Bonnier, Joakim (Jo)
Name/Title
Bonnier, Joakim (Jo)Entry/Object ID
2025.1.100Description
Jo Bonnier, born Joakim Bonnier, was born on January 31, 1930, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was a pioneering Swedish racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1956 to 1971 and became the first Swede to win a Formula One World Championship race when he captured the 1959 Dutch Grand Prix for BRM. During his career, he made more than 100 Formula One starts, scored one Grand Prix victory, and earned respect as both a driver and team owner. Outside Formula One, he enjoyed success in endurance racing, including a second-place finish in the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, and he served as chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, where he advocated for improved driver safety. Despite his accomplishments, Bonnier never consistently challenged for a Formula One championship and managed only one Grand Prix win, often driving for teams that lacked the pace or reliability of the sport's leaders. His career ended tragically on June 11, 1972, when he was killed in an accident during the 24 Hours of Le Mans at Circuit de la Sarthe in France. Although his Formula One record was modest compared with the sport's greatest champions, he remains an important figure in motorsport history as Sweden's first Formula One race winner and an early advocate for racing safety.Photograph Details
Subject
Joakim BonnierCollection
Simeone - PhotographCategory
Race Car Drivers, Formula One