Claude Haldi

Porsche 911S of Claude Haldi and Paul Keller at the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans
Porsche 911S of Claude Haldi and Paul Keller at the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans

Claude Haldi (28 November 1942 – 25 December 2017) was a Swiss racing driver.[1] He was known as a frequent competitor at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, entering the race 22 times between 1968 and 1993.[2] His endurance racing career was associated with Porsche, with 14 of his Le Mans entries in various Porsche models. He drove for the Porsche factory works teams of Martini Racing in 1973 and Rothmans Porsche in 1987.[3]

Beginning in 1985, he drove for the WM Peugeot team. He was a co-driver of the WM P88 which broke the top speed record at Circuit de la Sarthe in 1988.[4][2]

Haldi also participated in hill climbs and rallying.[2] He won the Group 4 category of the European Hill Climb Championship in 1970[5] and the 1979 Swiss Rally Championship.[3]

Following his retirement from racing, Haldi became president of the Vaud Automobile Club. In this position, he advocated against the Swiss ban on motorsport and proposed the creation of a Formula One circuit in Switzerland.[3][6]


Racing record

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1968 Switzerland Scuderia Filipinetti Switzerland Jacques Rey Ferrari 275 GTB/C GT
+2.0
78 DNF DNF
1969 Switzerland Scuderia Filipinetti Switzerland Jacques Rey Ferrari 275 GTB/C GT
+2.0
39 DNF DNF
1970 Switzerland Claude Haldi
Switzerland Hart Ski Racing
Switzerland Arthur Blank Porsche 911S GT
2.5
124 DNF DNF
1971 Switzerland Claude Haldi Germany Hans-Dieter Weigel Porsche 908/2 P
3.0
18 DNF DNF
1972 Switzerland Claude Haldi Switzerland Paul Keller
France "Gédéhem"
Porsche 911S GT
3.0
208 DNF DNF
1973 Germany Martini Racing Team Germany Reinhold Joest Porsche 911 Carrera RSR S
3.0
54 DNF DNF
1974 Spain Escuderia Montjuich Spain José-Maria Fernandez
France Jean-Marc Seguin
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR GT 41 DNF DNF
1975 Switzerland Porsche Club Romand France Bernard Béguin
Switzerland Peter Zbinden
Porsche 911 Carrera Turbo GTX 291 15th 1st
1976 Switzerland Schiller Racing Team Switzerland Florian Vetsch Porsche 934 GT 219 DNF DNF
1977 Switzerland Schiller Racing Team Switzerland Florian Vetsch
Switzerland Angelo Pallavicini
Porsche 934 GT 123 DNF DNF
1978 Switzerland Haberthur
Switzerland Mecarillos-Cégécol Racing Team
Switzerland Herbert Müller
Switzerland Nick McGranger
Porsche 935/76 Gr.5
+2.0
140 DNF DNF
1979 Switzerland Claude Haldi Switzerland Herbert Loewe
Panama Rodrigo Terran
Porsche 935 Gr.5
+2.0
275 11th 4th
1980 Switzerland Meccarillos Racing France Bernard Béguin
Germany Volkert Merl
Porsche 935 Gr.5 37 DNF DNF
1981 Switzerland Claude Haldi
United Kingdom Charles Ivey Racing
United Kingdom Mark Thatcher
France Hervé Poulain
Porsche 935 Gr.5 260 DNF DNF
1982 Switzerland Claude Haldi Panama Rodrigo Terran
France François Hesnault
Porsche 935 K3 Gr.5 141 DNF DNF
1983 Switzerland Claude Haldi Germany Günther Steckkönig
Germany Bernd Schiller
Porsche 930 B 217 DNF DNF
1984 Switzerland Claude Haldi West Germany Altfrid Heger
Switzerland Jean Krucker
Porsche 930 B 285 16th 2nd
1985 France WM Peugeot France Roger Dorchy
France Jean-Claude Andruet
WM P83B-Peugeot C1 73 DNF DNF
1986 France WM Secateva France Roger Dorchy
France Pascal Pessiot
WM P83B-Peugeot C2 301 12th 3rd
1987 Germany Rothmans Porsche France René Metge
Canada Kees Nierop
Porsche 961 GTX 199 DNF DNF
1988 France WM Secateva France Roger Dorchy
France Jean-Daniel Raulet
WM P87-Peugeot C1 59 DNF DNF
1993 Switzerland Scuderia Chicco d'Oro Switzerland Olivier Haberthur
Switzerland Charles Margueron
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR GT 299 18th 4th

References

  1. ^ "Claude Haldi | Racing career profile". Driver Database. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Le Mans Veteran Claude Haldi Dies". www.historicracingnews.com. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  3. ^ a b c Fernandez, Mat (28 December 2017). "Claude Haldi (1942-2017)". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  4. ^ Smit, Dylan (8 July 2021). "Target 400, How Peugeot Power Made Le Mans History". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  5. ^ "motorsport-archive.com :: European Hillclimb Championship 1970 :: Schedule and Standings". www.motorsport-archive.com. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  6. ^ "More about the Swiss F1 circuit". www.grandprix.com. 5 May 2004. Retrieved 2023-02-21.