Racing legend Michel Ferte dies aged 64 after Le Mans veteran suffered illness – The Mirror

Endurance racing experienced Michel Ferte has died at the aged of 64, after a battle over several months with an unspecified sickness.

The news was announced on Wednesday by the particular Automobile Club de l’Ouest, the organiser of the 24 Hours associated with Le Mans. Ferte was a regular participant in the famous race in his younger days, taking part no fewer than 13 times in the space of 20 years.

No official cause of death has been given, as the notice said only that he had been suffering from a good illness over the past few months. Ferte has not competed at a high level in motorsport for 20 years, since his last appearance at The Mans.

The peak of that career came in 1991 when, alongside team-mates Davy Jones and Raul Boesel, he finished second within the 24 Hours. Racing in their Jaguar XJR-12, they finished just two laps behind the particular winning team driving the Mazda 787B.

Before that will, he also took part in plenty of single-seater racing including a race win in Formula 3 at Monaco. It proved in order to be the proud moment for the particular Ferte family overall, as his brother Alain had won the previous two editions of that same competition.

In Method 2, he did not win a race but did finish third within the 1984 championship thanks to his consistent results. Five podium finishes helped him to complete behind the particular Brazilian Roberto Moreno plus the title winner, Mike Thackwell of New Zealand.

Ferte got the chance to test an F1 car, signing with Ligier within the mid 1980s. But this individual never got the chance to race in the premier single-seater class, instead turning their attention to those many appearances at Le Mans up until his 13th and final crack at the particular race, in 2003.

The particular Frenchman also appeared within other events on the endurance race calendar. Highlights included wins in the International GT Series within the 1990s, racing together with his compatriot Olivier Thevenin.

After beginning his karting career because a 12-year-old, the motorsport bug remained with your pet for the particular next five decades. Ferte continued racing in the lower levels and was still making looks just the few years ago up until 2018.