Michel Ferte dead aged 64: Le Mans runner-up and Formula 3 driver passes away after illustrious motorsport career
FORMER Formula 3 driver and Le Mans runner-up Michel Ferte has died.
Ferte’s passing at the age of 64 was announced by Le Mans organiser the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.
The Frenchman famously won the F3’s Monaco Grand Prix in 1983 following his brother, Alain’s, back-to-back victories in 1981 and 1982.
He then followed this up by claiming victory in the 1983 French F3 Championship after coming second the year prior.
But perhaps his most famous race in Motorsport came at the 24-hour Le Mans race.
He finished second in the 1991 event alongside Davy Jones and Raul Boesel in a Jaguar XJR-12 Group C car.
Following his F3 exploits Ferte made the jump to F2, the series directly below F1.
But things did not go as well for him there, as he failed to earn a race win but did come third in the championship in 1984.
He did however have a chance to drive an F1 car as a test driver for Ligier in 1984 and ’85.
Ferte enjoyed more success in Endurance racing.
His career in this field included a pair of victories in the BPR-run International GT Endurance Series in 1994 alongside Olivier Thevenin.
Ferte started racing in karting in aged 12 and carried on racing until as recently as 2018.