Bertrand Jean Louis Gachot (; born 23 December 1962) is a former racing driver and businessman who competed in Formula One from to . In endurance racing, Gachot won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in with Mazda.
Gachot was born in Luxembourg City to a French father and German mother and began competitive kart racing at the age of fifteen before attending the Winfield Racing School at Paul Ricard in 1983. Gachot enjoyed some success in the junior formulae, winning titles in Formula Ford before progressing through Formula 3 and Formula 3000, reaching Formula One in 1989.
After winning the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans, Gachot was sentenced to eighteen months in prison for an aggravated assault with a London taxi driver that had occurred the previous December. He was released after two months on appeal, but was replaced by debutant Michael Schumacher, Roberto Moreno and Alessandro Zanardi for the remainder of the season.
Career
Gachot was born in Luxembourg City on 23 December 1962, the son of a French European Commission official and a German mother. He began karting at the age of 15. In 1983, he attended the Winfield School, a racing driving school based at the Paul Ricard circuit where Gachot competed with fellow future F1 drivers Damon Hill, Jean Alesi, and Eric Bernard for the Volant Elf; a prize of a season in Formula Renault backed by Elf. Although Bernard won the lucrative prize, Gachot subsequently dropped out of university to focus on his racing career. In 1984, he competed in Formula Ford 1600, and finished third at the Formula Ford Festival, and then won the European series in 1985 driving for Pacific Racing. In 1986, he moved up to Formula Ford 2000 and had a fierce rivalry with Mark Blundell, with Gachot winning the British series and Blundell winning the European series.
Gachot joined the British Formula Three series in 1987, finishing second in the championship for the West Surrey Racing team behind Johnny Herbert. He and Herbert notably guested at Silverstone in the 1987 ESSO MG Metro Turbo Challenge at the end of that August. The two of them would later go on to win Le Mans together in 1991 with ex-Rial F1 Driver Volker Weidler.
Gachot switched to the Formula 3000 series in 1988, and met with some success, taking pole position at the Silverstone round, and finishing second to Roberto Moreno who went on to win the championship; Gachot finishing fifth in the final standings.
Formula One
left|thumb|Gachot driving for [[Onyx Grand Prix|Onyx at the 1989 Belgian Grand Prix.]]
By this stage, Gachot was considered one of the sport's most promising young drivers. He was signed by the newly formed Onyx team, having played a role in attracting the team's Moneytron sponsorship from businessman Jean-Pierre Van Rossem, and was partnered with the experienced Stefan Johansson. The team was well funded, but late in getting its car prepared. As a new entrant it was obliged to pre-qualify, and it was not until the French Grand Prix that Gachot made it onto the grid. He started 11th (two places ahead of Johansson) and ran in the points until battery problems dropped him to an eventual 13th and last. Despite qualifying for four of the next five events, he was then fired by van Rossem after complaining about his lack of testing time; his private grievances were publicly aired in an Onyx press release, and he was replaced with JJ Lehto. In early October he tested with Arrows at Silverstone, as he was being considered for a drive in 1990 which did not materialize. Gachot then found employment with the struggling Rial team for the final two races of the season, failing to qualify its ageing chassis for either race. The team folded over the winter.
1990 was initially more promising, as Gachot switched to the Coloni team. The small Italian outfit had signed an exclusive deal with Subaru to use its new Carlo Chiti-designed and Motori Moderni-built 1235 flat-12 engine, and Gachot was selected to drive the sole entry. However, the engine was overweight and underpowered, resulting in a poorly-handling car that rarely ran for more than a few laps; he appeared to have little prospect of getting out of pre-qualifying. At the season opener in Phoenix, his gear selector rod broke on his first flying lap and he was unable to set a representative time. Subaru withdrew entirely after the British Grand Prix. After that, the car ran with a Cosworth DFR engine, and performances improved; the withdrawal of Onyx ironically promoted Gachot to the main qualifying sessions, but the car still was not quick enough and he failed to make the grid all season.
thumb|left|Gachot giving the [[Jordan Grand Prix|Jordan team its F1 début at the 1991 United States Grand Prix]]
Despite this, Gachot was still highly regarded, both as a driver and a marketeer, and was signed to lead the new Jordan Grand Prix team, sponsored by 7-Up and using Ford HB engines. The Gary Anderson-designed 191 was competitive, and after some initial reliability problems became a regular points-scorer; Gachot finished fifth in Canada and sixth twice. The season started off well as he gathered considerable acclaim for his Grand Prix performances, and also won the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Mazda 787B. He then set the fastest lap at the Hungarian Grand Prix after a late tyre change but his then fortunes took a dramatic turn.
1991 prison sentence
On 10 December 1990 Gachot was due to meet with Jordan and representatives of 7-Up but, on the way and running late, he became involved in a road rage incident with a taxi driver at Hyde Park Corner in London. His car collided with the back of the taxi, but caused no damage to either car. Gachot hid the CS gas canister in a toilet cistern in a nearby building, and was arrested and charged with actual bodily harm (ABH) and possession of a prohibited weapon.
Gachot's trial at Southwark Crown Court was scheduled the week before the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, a circuit where he expected the Jordan to "fly". Gachot had claimed self-defence, and expected a fine or suspended sentence; he was due to test at Monza after the trial.
The situation prompted a campaign of support organised by Belgian racing driver Pascal Witmeur. This campaign involved flags, T-shirts worn by members of the public and racing drivers, graffiti in several locations of the Spa-Francorchamps track during the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, and prominent sponsorship on Witmeur's Formula 3000 car. Team owner Eddie Jordan replaced him with Michael Schumacher, whose performance at Spa led to a drive with Benetton. Gachot subsequently said that prison was "a fantastic human experience" and he had about 10,000 letters of support. The company had been started in 1994 by the founder of Hard Rock Cafe, Brian Cox, 2015 saw Gachot come full circle as Hype Energy announced a sponsorship deal with Force India F1 Team, the team who had previously been Jordan F1 and for whom Gachot had raced. Gachot utilised this and other sponsorships to push the brand into new markets, announcing sales in the USA later that year. By 2017 Gachot had been pushing the brand further into the music industry, working with Migos, Mike WiLL Made It and Prince Royce. He still continues to fill the role of CEO at the company.
Gachot also owns F1i.com, a Formula 1 news site.
Nationality
thumb|Gachot's [[Honda NSX (first generation)#24 Hours of Le Mans|Honda NSX Le Mans GT1 car shows his name with the flag of Europe]]
Gachot raced under more than one flag during his career. He initially competed with a Belgian FIA Super Licence, despite carrying a French passport. From the 1992 season onwards he changed to a French licence.
Gachot is a supporter of the unification of Europe. In a 1991 interview, Gachot said that "I am not really one nationality. I feel very much a European, but today I have to accept that a united Europe is not yet a reality. Certainly from a legal point of view."
|}
Complete British Formula 3 results
(key)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Engine
! Class
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! 18
! 19
! DC
! Pts
|-
| 1987
! nowrap| West Surrey Racing
! nowrap| Alfa Romeo
! A
|style="background:#FFFFFF;"|SIL<br /><small>C</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|THR<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|BRH<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|SIL<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|THR<br /><small>14</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|SIL<br /><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"|BRH<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|THR<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|SIL<br /><small>3</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|ZAN<br /><small>4</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|DON<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"|SIL<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|SNE<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|DON<br /><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|OUL<br /><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|SIL<br /><small>4</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|BRH<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SPA<br /><small>19</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"|THR<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|2nd
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|64
|-
!colspan=25|
|}
Complete Formula One results
(key)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! WDC
! Points
|-
|rowspan=2|
! nowrap| Moneytron Onyx Formula One
! nowrap| Onyx ORE-1
! nowrap| Ford DFR 3.5 V8
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| BRA<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| SMR<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MON<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MEX<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| USA<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| CAN<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| FRA<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| GBR<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| GER<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| HUN<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BEL<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ITA<br />
|| POR
|| ESP
|colspan=3|
!rowspan=2| NC
!rowspan=2| 0
|-
! nowrap| Rial Racing
! nowrap| Rial ARC2
! nowrap| Ford DFR 3.5 V8
|colspan=14|
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| JPN<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| AUS<br />
|
|-
|rowspan=2|
! nowrap| Subaru Coloni Racing
! nowrap| Coloni C3B
! nowrap| Subaru 1235 F12
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| USA<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| BRA<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| SMR<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MON<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| CAN<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MEX<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| FRA<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| GBR<br />
|colspan=9|
!rowspan=2| NC
!rowspan=2| 0
|-
! nowrap| Coloni Racing Srl
! nowrap| Coloni C3C
! nowrap| Ford DFR 3.5 V8
|colspan=8|
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| GER<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| HUN<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| BEL<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ITA<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| POR<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ESP<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| JPN<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| AUS<br />
|
|-
|rowspan=2|
! nowrap| Team 7UP Jordan
! nowrap| Jordan 191
! nowrap| Ford HB4 3.5 V8
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| USA<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRA<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SMR<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MON<br />
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CAN<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MEX<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| FRA<br />
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| GBR<br />
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| GER<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| HUN<br />
|| BEL
|| ITA
|| POR
|| ESP
|| JPN
|colspan=2|
!rowspan=2| 13th
!rowspan=2| 4
|-
! nowrap| Larrousse F1
! nowrap| Lola LC91
! nowrap| Ford DFR 3.5 V8
|colspan=15|
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| AUS<br />
|
|-
|
! nowrap| Central Park Venturi Larrousse
! nowrap| Venturi Larrousse LC92
! nowrap| Lamborghini 3512 3.5 V12
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| RSA<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MEX<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRA<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ESP<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SMR<br />
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MON<br />
|style="background:#000000; color:white"| <span style="color:white;">CAN</span><br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| FRA<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| GBR<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| GER<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| HUN<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BEL<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ITA<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| POR<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| JPN<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| AUS<br />
|
! 19th
! 1
|-
|
! nowrap| Pacific Grand Prix Ltd
! nowrap| Pacific PR01
! nowrap| Ilmor 2175A 3.5 V10
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRA<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| PAC<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SMR<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MON<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ESP<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CAN<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| FRA<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| GBR<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| GER<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| HUN<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| BEL<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ITA<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| POR<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| EUR<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| JPN<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| AUS<br />
|
! NC
! 0
|-
|
! nowrap| Pacific Team Lotus
! nowrap| Pacific PR02
! nowrap| Ford EDC 3.0 V8
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRA<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ARG<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SMR<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ESP<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MON<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CAN<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| FRA<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| GBR<br />
|| GER
|| HUN
|| BEL
|| ITA
|| POR
|| EUR
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PAC<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| JPN<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| AUS<br />
! NC
! 0
|-
!colspan=23|
|}
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! Team
! Co-Drivers
! Car
! Class
! Laps
!
!
|-
!
|align="left" nowrap| Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.
|align="left" nowrap| Volker Weidler<br> Johnny Herbert
|align="left" nowrap| Mazda 787
| GTP
| 148
| DNF
| DNF
|-
!
|align="left" nowrap| Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.
|align="left" nowrap| Volker Weidler<br> Johnny Herbert
|align="left" nowrap| Mazda 787B
| C2
| 362
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st
|-
!
|align="left" nowrap| Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.<br> Oreca
|align="left" nowrap| Johnny Herbert<br> Volker Weidler<br> Maurizio Sandro Sala
|align="left" nowrap| Mazda MXR-01
| C1
| 336
| 4th
| 4th
|-
!
|align="left" nowrap| Kremer Honda Racing
|align="left" nowrap| Armin Hahne<br> Christophe Bouchut
|align="left" nowrap| Honda NSX
| GT2
| 257
| 14th
| 6th
|-
!
|align="left" nowrap| Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
|align="left" nowrap| Armin Hahne<br> Ivan Capelli
|align="left" nowrap| Honda NSX GT1
| GT1
| 7
| DNF
| DNF
|-
!
|align="left" nowrap| Kremer Racing
|align="left" nowrap| Christophe Bouchut<br> Andy Evans
|align="left" nowrap| Porsche 911 GT1
| GT1
| 207
| DNF
| DNF
|-
!colspan=8|
|}
American Open Wheel racing results
(key)
CART
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Team
! No.
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! Rank
! Points
! Ref
|-
| 1993
! nowrap| Dick Simon Racing
! 90
|SRF
|PHX
|LBH
|INDY
|MIL
|DET
|POR
|CLE
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|TOR<br />
|MIS
|NHM
|ROA
|VAN
|MDO
|NZR
|LS
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|34th
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|1
!
|}
Complete JGTC results
(key)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Team
! Car
! Class
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! DC
! Pts
|-
| 1996
! nowrap| FET Racing Team
! nowrap| Toyota Supra
! GT500
|SUZ
|FUJ
|SEN
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|FUJ<br /><small>4</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SUG<br /><small>14</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|MIN<br /><small>7</small>
! 13th
! 14
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1997
! nowrap| Power Craft
!rowspan="2" nowrap| Toyota Supra
!rowspan="2"| GT500
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SUZ<br /><small>11</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|FUJ<br /><small>Ret</small>
|colspan=4|
!rowspan="2"| 15th
!rowspan="2"| 12
|-
! nowrap| Ryowa House Pacific Team Cerumo
|colspan=2|
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|SEN<br /><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|FUJ<br /><small>5</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MIN<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SUG<br /><small>11</small>
|-
!colspan=12|
|}