Bernard de Dryver (born 19 September 1952) is a Belgian racing driver from Brussels whose career stretched from attempts to break into the Formula One World Championship to considerable success in Britain’s domestic Formula One scene and, later, GT racing.
| Born | 19 September 1952 Brussels, Belgium |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Active years | 1977–1978 |
| Teams | non-works March and Ensign |
| Entries | 2 (0 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1977 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1978 Belgian Grand Prix |
De Dryver’s name appeared on the entry list for two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, both on home soil at the Belgian Grand Prix. His first attempt came in 1977, before he returned for another shot in 1978.
Neither weekend ultimately resulted in a World Championship race start, but de Dryver was attempting to reach the grid as a private entrant during an especially competitive period of Formula One.
De Dryver’s first opportunity to tackle a World Championship event arrived at the 1977 Belgian Grand Prix. He entered a privately run, non-works March, rather than a car fielded by the manufacturer’s factory operation.
Making a Formula One entry was one thing; earning a place on the starting grid was another. Competition for grid positions was fierce, and de Dryver was unable to qualify for the race.
That setback did not end his Formula One ambitions. Twelve months later, he was back for another attempt.
For the 1978 Belgian Grand Prix, de Dryver returned with different machinery, this time entering a privately operated Ensign.
Once again, however, his Belgian Grand Prix weekend ended before he could make the race. On this occasion, de Dryver failed to qualify for official practice, bringing his second World Championship Formula One appearance to an early conclusion.
As a result, although de Dryver entered two World Championship Grands Prix, he never officially started a Formula One World Championship race.
De Dryver’s Formula One story became considerably more productive away from the World Championship. In 1979, he contested a full season of the Aurora UK Formula One Championship, also known as the British Formula One Championship.
The series provided drivers and private teams with the opportunity to race genuine Formula One machinery in a domestic championship, and it proved a much happier hunting ground for de Dryver.
Driving a Fittipaldi, he became a regular presence towards the sharp end of the field. De Dryver collected several podium finishes over the course of the season and ended the year an impressive fourth in the championship standings.
It was a far stronger demonstration of his abilities than his two difficult Belgian Grand Prix weekends had allowed. Given a complete season and the opportunity to race regularly, de Dryver showed that he could compete successfully in Formula One machinery.
De Dryver’s motorsport involvement did not disappear when his Formula One ambitions came to an end. He remained connected with racing long afterwards, with his more recent competition including appearances in GT racing in 2000.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | British Formula One Racing Team | March 761 | Cosworth V8 | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | ESP | MON | BEL DNQ | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | USA | CAN | JPN | NC | 0 |
| 1978 | Team Tissot Ensign | Ensign N177 | Cosworth V8 | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | MON | BEL DNP | ESP | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | USA | CAN | NC | 0 |
Complete Formula One non-championship results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | RAM Racing | Fittipaldi F5A | Cosworth V8 | ROC 8 | GUN | DIN |
