrell, where he competed in most of his Grands Prix, he won his only podium with a Ligier in Australia in 1985. (48 out of 53).
He had raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans before entering Formula One, coming in second with a Rondeau in 1981. The Minister of French Sport, Amèlie Oudèa-Castèra, stated in a tweet that after his F1 career and injury, he “worked on all fronts so that individuals with disabilities might live as normal as possible, even behind the wheel, with innovation and as a pioneer.”
What happened to Philippe Streiff?
Following Patrick Tambay’s passing three weeks prior, Philippe Streiff, another former Grand Prix racer, passed away on Friday at 67. Streiff competed in the 53 Grand Prix between 1984 and 1988.
Former F1 driver Philippe Streiff passes away at age 67. From 1984 to 1988, Streiff competed in the F1 seasons. His career ended when he was involved in a catastrophic accident with his AGS team vehicle during preseason practice in Jacarepaguá RJ in 1989.
Philippe Streiff cause of death
His best effort came in Adelaide’s 1985 Australian Grand Prix, where he finished third alongside Ligier. Sadly, Streiff’s career in motorsport was cut short by a horrible incident in 1989 when winter testing at Jacarepagua in Brazil.
Even though Streiff entered the sport of racing somewhat late, he had a successful junior career. Eventually, he rose to the top of the Formula 2 field with Henri Julien’s AGS team, even though he only won one championship race at Brands Hatch in 1984.
The following year, he also made his Formula One debut by competing in a third works Renault at the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril, where he came in last due to a transmission problem. While Tyrrell struggled to deliver positive results for driver and organisation, Streiff spent his first two Formula One seasons with the British outfit.
Streiff scored 11 championship points during his 53 F1 races. The lanky Frenchman finished third with Rondeau in the 1981 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Who was Philippe Streiff?
French racing driver Philippe Streiff was born on June 26 1955, and passed away on December 23 2022. On October 21, 1984, he competed in his first Grand Prix and his second in Formula One.
He earned 11 total championship points and one podium result. Though the accident was so severe that the roll bar broke on contact, the quality of the care he received following his disastrous pre-season testing incident at the Jacarepaguá track in Rio de Janeiro in 1989 left him a quadriplegic and dependent on a wheelchair has been questioned.
Streiff was in charge of organising the Master’s Karting Paris Bercy. Streiff and Hughes de Chaunac submitted a proposal to purchase Ligier at the start of 1994. To make Ligier a “junior” team, Williams F1, which also utilises Renault engines, approved the proposal. The offer was turned down. In honour of Streiff, late in 2008, Belgian Luc Costermans broke the Guinness record for the shortest blind road journey.
Tributes poured in for Philippe Streiff:
PHILIPPE STRIFF, a former pilot, passed away today at 67 years old. Between 1984 and 1988, he participated in 53 GPs, taking home one podium. An injury in 1989, while he was undergoing testing in Jacarepaguá, caused him to develop tetraplegia, ending his career. Let him find peace while we pay him our respects.
At the 1984 Portuguese Grand Prix, the French driver made his Formula 1 debut driving a Renault. He replaced De Cesaris’ foot in the Ligier breast the following year, and in a tumultuous Australian GP, he earned his first and only career podium. He was a Tyrrell driver from 1986 to 1987, and in contrast to Brundle and then Palmer, he did not display any arrogance at all.
His career abruptly ended in 1988 when he joined the uncompetitive AGS since the team lacked noteworthy competition and failed to produce impressive outcomes. He was forced to live in a wheelchair after an accident on the Jacarepaguá circuit during the early 1989 preseason testing. He participated in 53 races in the car’s top division and scored 11 points. a Philippe-focused prayer Rest in peace, my dear.
Philippe Streiff passed away (1955-2022). A severe accident that rendered him tetraplegic in 1989 cut short a fantastic career as a versatile driver (F1, endurance). When he was working on drawings made by young people with impairments, whose work I framed, I had the pleasure of corresponding with him frequently in 2006. He gave us a charming introduction. His loved ones are in our thoughts—souvenir photos from the 1988 Belgian Grand Prix trials.
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