Ivor Léon John Bueb (; 6 June 1923 – 1 August 1959) was a British professional sports car racing and Formula One driver from England.
Early life Ivor Léon John Bueb was born to Léon Gervase Bueb and Grace Marie Alice Vagnolini in East Ham, Essex. His father was born in Breisach, Germany to French parents and his mother had English, Italian and Welsh grandparents. They divorced in 1926. Bueb spent his childhood in Dulwich, South London, regularly visiting Crystal Palace to watch Prince Bira, Freddie Dixon and Raymond Mays compete.
Career Bueb started racing seriously in a Formula Three 500cc Cooper in 1953, graduating to the Cooper works team in 1955 when he finished second in the British championship. He made occasional starts in Grands Prix in 1957 with a Connaught and a Maserati run by Gilby Engineering. The following year he raced Bernie Ecclestone's Connaught at Monaco, and drove a Formula Two Lotus at the German Grand Prix.
In 1959, Bueb had two outings for BRP, firstly a non-qualification at Monaco, then another Formula Two entry at the British Grand Prix. He participated in six Formula One World Championship Grands Prix in all, but scored no championship points. He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula One races. With the death of Archie Scott Brown at Spa in May 1958, Brian Lister hired Bueb to fill the now-vacant Lister-Jaguar driver's seat. Bueb did an admirable job, scoring several first places at tracks such as Crystal Palace and Goodwood during the 1958 and 1959 sports car campaigns.
Bueb is perhaps best known for sharing the winning works Jaguar D-type with Mike Hawthorn in the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans which was marred by an accident in which 82 spectators were killed; a success he repeated with Ron Flockhart in the ex-works Ecurie Ecosse car in 1957.
Bueb suffered serious injuries in 1959 when he crashed his BRP Cooper-Borgward Formula Two car at the Charade Circuit near Clermont-Ferrand, France. He crashed at Gravenoire, a multiple apex-section at the very far end of the circuit, and was thrown out of his Cooper. After being carried off the circuit by Gendarmes in a way that probably worsened his injuries, Bueb died six days later at a hospital near the circuit.
It was Bueb's death, in conjunction with Archie Scott Brown's demise, that finally led Brian Lister to shut down his very successful sports car racing effort. Bueb's funeral was held at Manor Park Cemetery in Newham, London on the 10 August. It was attended by his family, friends, and widowed wife. His father was unable to attend, but arranged a high mass in Clermont-Ferrand at the same time.
Personal life Bueb served in the RAF during WW2. After returning he invested money into selling ex-War department vehicles in Newport, Monmouthshire. He obtained his Aviator's Certificate in 1949 in Cardiff, piloting a DH82A Tiger Moth. Upon moving back to Cheltenham in the early 1950s, he began his career in motorsport, helped by Geoffrey Turk. Bueb was affectionally called 'Ivor the Driver' by his peers, a play on 'Ivan the Terrible'. After his tragic accident in 1959, fellow racer Jimmy Ebdon paid tribute:Despite his burly figure, he was indeed a quiet and very sensitive person. He was very modest in success and always most outspoken about his failures.Bueb was survived by his wife, Florence Ada Bueb (1925-2009) and his son, David Ivor Lee Bueb Thomas, who died in 1988.
Racing record Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WDC Points 1957 Connaught Engineering ConnaughtType B Alta Straight-4 ARG MON 500 FRA NC 0 Gilby Engineering Ltd. Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 GBR GER PES ITA 1958 BC Ecclestone ConnaughtType B Alta Straight-4 ARG MON NED 500 BEL FRA GBR NC 0 Ecurie Demi Litre Lotus 12 Climax Straight-4 GER11 * POR ITA MOR 1959 British Racing Partnership Cooper T51 Climax Straight-4 MON 500 NED FRA NC 0 Borgward Straight-4 GBR13 GER POR ITA USA * Formula 2 entry.
Complete British Saloon Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DC Pts Class 1959 Equipe Endeavour Jaguar 3.4-Litre GOOovr:1cls:1 AINovr:1cls:1 SILovr:1cls:1 GOO SNE BRH BRH NC 0 NC
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Jaguar Cars Ltd. Mike Hawthorn Jaguar D-TypeS5.0307 1st 1st Jaguar Cars Ltd. Mike Hawthorn Jaguar D-Type FIS5.0280 6th 3rd Ecurie Ecosse Ron Flockhart Jaguar D-TypeS5.0327 1st 1st J. D. Hamilton(private entrant) Duncan Hamilton Jaguar D-TypeS3.0251DNF(Accident) Brian Lister Engineering Bruce Halford Lister SportS3.0121DNF(Engine)
Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1956 Jaguar of New York Distributors Inc. Duncan Hamilton Jaguar D-TypeS5.063DNF(Brakes) 1957 Jaguar Cars North America Mike Hawthorn Jaguar D-TypeS5.0193 3rd 2nd 1958 Ecurie Ecosse Ninian Sanderson Jaguar D-TypeS3.022DNF(Valve springs) 1959 The Lister Corp. Stirling Moss Lister-JaguarS3.098DSQ(Illegal refuelling)
References
External links Ivor Bueb profile at The 500 Owners Association