Eugène Martin (24 March 1915 – 12 October 2006) was a French racing driver whose career stretched from the Grand Prix scene of the pre-World Championship era into the opening season of Formula One’s official World Championship. Martin competed in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, making his debut on 13 May 1950. He scored no championship points, but his racing story had begun well before Formula One formally came into existence.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | French |
| Birthplace | Suresnes, France |
| Born | 24 March 1915 |
| Died | 12 October 2006 |
| First Grand Prix | 1950 British Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1950 Swiss Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1950 |
| Current/Last Team | Talbot-Lago |
Racing career
Martin became better known through his appearances in the Grand Prix races surrounding the Second World War, competing during a period when European motor racing was considerably less structured than the championship that followed.
One of the highlights of his career came in 1949.
Driving a Jicey-BMW developed by Jean Caillas, Martin won the inaugural Grand Prix held on the Aix-les-Bains Circuit du Lac.
The following year brought a place in the newly established Formula One World Championship.
Martin made his World Championship debut on 13 May, the date of the 1950 British Grand Prix at Silverstone that opened the first official Formula One World Championship season.
He ultimately participated in two World Championship Grands Prix during his career. Neither produced a points finish, but his appearances placed him among the drivers who competed during Formula One’s formative first season.
The Martin-Spéciale
Martin’s involvement with cars went considerably further than simply racing them.
During the 1950s, he briefly became an automobile manufacturer, working from the Paris garage that he owned with his father.
There, Martin developed a sports car known as the Martin-Spéciale.
The project progressed far enough for the car to be publicly exhibited at the 1952 Paris Motor Show, giving Martin the unusual distinction of being both a Grand Prix driver and the creator of his own automobile.
The Martin-Spéciale never reached series production, however, and Martin’s ambitions as a manufacturer remained a fascinating but short-lived chapter of his motoring career.
Later life
Martin lived long enough to become one of the final surviving links to motor racing’s immediate pre-war and early post-war generations.
He died on 12 October 2006, aged 91, at a hospital near his home in La Rochelle.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 2 |
| Race Starts | 2 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 7th) |
| Best Race Finish | n/a) |
| Retirements | 2 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0,podiums:0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 2 |
| Reached Q3 | – |
| Q2 Eliminations | – |
| Q1 Eliminations | – |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Talbot-Lago | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | n/a | 0 | 0 | NC |
Stats by Constructor
| Constructor | Years | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talbot-Lago | 1950 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | n/a | 0 | 0 |
Teammates & Qualifying Head-to-Head
| Teammate | Years | Races | Qualifying H2H |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yves Giraud-Cabantous | 1950 | 2 | – |
| Louis Rosier | 1950 | 1 | – |
