Johannes Leonardus “Jan” Flinterman (2 October 1919 – 26 December 1992) was a Dutch racing driver and former Royal Netherlands Air Force pilot who made history as one of his country’s first Formula One competitors.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Birthplace | The Hague, Netherlands |
| Born | 2 October 1919 |
| Died | 26 December 1992 |
| First Grand Prix | 1952 Dutch Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1952 Dutch Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1952 |
| Current/Last Team | Privateer: Escuderia Bandeirantes Maserati |
From aircraft to racing cars
Before turning his attention to motor racing, Flinterman served as a pilot during the Second World War. His later career took him from the cockpit of military aircraft to another high-speed environment altogether – the racing circuits of post-war Europe.
Flinterman’s place in Dutch motorsport history was secured in 1952. Alongside compatriot Dries van der Lof, he became one of the first two drivers from the Netherlands to compete in the Formula One World Championship.
Formula One
Flinterman made his sole World Championship appearance on home soil at the Dutch Grand Prix on 17 August 1952.
Driving a Maserati, his race initially appeared to be over when the car suffered a rear-axle failure. In an era when drivers could swap machinery during a Grand Prix, however, Flinterman was handed another chance. He took over the similar Maserati of teammate Chico Landi and returned to the action.
Flinterman eventually reached the finish in ninth place. It wasn’t enough to earn any World Championship points, but the result mattered far beyond the statistics: his appearance, together with van der Lof’s, marked the beginning of Dutch participation at Formula One’s highest level.
It proved to be Flinterman’s only World Championship Grand Prix, leaving him with a record of one appearance and no championship points – but an enduring place among the pioneers of Dutch Formula One.
Flinterman died in Leiden on 26 December 1992, aged 73.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 1 |
| Race Starts | 1 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 15th |
| Best Race Finish | 9th |
| Retirements | 1 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 1 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Privateer: Escuderia Bandeirantes Maserati | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 9* | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Privateer: Escuderia Bandeirantes Maserati | 1952 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 9* | 0 | 0 |
Teammates & Qualifying Head-to-Head
| Teammate | Years | Races | Qualifying H2H |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gino Bianco | 1952 | 1 | – |
| Chico Landi | 1952 | 1 | – |
