Photo: Stuart Seeger / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Bertrand Gachot is listed as a Formula One driver, racing automobile driver and businessperson. Born on December 23, 1962, Bertrand Gachot is from Luxembourg, Luxembourg. That works out to 63 years old in 2026.
My Take
Bertrand Gachot is one of those figures where the footnote of his career ended up being more historically significant than the headline. He won Le Mans in 1991 with Mazda — the only Japanese manufacturer ever to take that victory — which alone would be a hell of a legacy. But he's arguably better known for what happened when he was arrested in Britain over a pepper spray altercation with a London taxi driver and ended up in jail: Mercedes and Jordan seized the moment to slot in a young unknown named Michael Schumacher as his replacement. Gachot inadvertently launched the greatest F1 career of all time. He took that with good humor over the years, which tells you something about the man. His own racing was solid and genuinely competitive across several midfield teams, but history handed him a supporting role in someone else's legend — and honestly, that's a story worth knowing.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Bertrand Gachot
- Name (Japanese)
- ベルトラン・ガショー
- Reading
- べるとらん・がしょー
- Born
- December 23, 1962 (age 63)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Tiger
- Origin
- Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- Occupation
- Formula One driver / racing automobile driver / businessperson
2. Links
3. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Bertrand Gachot born?
Born December 23, 1962 (age 63).
Where is Bertrand Gachot from?
Bertrand Gachot is from Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
What does Bertrand Gachot do?
Bertrand Gachot works as Formula One driver, racing automobile driver, businessperson.
Formula One driver — see all → · Racing automobile driver — see all → · More people from Luxembourg →