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Jacky Ickx

Racing driver (born January 1, 1945)

Born on 1st January 1945 in Brussels, Jacques Bernard Ickx, known as “Jacky”, went on to become arguably the best endurance motor-racing driver of all time, as well as a Formula 1 motor-racing star.

His versatility was shown at an early age, when he beat Roger De Coster to win the Belgian junior motorcycle trials championship. He then made the switch to racing-cars and won the two-litre European touring car racing championship in 1966. This was followed by a string of titles, including European Formula 2 champion in 1967, eight Formula 1 Grand Prix wins and 25 podium finishes, runner-up in the Formula 1 world championship twice, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race six times, World Endurance champion twice, Can-Am champion in 1979, over 50 other victories in major endurance races and wins in several rallies, including the gruelling Paris-Dakar Desert Raid rally, in which he still competes.

He was also voted “Le Mans driver of the century”.

Famous Belgians