Hello! Today [27-02-2012] I publish the interview with Thierry Boutsen.

Thierry Boutsen was a French racing driver. During his career, Thierry Boutsen drove in various championships, but was in Formula 1 that he became famous. The French driver reached F1 in 1983, after a second and a third place in European Formula 2 Championship (1981 and 1982). In Formula 1, the first podium of Thierry Boutsen was during 1987 season (third at Australian GP). The best overall classification for this driver was a fourth place, in 1988 season with Benetton-Cosworth. Next year, Boutsen was fifth with Williams-Renault, winning his first Grand Prix (Canada). The last season of Thierry Boutsen in F1 was 1993, competing with a Jordan-Hart. During his 10 years in F1, Thierry Boutsen drove with teams as Benetton, Williams, Jordan or Arrows, among others, and drove cars powered by BMW, Renault or Lamborghini engines, among others.

Thierry Boutsen also competed in some editions of Le Mans 24 Hours (his first attempt was in 1981, in the class C). His best classification was the second position (overall, in 1993 and 1996), and a class (GT 1) victory in 1996. Other podiums places for Thierry Boutsen at Le Mans were in 1994 (third overall and second in GT 1 class) and 1995 (second in WSC class).

Nowadays, Thierry Boutsen has a business related to aviation – Boutsen Aviation.

Here is the interview:

1 – How started your passion by racing cars?

I have told my parents I wanted to be a race car driver when I was 3!

2 – What was the best moment in your racing career? Why?

Looking back, my whole career was my best moment, it is just incredible that I could achieve a dream I had when I was 3, successfully, up to the highest level. But in My career there have been highlights, like my first victory in Formula Ford, my first championship, and mainly the fact that I have won races in all the different categories I raced like Formula 1, Group C, GT1, Tourism, FFord, F3, F2, etc.

3 – What was the worst moment in your racing career? Why?

I lost 8 close friends in race accidents, at that time Motorsport was a dangerous sport!

4 – Who are the drivers that you liked more as opponents? Why?

One driver was the best of all, Ayrton Senna. He was also my best and only friend in F1…

5 – Nowadays, who are your favorite drivers? Why?

I like and respect all of them, I know how difficult it is to fight in a world of sharks, where the material makes more difference than the human.

6 – Canadian GP 1989, your first victory in F1. Do you remember the moment? If yes, how you lived your first victory in F1?

Canada 89 was my first victory. I have waited for that moment for a long time, but I knew inside me that this moment would come. I had led some GP before, like Mexico in 87, I was also on a winning pace in 87 Zeltweg, both times the car had a mechanical failure.

7 – Although you’ve been F1 driver during 10 years, you won only three races and your best overall classification was fourth. What missed in your F1 career to be more successful?

I raced against the best F1 drivers of all times, Senna, Prost, Mansell, Piquet, and against McLaren and Williams for most of these years, it was tough competition…

8 – You raced with teams as Benetton, Williams or Ligier, and you drove cars powered with Renault, BMW or Lamborghini engines, among others. What was your favorite team, and your favorite car/engine, and why?

My favorite team was Williams, they gave me the opportunity to win GP, but the most enjoyable car to drive was the Benetton in 1987, due to its handling. Unfortunately this car was not very reliable…

9 – In your opinion, what are the differences between F1 when you raced, and nowadays F1?

It is a different world altogether, in my days computers did not exist, the brain was necessary…

10 – Now, you have a business related to aviation. Is it another passion that you have?

This passion started when I was 18, I started flying then, in 1988, I bought my first airplane, a Piper Cheyenne. I sold it a couple of years later, bought a Lear 35A, then a Citation. Dealing with airplanes was fascinating, therefore the transition from cars to airplanes was a natural thing. I formed my company with my wife Daniela in 97, and since then we have sold 220 business jets, turboprops and helicopters. Our company is expanding, we will shortly open offices in Dubai.

11 – Finishing, can you “send” a message for your fans?

I hope I gave them a lot of pleasure watching exciting races, I would like to thank them for coming and watching races, without fans Motorsport would not exist!!!

Condition: Very Good in Good Dust Wrapper. Gently bruised at the head of the spine and top corners with commensurate ruffling to the dust wrapper which is also pulled at the head of the upper panel with a short, closed and archive-tape reinforced tear at the same. Text complete, clean and tight.

See this book on my web site?

Illustrated with colour photographs.

Next round of the fight of dominance between team-mates Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna as the Brazilian once again proves in qualifying that he his the ultimate driver over a single lap. And he was determined to make his mark in the race asa well.

Ayrton clinched pole with a time of 1m 27.148s while Prost, on 1m 27.919s, was forced to settle for second place. Nelson Piquet, took his Lotus to third place while local colour was provided with Sandro Nannini’s snatching fourth slot on the grid with his Benetton. The other local boy, Michele Alboreto, managed only tenth place in his Ferrari but he ended up starting from the back of the grid after his clutch caused him to stall on the warm-up lap.

During the warm-up lap Prost’s seemd to fail and when the lights went green it almost died completely, leaving the Frenchan struggling away from his starting Postion. Senna to lead the packahead of Piquet who had to free himself from a charging Alesandro Nannini in the Benetton. By the end of the second lap the Brazilians were running clear at the front of an hard-chasing pack, with Prost back in sixth place. That was the last most people saw of Senna for the rest of the afternoon as he simply ran away with the race.

Prost recovered from his poor start and began to confirm the other team’s worst fears about the capabilities of the McLaren. By the seventh lap he was in Piquet’s mirrors, while Senna continued to increase his lead by more than a second a lap. Piquet was taken on lap eight and the race was bound for a McLaren 1-2.

When the leaders began to overtake back-markers Senna displayed his awesome ability to cut through traffic without losing momentum time and time again, while Prost, always concerned for his machinery, was more careful on his way through the field. By now the McLaren were running a full three seconds a lap faster than Piquet’s Lotus.

For entertainment the crowd had to look to the midfielders of Nannini, Patrese, Boutsen and Berger who spent the race engaging is some thrilling wheel-to-wheel duels. However in the end the race was a disaster for Ferrari with the red cars unable to muster even Lotus-like speed. With Senna winning, Prost scores his 24th runner-up finish, a new record the Frenchman was perhaps less keen to achieve.

1988 San Marino Formula 1 Grand Prix, Imola, Italy.

Pole Position: Ayrton Senna, McLaren MP4/4-Honda, 1m 27.148s, 208.198 km/h average.

Race Result: Winner – Ayrton Senna, McLaren MP4/4-Honda, 60 laps x 5.040 km (3.132 miles) = 302.400 km (187.920 miles) total race distance in 1h 32m 41.300s.

2) Alain Prost, McLaren MP4/4-Honda + 2.334s
3) Nelson Piquet, Lotus 100T + 1 volta
4) Thierry Boutsen, Benetton B188 + 1 volta
5) Gerhard Berger, Ferrari F187/88C + 1 volta
6) Alessandro Nannini, Benetton B188 + 1 volta

Fastest Lap: Alain Prost, McLaren MP4/4-Honda, 1m 29.685s on lap 53 = 202.308 km/h (121.085 mph) average.

Milestones among drivers:

- Alain Prost scores his 57th podium finish (new record).

Milestones among teams, constructors and suppliers:

- 5000th F1 Grand Prix for Goodyear as a tire supplier;

- 75th F1 Grand Prix for Zakspeed as constructor, engine builder and team.